Quoth a certain holy man, "I rejoice in
death, though I am not assured of ease therein, save that I know
death interposes between a man and his works; so I hope for
multiplication of good works and cessation of evil ones." Itaa es
Selemi, when he had made an end of an exhortation, was wont to
tremble and weep sore. It was asked him why he did this and he
replied, "I purpose (or am about) to enter upon a grave matter,
and it is the standing up before God the Most High, to do in
accordance with my exhortation." In like manner Zein el
Aabidin[FN#75] was wont to tremble when he rose to pray. Being
asked the reason of this, he replied, "Do ye not know before whom
I stand and to whom I address myself?" It is said that there
lived near Sufyan eth Thauri[FN#76] a blind man who, when the
month of Ramazan came, went out with the folk to pray, but
remained silent and hung back (in repeating the prayers). Said
Sufyan, "On the Day of Resurrection, he shall come with the
people of the Koran[FN#77] and they will be distinguished from
their fellows by excess of honour." Quoth Sufyan, "Were the soul
stablished in the heart as it befits, it would fly away, for joy
and longing for Paradise and grief and fear of hell-fire." It is
related also of Sufyan that he said, "To look upon the face of a
tyrant is a sin."'
Then the third damsel retired and a fourth came forward, who
said, 'I will treat of sundry traditions of pious men.
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