This is the worst thing
I ever did; so now tell me what is the worst thing thou hast ever
done.' 'When I betake myself to prayer,' rejoined the first, 'I
am fearful to have done so only for the sake of the reward. This
is the worst thing I have done.' Now their father heard what they
said and exclaimed, 'O my God, if they speak the truth, take them
to Thyself!' Quoth one of the wise men, 'Verily these were of the
most virtuous of children.'" Quoth Said ben Jubeir,[FN#74] "I was
once in company with Fuzaleh ibn Ubeid and said to him, 'Give me
some good counsel.' 'Bear in mind these two things,' replied he.
'Attribute no partner to God, and do no hurt to any of His
creatures.' And he repeated the following verses:
Be as thou wilt and banish dread and care, For God is bountiful
and debonair;
So of two things, the doing hurt to men And giving God a partner,
thou beware."
And how well saith the poet:
If thou neglect with pious works for death to furnish thee And
after meet with one equipped with store of piety,
Thou wilt, when all too late, repent that thou wert not like him
And didst not for the other world make ready as did he.'
Then the second damsel withdrew and a third came forward and
spoke as follows. 'Indeed, the chapter of piety is a very wide
one; but I will mention what occurs to me thereof, concerning
pious men of old time.
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