121 – ʿAbd Allah narrated to us; Muhammad said: Abu ʿUmar al-ʿUmari narrated to us; he said: Our companions related that a sage once met another sage. When the moment came for them to part, one said to the other, “Give me some advice.” He replied:

“Make Allah your foremost concern, and let your grief be over your own sin; for many a sorrowful soul has been ushered by his very sorrow into everlasting joy, while many a cheerful soul has been carried by his elation into a long season of misery. How many people have had something postponed for them that was hastened for others, as a glance of mercy and compassion from their Lord—yet they grew weary of the delay and longed for what had been deferred. So contentment was replaced by displeasure, love by aversion, and tranquility by restlessness. They were stripped of sound worship and the sweetness of obedience; they lost what they had once known and regretted their eagerness for the quick gains of this world. But regret did not avail them—far from it! How could it, after they had squandered the blessing of obedience? In its place they were given the humiliation of sin within themselves and weakness in their hearts. They left this world blaming one another: they had neither endured what had been chosen for them nor obtained what they had tried to hasten. Those are the ones who lose in the Hereafter, and whose striving in this life has gone astray.”