become resentful; it is impossible to satisfy both disputants, and the most ignorant of people is the one who forsakes the truth merely to win the approval of others.

Muʿāwiyah once wrote to ʿĀʾishah—may Allah be pleased with her—requesting: “Give me a brief exhortation.” She replied in writing: “I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say: ‘Whoever seeks Allah’s pleasure even though it angers people, Allah will be pleased with him and will make people pleased with him as well. But whoever seeks people’s pleasure at the cost of Allah’s displeasure, Allah will be angry with him and will make the creation angry with him. An example of this is a ruler who fails to command them to obey Allah, does not teach them the matters of religion, feeds them what is unlawful, withholds the laborer’s wages, or denies a woman her dowry—Allah will be angry with him and will turn the people against him.’”