said: "«He [Allah] said: "Indeed, Allah only accepts from the righteous"»1. May Allah grant you success in goodness and guide you by His mercy to it." The youth leapt to his feet, kissed them, placed them over his eyes, and wept intensely.
He bid us farewell and went out; he summoned the horse and marched to his army and companions. He ordered some of the servants to precede him to his camp so that he did not let anyone receive him with the diversions as he used to be received. He entered his camp with awe and dignity. Then he summoned his brother, delivered the wealth, the army, and all his means to him, and ordered him to return to his father. He ordered the army to obey him, mounted his horse, and marched back to us.
We did not realize—when a portion of the night had passed—but that he was with us knocking on the door. We opened for him; he dismounted from his horse, set it free, entered upon us, prostrated, kissed the ground, and abandoned the worldly means. When the Noble One knew that of him, he pressed him to his chest, kissed him between his eyes, thanked him for that, prayed for him, and seated him at his side. He began to discuss with him and provide him intimacy with the kindness of his character, being pleased with his action. He stayed thus for the rest of his night until the day ended. When he felt intimate and what he felt [of distress] vanished and his character expanded, he stepped forward to the Noble One and said: "O my master, I want to ask you about things in my chest; will you permit me to ask you?" The Noble One said to him: "Ask about whatever appears to you."
By What Does Man Attain the Fortune of This World and the Hereafter?
The youth asked: "By what does man succeed and attain fortune in this world and the hereafter?" The Noble One said: "By faith, sincerity,