from parting ways with them,
and from their hostility.

Their hostility is harder on him than that of his enemies, for they have seen and learned things about him that his enemies do not know. They use this to stir up the hostility of others, multiplying the enmity against him. If he is unwilling to part ways with them, he must appease them and help them achieve what they want, even if this corrupts his religion. If he helps them attain a worldly position, he receives an ample portion and a full share of the injustice and oppression they practise in it. They also demand that he help them achieve their aims, even at the expense of his own worldly aims—let alone his religious aims, if he has any within him or among his concerns. For man is unjust and ignorant, pursuing only his own desires.

Unless he inwardly does good to them, patiently bears their harm, and meets their needs for Allah’s sake, while seeking Allah’s help against them fully and placing his complete trust in Him, they will corrupt both his religion and his worldly life. This is what is plainly witnessed among people seeking worldly leadership: one demands of another acts of injustice and disobedience through which to attain that leadership, makes this course seem attractive to him, and turns against him if he does not stand by him, as has indeed