392 – Ḥātim ibn Yaḥyā narrated to me; he said: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ḥubayq wrote to us, saying that Hudhayfah—meaning al-Marʿashī—had written to Yūsuf ibn Asbāṭ:

“To proceed: I counsel you to fear Allah, to act upon what Allah has taught you, to maintain watchfulness when no one sees you but Allah, and to prepare for that event against which no stratagem will avail anyone and for which regret, once it descends, will bring no benefit. Therefore, remove from your head the veil of the heedless, awaken from the slumber of the dead, and roll up your sleeves for tomorrow’s race, for this world is the arena of the competitors.

Do not be deceived by one who merely displays piety, busies himself with describing it, yet neglects to practice what he describes.

Know, my brother, that you and I must inevitably stand before Allah. He will question us about the finest, most hidden details and about the greatest, most obvious matters; nor do I feel secure that He will not ask you and me about the whisperings of the hearts, the fleeting glances of the eyes, the inclining of the ears to listen, and about matters that someone like me is too weak to set forth ⦗177⦘.

Know, my brother, that among the traits ascribed to the hypocrites of this community is that they mingled with the people of the world in body, matched them in their desires, and humbled themselves to gain whatever worldly share they hoped for from them. They remained silent about the falsehood they heard, rejoiced in the adornments they saw, flattered one another in word and deed, and abandoned the inner work of rectification. Because of this Allah, exalted is He, deprived them of the profitable bargain.

Know, my brother, that speech cannot stand in place of action, promises cannot replace true giving, and outward display cannot substitute for genuine caution. We have now reached a time whose people are described by these traits; whoever behaves as they do exposes himself to destruction and is turned away from the straight path.

May Allah grant you and me success in what He loves. Peace.”