These causes...

These causes, no matter how they appear, give the people the impression about these matters, so the pretender's soul is at ease when he gives such an impression; so, his soul prompts him to demonstrate them so that it may be restful. You may see this pretender lowering his voice when he speaks so that the listener may be duped into believing that lowering the voice is due to abundance of adoration, or his lips are withered because of continuous last.

It is for this reason that Christ, peace he with him, said, "When one of you fasts, let him oil his head, tidy his hair and use kohl (arras) for his eyes," The reason why he, peace be with him, said so was out of fear of Satan insinuating pretension.

As regarding pretension coming from clothing and appearance, it is when one does not tidy his hair, lowers his head when he walks more than what is required by modesty and dignity, when he is quiet in movement, keeping the mark of prostration on the forehead and perhaps wearing an outfit that is not clean so he may be counted among the sincere worshippers of Allah.

Clothing pretenders are various classes: Some of them seek a status among the people of righteousness and piety by showing off asceticism. One May wear a worn out garment so he may be regarded by them as an ascetic and lives in the society in this attribute.

The mark of his pretension is that if he is asked to wear an average clean garment like that worn by the righteous predecessors, it will be very hard for him to do so, and it will he as if lie is being led to his slaughter because he is afraid people will say that lie is tired of being an ascetic and returned to his old self, desiring the life of this world. Another class seeks acceptance among the people of righteousness and the people of the world such as businessmen and the elite.

These poor folks feel embarrassed and alarmed because if they wear luxurious clothes, the ascetics and the servants of Allah will reject them. And if they wear old worn out clothes, they will perhaps fall in the eyes of the people of this world and in the ayes of the rich.

They want to combine between the acceptance of the people of faith and that the people of this world; therefore, they choose clothes the weaving and the fabric of which arc valuable, hence the value of their clothes is similar to that of a rich man's clothing, but its form and color give the impression that it is worn by the righteous. With this trick they seek acceptance by both groups.