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From God, who grants success, we ask for success in
maintaining good manners always; explanation of the
harm in being ill-mannered
Let’s pray to God for manners in their place
Since those who lack them lose out on his grace,
It’s not as though it’s just themselves they harm,
They set the world on fire, disrupt the calm:
A feast was sent down from above one day 80
Without demands or any price to pay,
Moses had men who still bemoaned their lot,
‘Why weren’t some lentils spiced with garlic brought?’
The host then cleared the feast that had been laid
And each was forced to farm with scythe and spade;
Jesus once interceded for a man,
A bounteous feast was sent down in God’s plan,
But then some greedy brats who lacked respect
Like beggars grabbed the most they could collect,
Even though Jesus cried, ‘It’s infinite, 85
You greedy fools, you’ll not run out of it!’*
Regard this lust and faithless attitude
Before God’s feast as sheer ingratitude:
When blinded by their greed these low ingrates
Cause God to shut to all his mercy’s gates:
If you withhold zakat,* then rain won’t fall
And fornication spreads a plague to all,
So what’s the source of your deep misery?
Acting without respect conceitedly!
Whoever fails to show respect to God 90
For robbing other men deserves the rod!
Good manners are what made the heavens bright
And angels sinless, purer than the light,
The Healing of the Sick Slave-Girl 9
Irreverence caused eclipses of the sun
And Satan, through his pride, to be undone.