Ibn Abbas says...

Ibn Abbas says, "We were sitting in the company of the Prophet, when somebody asked, 'who is the best of the companions'? The Prophet replied, "The one whose appearance reminds you of Allah, whose words enhance your knowledge, and whose gait reminds you of the doomsday". Man is always in need of the alchemy of love of the pious and the virtuous so that the love of the virtuous makes his behaviour identical with and his looks similar to the pious.

For the reformation of morals and the soul, many methods have been formulated and different schools have come forth. Of all such schools, one is of Socrates. According to the rules of this school, man is expected to reform himself through wisdom and reason. Man should first completely believe in the merits of piety and the demerits of debauchery.

Thereafter, by adopting logical procedure he should locate each and every vice, like a man who removes the hair from his nose one by one, or like a farmer who clears his field of unwanted growths and weeds one by one, or like a person who sifts the wheat from sand and dust, grain by grain, and thus he cleanse the harvest of his life. According to this method one should patiently, with determination and calculation, gradually remove the impurities from the gold of his existence.

Perhaps it is rightly said that for wisdom it may not be possible to accomplish the task. ( 65 ) The philosophers want reformation of morals by force of logic and methodology. For example, they say piety and contentment determine the prestige and individuality of a man among the masses, and greed and ambition are the cause of his disgrace and disrepute. Or, they say, knowledge is a factor to achieve power and strength.

Knowledge is like this and like that, or "the knowledge is the seal of Solomon's authority". Knowledge is a light that discerns a route from a ditch. Or, they say, jealousy and malice are spiritual diseases and sociologically they will lead to a disastrous end, and things like that. No doubt, this method is a correct method and such means are fair means but the difference lies in the comparative utility of this method to that of another method.

As an automobile is a good means, but we should see the extent of its worth comparatively with an aeroplane. Forthwith, we do not want to discuss the worth of rational course for guidance.