—that created beings no longer occupy any standing in his heart, which is now filled with love for the Truth and for whatever earns the pleasure of his Lord.

4. Renouncing the pursuit of leadership is harder than renouncing gold and silver. Whoever uproots from his heart the love of worldly rank and the desire to rise above people is the genuine ascetic; such a person is the one for whom praise and blame are the same when truth is at stake.

5. The second counsel is: “Detach yourself from what is in people’s hands and people will love you.”
   Ibn Rajab said: “Many hadiths from the Prophet ﷺ command us to safeguard our dignity by refraining from asking others and by doing without them. Whoever asks people for what they possess earns their dislike and hatred, because wealth is dear to the children of Adam; when someone demands from them what they cherish, he is detested for it. By contrast, one who shows no desire for what is in their hands and spares them his requests is loved and honored by them.”

6. A Bedouin once asked, “Who is the chief of the people of Basra?” They replied, “Al-Hasan al-Basrī.” He asked, “How did he come to be their chief?” They answered, “The people need his knowledge, whereas he has no need of their worldly goods.”