“If I fall upon hard times, my companion never knows it,
and when I prosper, my friend prospers too.
My modesty preserves the water of my face,
and my forbearance when I press a claim shields my companion.
Had I ever bartered away my dignity,
the road to high rank would have been smooth.” (1)

He also said:
“Two traits whose practice I will never approve:
the arrogance of wealth and the abasement of poverty.
So when you are affluent, be not conceited,
and when you are poor, rise above the turns of fate.” (2)

Abu Muhammad al-Farghani related: Abu Bakr al-Dinawari told me, “When the time for the Dhuhr (noon) prayer came on the Monday on which Ibn Jarir died—toward the end of the day—he asked for water to renew his ablution. It was said to him, ‘Delay Dhuhr and combine it with the ʿAsr (mid-afternoon) prayer.’ He refused, performed Dhuhr by itself, and ʿAsr at its appointed time, offering both in the most complete and excellent manner.

“At the moment of his death a group was present, among them Abu Bakr ibn Kamil. Before his soul departed he was asked, ‘Abu Jaʿfar! You are our proof before Allah concerning the religion we follow. Is there anything you would commend to us about our faith—some clear guidance by which we may hope for safety in the Hereafter?’

“He replied, ‘What I hold fast to before Allah and commend to you is everything I have set down in my books; act upon it and cling to it.’ And he spoke words to that effect. He then repeated the testimony of faith many times, remembered Allah often, wiped his hand over his face, closed his own eyes with his hand, lowered it, and his soul departed this world.

“He was born in 224 AH. After reaching maturity and memorising the Qur’an he left Amul, his father allowing him to travel and, throughout his life, continuing to supply him with something thereafter—”