were present in his gathering, he said: ‘O people, we have left our homes and families lest we become engaged in disobedience by staying with them. However, I fear incurring a calamity that is even worse and affects the affluent and rich. May it not be the case that any of us desires for people to fulfil our needs because of our religiosity, or that we desire for people to offer us a discount based on our religiosity when we buy something. May it not be the case that we meet people and desire for them to revere us.’

O people, all these matters ruin a person! Therefore, always be mindful of them. The wise counsel of this saint of Allah had spread far and wide, and it even reached the king of the time. So, the king presented himself before the saint to offer his salaam. When he arrived, people began saying: ‘O pious individual, look, the king has come to visit you.’

‘Why has the king come to visit me?’ asked the saint.

‘He has come to listen to your speech that is full of wisdom.’

Having listened to what the people said, the saint asked, ‘Is there anything to eat?’

‘Yes’, replied someone, ‘I have some dates with me. Open your fast with them at the time of Iftar.’ After saying this, that individual gave the dates to the saint. The saint immediately started eating the dates despite the fact that he would fast all year round.

When the king observed this, he was astonished and asked the people: ‘Where is the pious man whom I came to visit, is this him?’

‘Yes’, replied the people, ‘This is the pious man whose wise speech is famous.’