Ibn ʿAbbās said: “When Allah sent Moses and Aaron, peace be upon them, to Pharaoh, He said to them: ‘Do not be taken in by the splendor of the garment with which I have clothed him, for his forelock is in My hand; he can neither speak nor even blink except by My permission. Let not the fleeting adornment of this world and the finery of the affluent that he enjoys deceive you. Had I so willed, I could have arrayed you in worldly ornaments such that Pharaoh would know his power was helpless before them—but I have not done so, and that is not because you are insignificant in My sight. Rather, I have clothed you with the portion of honor allotted to you, on the condition that the world diminish you in nothing.
Indeed, I drive My friends away from the world just as a shepherd drives his camels from befouled resting places, and I keep them clear of it as a shepherd steers his herd from pastures of ruin. By this I seek to brighten their stations and purify their hearts, so that the marks by which they are recognized and the cause in which they glory shine forth.
Know that whoever causes fear in a friend of Mine has declared open enmity against Me; and I will rise to avenge My friends on the Day of Resurrection.’”