Moses, peace be upon him, said: "O Lord, who destroyed those who are Your people?"
Who are those You shade beneath Your Throne?
He said: their hands are innocent.
Their hearts are pure,
Those who love one another for My majesty,
Those who, when I am mentioned, are mentioned; and when they are mentioned, I am mentioned.
Those who perfect their ablution in times of hardship,
They return to My remembrance as the eagles return to their nests.
They are made to bear my love to an extent that burdens the boy with love for the people.
And they become angry for my forbidden things when they are treated as permissible, just as the tiger becomes angry when it is attacked.
Narrated Wahb ibn Munabbih:
When God sent Moses and his brother Aaron to Pharaoh, He said:
Do not let its adornment, nor what you have been given of it, amaze you two.
Do not turn your gaze toward that, for it is the fleeting flower of this worldly life and the ornament of the indulgent,
And if I wished, I could adorn you both with the adornments of this world,
Pharaoh will know when he looks at it that his power cannot match what you two were given.
I would have done it, but I prefer to spare you both that, and I will keep it away from you both.
And thus I do to my allies.
And long ago I took pains for them, so indeed I do ward them off from its pleasures and its comforts.
Just as the compassionate shepherd wards his flock away from pastures of destruction.
And indeed I do keep them away from its pleasures and its life.
Just as the compassionate shepherd spares his camels from the blessed thorny thicket.
And that is not because of their belittling upon Him,
But so that they may complete their share of my favor, safe and well provided.
The world did not speak to him, nor did desire overpower him.
And know that the servants have never adorned themselves with an ornament more effective, in my view, than asceticism in the world.
For indeed it is the ornament of the God-fearing,
Upon them from it is a garment by which they are known for calmness and reverence.
Their distinguishing mark on their faces is from the trace of prostration.
Those are truly my allies, truly.
So when you meet them, then lower your wing for them and humble your heart and your tongue toward them.
And know that whoever insults for me a close ally or frightens him, has thereby declared war against me and has contended with me.
He showed himself to me and invited me to it, and I am the quickest to come to the aid of my allies.
Does the one who fights me think he can stand up to me?
Or does the one who opposes me think he can defeat me?
Or does the one who challenges me think that he will get ahead of me or pass me by?
And how, when I am their avenger in this world and the Hereafter,
I will not allow their support to go to anyone else.
