4. We were told by Muhammed bin Hasan bin Ahmad bin Waleed, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: We were told by Sa’d bin Abdullah, from Qasem bin Muhammed al-Esbahani, from Sulayman bin Dawud al-Manqari, from Ali bin Hashim al-Bareed, from his father, from Abu Ja’far, peace be upon him,

that a man asked him about abstinence. He said: Abstinence are ten things. The highest ranks of abstinence are the lowest ranks of piety, and the highest ranks of piety are lowest ranks of certainty, and the highest ranks of certainty are the lowest ranks of satisfaction (from Allah). Alas, abstinence is, indeed, in a verse from the Book of Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He: «That you will not despair for what has eluded you, nor rejoice for what I give you.» (57:23) [1]