conduct, which I now mention
merely that the man of reflection may profit by my example--I never
interfered between two parties unless invited by them to do so; I
never went to the door of these people (meaning princes) unless sent
for by them; and I never rose from my place to obtain a thing when all
men were anxious to possess it.'

IX.

Abu Yazid Taifur al-Bastaimi, the famous ascetic, being asked how he
had acquired his knowledge of the spiritual world, answered that it
was by means of a hungry belly and naked body. He used to say: 'When
you see a man possessing miraculous powers, so as even to mount into
the air, let not that deceive you, but see if he observes God's
commands and prohibitions, if he keeps within the bounds imposed by
religion, and if he performs the duties which it prescribes.'

X.

Abul Aswad ad-Duwali, the inventor of grammar, in intelligence one of
the most perfect of men, and in reason one of the most sagacious, was
notorious for his avarice, and he used to say: 'If we listened to the
demands made by the poor for our money, we should soon be worse off
than they.' He said also to his sons: 'Strive not to rival Almighty
God in generosity, for He is the most bountiful and the most glorious;
had He pleased He would have given ample wealth to all men, so strive
not to be generous lest you die of starvation.' It is also related
that Abul Aswad had an attack of the palsy, and that he used to go to
the market himself, though scarcely able to draw his legs after him,
and yet he was rich, and possessed both male and female slaves. A
person who knew this accosted him one day, and said: 'God has
dispensed you from the necessity of moving about on your own business,
why do you not remain seated at home?' To which he replied: 'No; I go
in and out, and the eunuch says "He is coming," and the boy says "He
is coming," whereas, were I to continue sitting in the house, the
sheep would urine upon me without any person's preventing them.'

XI.

It is related that on a dispute between the Sunnites and Shiites of
Baghdad about the relative merits of Abu Bakr and Ali, both parties
agreed to abide by the opinion of the Shaikh Abul Faraj bin Al-Jauzi.
They consequently deputed a person, who questioned him on the subject
when he was seated in the preacher's chair. The one reply which he
made bears in Arabic two different meanings--the first, that the best
of them was he whose daughter was married to