as a trial for him. Then He makes known to him the obligations and imposes the duties upon him. If he performs what He made obligatory and imposed, Allah strengthens his faith and his hopes. But if he is stingy with wealth and abandons the duties out of fear of poverty, being greedy for wealth and doubting what Allah commanded him, Allah weakens his faith and takes back from him what He gave him of worldly matters. Then he becomes anguished by that and his patience diminishes. The wealth He took back from him was sweeter [to him] than the faith in his heart; so Allah weakens his faith, clothes him in the garment of abasement, and makes him in need of the worst of His creation.'

And I know that Allah — Exalted Glory — has not made what He took back from you of wealth sweeter to your heart than faith. So, face Allah and return to your inner self, and know that Allah — Exalted Glory — only made that which you lost an expiation for a sin." I said to him: "By Allah, I do not think but that Allah sent you as a mercy to me." He did not cease narrating to me until the distress I felt vanished. He said: "A need has occurred to me from you, O Abu al-Tahir; will you fulfill it?" I said: "O my master, and what need could the likes of you have of the likes of me?" He said: "It is a need by which you would favor me." I asked: "What is the need, my master?" He said: "That you travel with me to my residence, so you may partake of my food and I may partake of your blessing."

I said to him: "That is yours." He took my hand and rose, and I rose with him as if nothing of what I was in had ever touched me. We walked until he came to the door of his residence. A servant met him and took his hand to kiss it. He took my hand and gave it to the servant, saying: "Kiss the hand of your master." He kissed my hand and we walked until we entered the house. When we reached the middle of it, a maidservant came out to us and did as the servant had done. We sat down. Then he summoned food, and it was as if it was already with him; it was brought and we ate. Then it was removed, we washed our hands, and he