 if your conceit goes beyond praise your downfall will be doubled because your mind is unable to separate from your conceit. this is if you are praised with truth so how about if you are praised with falsehood! the son of noah the father of abraham and abu lahab the uncle of the prophet may god bless him and grant him peace was the closest of people to the best of god almightys creation from the children of adam and those whose entire honor is in following them but they did not benefit from that. and among those who were born without guidance there were those who were the ultimate in worldly leadership like ziyad and abu muslim and those who were the ultimate in virtue in reality like some of his descendants who are too numerous to mention in such a chapter from those who draw near to god almighty through their love and following the praiseworthy traces of him.
 فان تعدى بك العجب إلى الامتداح فقد تضاعف سقوطك، لأنه قد عجز عقلك عن مفارقة ما فيك من العجب. هذا ان امتدحت بحق، فكيف ان امتدحت بكذب! وقد كان ابن نوح وأبو إبراهيم وأبو لهب، عم النبي صلى الله عليه وعلى نوح وابراهيم وسلم، أقرب الناس من أفضل خلق الله تعالى من ولد آدم وممن الشرف كله في اتباعهم، فما انتفعوا بذلك. وقد كان فيمن ولد لغير رشدة، من كان الغاية في رئاسة الدنيا كزياد وأبي مسلم، ومن كان نهاية في الفضل على الحقيقة كبعض من نجله عن ذكره في مثل هذا الفصل ممن يتقرب إلى الله تعالى بمحبته والاقتداء بحميد آثاره.