2. He said: Abu Ubaidullah Muhammad ibn Imran al-Marzbani reported to me from Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Katib, who reported from Ahmad ibn Abu Khaithamah, who reported from Abdullah ibn Dahir, from al-A’amash, from Abayah al-Asadi from Ibn Abbas - may Allah bless him with mercy, who said:

Amirul Mu’mineen ‘Ali ibn ‘Ali Talib, peace be upon him, was asked about the verse in the Qu’ran: ’Surely, Allah’s devotees shall have no fear, neither shall they grieve.’ (Yunus, 10:62). He was asked: "Who are those devotees?" So, Amirul Mu’mineen, peace be upon him, said: "They are the ones who have purified themselves in His worship and have an eye on the inner core of this world while people regard its exterior; and so they have recognized its future while others have been deceived by its transitory benefits. They have forsaken all that which they know will someday forsake them and have caused to die all that they know will one day kill them." Then he said: "O he who has distracted himself with this world and jumped at its traps, working busily to build up that which will soon be destroyed by it. Did you not see your forefathers, who are down decomposing and your descendants, thrown under the stone and earth? How you tried to treat them and cure them with your hands? The doctors prescribed for them and the relatives prayed for them. But reliance upon you, did not help them and your medicines did not have any effect upon them."