339 – Al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī al-ʿIjlī narrated to me: I heard Ibn ʿUyaynah say that ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Marwān once instructed the tutor of his children:

“Teach them to be truthful with the same rigor with which you teach them the Qur’an. Seat them in the gatherings of scholars and nobles, for such people are unmatched in refinement yet most exacting in their expectations. Keep them away from the household attendants, for those servants are a source of corruption. Keep their hair well groomed so that their necks grow strong. Feed them meat; it will give them strength and courage. Recite poetry to them, that they may acquire modesty and polish. Order them to use the tooth-stick, and when they drink let them sip the water rather than gulp it, for gulping leads to liver ailments.”