Oh woe is me! Would that I had not taken so and so as a friend!He said:The soundest friendship is that which does not lead to regret (nadāma), and that is nothing less than intimacy (uns) with God, Exalted is He, and seclusion from people. The Messenger of God used to observe seclusion (khalwa) for the sake of the knowledge that God had opened to his heart, for he liked to reflect upon it.Everything will befriend the person whose prayer is good. Such a person will be stirred during sleep at the prayer times so that he awakes. This is done by his brothers among the jinn who have befriended him. They may also accompany him when he travels and give him priority over themselves. The angels may even befriend him. Once a man made a request from Sahl saying, ‘I really want to keep your company.’ He said, ‘When one of us dies, let whomsoever keeps company with the one who survives, keep his company from then on.’ Al-Rabīʿ b. Khaytham was sitting on his porch one day when a stone came flying at him and struck his forehead making a gash in it, upon which he said, ‘Truly, you have been admonished, O Ibn Khaytham!’ Then he entered his home, shutting the door behind him and was not seen seated in that same position up to his death. His words:
used to observe seclusion (khalwa) for the sake of the knowledge that God had opened to his heart, for he liked to reflect upon it.Everything will befriend the person whose prayer is good. Such a person will be stirred during sleep at the prayer times so that he awakes. This is done by his brothers among the jinn who have befriended him. They may also accompany him when he travels and give him priority over themselves. The angels may even befriend him. Once a man made a request from Sahl saying, ‘I really want to keep your company.’ He said, ‘When one of us dies, let whomsoever keeps company with the one who survives, keep his company from then on.’ Al-Rabīʿ b. Khaytham was sitting on his porch one day when a stone came flying at him and struck his forehead making a gash in it, upon which he said, ‘Truly, you have been admonished, O Ibn Khaytham!’ Then he entered his home, shutting the door behind him and was not seen seated in that same position up to his death. His words: