Do not ill-treat members of your family and do not behave...

Do not ill-treat members of your family and do not behave with them as if you are the most cruel man alive. Do not run after him who tries to avoid you. The greatest achievement of your character is that the hostility of your brother against you does not overcome the consideration and friendship you feel towards him, and his ill-treatment of you does not overbalance your kind treatment to him.

Do not get worried and depressed over the oppression because whoever oppresses you is in reality doing himself harm and is trying to find ways for your good. Never ill-treat a person who has done good to you. Know it well, son, that there are two kinds of livelihood: one which you are searching for and the other which follows you (which has been destined for you). It will reach you even if you do not try to obtain it.

To be submissive, humble, crawling and begging when one is needy, powerless and poor and to be arrogant, oppressing and cruel when in power and opulence are two very ugly traits of the human character. Nothing in this world is really useful to you unless it has some utility and value for you for the next world. If you at all want to lament over things which you have lost in this world then worry about the loss of things which had immortal values for you.

The past and almost all that was in your possession during the past is not with you now. You may thus rationally come to the conclusion that the present and all that is in your possession now will also leave you. Do not be like persons on whom advice has no effect; they require punishment to improve them. A sensible man acquires education and culture through advice, while brutes and beasts always improve through punishment.

Overcome your sorrows, your worries and your misfortunes with patience and faith in the Merciful Lord and your hard work; one who gives up a straight path, honest and rational ways of thinking and working, will harm himself. A friend is like a relation and a true friend is one who speaks well of you even behind your back. Inordinate desires are related with misfortunes. Often close relations behave more distantly than strangers and often strangers help you more than your nearest relatives.

Poor is he who has no friends. Whoever forsakes truth finds that his path of life has become narrow and troublesome. Contentment and honesty are the lasting assets to retain one’s prestige and position. The strongest relation is the one which is between man and Allah.