'[FN#93] I saw Es Shafi's
colour change; his skin shuddered, and he was violently moved and
fell down senseless. When he revived, he said, 'I seek refuge
with God from the stead of the liars and the fate of the
negligent! O my God, the hearts of the wise abase themselves
before Thee. O my God, of Thy goodness, accord to me the
remission of my sins, adorn me with Thy protection and pardon me
my shortcomings, by the magnanimity of Thine essence!' Then I
rose and went away." Quoth one of the pious, "When I entered
Baghdad, Es Shafi was there. I sat down on the river-bank, to
make the ablution before prayer; and as I was thus occupied,
there came up one who said to me, 'O youth, make thine ablution
well and God will make it well for thee in this world and the
world to come.' I turned and saw a man, with a company of people
after him. So I hastened to finish my ablutions and followed him.
Presently, he turned and said to me, 'Dost thou want aught?'
'Yes,' answered I; 'I desire that thou teach me somewhat of that
which God the Most High hath taught thee.' 'Know, then,' said he,
'that he who believes in God the Most High shall be saved and he
who is jealous of his faith shall be delivered from destruction,
and he who practices abstinence in this world, his eyes shall be
solaced on the morrow (of death). Shall I tell thee any more?'
'Assuredly,' replied I. 'Abstain from the things of this world,'
continued he, 'and be greedy of the good of the world to come.
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