“They envy me and have spread lies about me.”

I said, “What could they possibly envy you for, when you have left them both this world and the Hereafter?”

He replied, “The Hereafter, too?!”

“Yes, by Allah,” I answered.

Gharas al-Niʿmah continued: I also recall that when the news of his death reached us—and we were discussing his irreligion—there was with us a young man, known as Abū Ghālib ibn Nabḥān, distinguished for piety and learning. The next morning he told us, “Last night I saw an old blind man; two huge serpents were draped over his shoulders down to his thighs. Each serpent kept lifting its mouth to his face, biting off pieces of flesh and swallowing them while he cried for help. I was terrified and asked, ‘Who is this?’ I was told, ‘This is Abū al-ʿAlāʾ al-Maʿarrī, the heretic.’(1)

From Abū al-ʿAlāʾ(2):

Never let a free, well-guided woman sit alone
with her husband’s son or with a brother-in-law;
this is better for her and safer for mankind—
for a young man is ever a source of temptation.(3)

Abū al-Ḥusayn the ḥāfiẓ in Baʿlabakk recited to us; he received it from Jaʿfar ibn ʿAlī, who received it from al-Silafī, who received it from Abū al-Makārim ʿAbd al-Wārith ibn Muḥammad al-Asadī, who received it from Abū al-ʿAlāʾ ibn Sulaymān himself:(4)

For a time I sought the world, but it granted nothing
save toil; life is only a scant provision.
Then noble Despair cast his son and daughter upon me,
and in their company I have found ease and leisure.(5)