and thereupon we caused our apostles to follow in their footsteps and we caused them to be followed by jesus the son of mary upon whom we bestowed the gospel and in the hearts of those who followed him we engendered compassion and mercy. but as for monastic asceticism we did not enjoin it upon them they invented it themselves out of a desire for gods goodly acceptance. but then they did not observe it as it ought to have been observed and so we granted their recompense unto such of them as had attained to faith whereas many of them became iniquitous.
ثم قفينا على آثارهم برسلنا وقفينا بعيسى ابن مريم وآتيناه الإنجيل وجعلنا في قلوب الذين اتبعوه رأفة ورحمة ورهبانية ابتدعوها ما كتبناها عليهم إلا ابتغاء رضوان الله فما رعوها حق رعايتها فآتينا الذين آمنوا منهم أجرهم وكثير منهم فاسقون