A scholar once asked another greater than him in knowledge,
"How much should I build?"
He replied,
"As much as shelters you from the sun and the rain."
He asked,
"How much food should I eat?"
He replied,
"More than what keeps you hungry and less than what makes you full."
He asked,
"How much should I wear?"
He replied,
"As the Messiah (Jesus) did."
He asked,
"How much should I laugh?"
He replied,
"As much as appears on your face but does not make audible your voice."
He asked,
"How much should I cry?"
He replied,
"Never tire from crying out of the fear of Allâh."
He asked,
"How much should I hide my deeds?"
He replied,
"Until people think you had not done a good deed."
He asked,
"How much should I make public my deeds?"
He replied,
"As much as will let the keen follow your example but not have the people talk about you."
"Everything has two ends and a middle. If you grab one end, the other will slant, but if you take the middle, both ends will balance. Stick to the balanced middle in all affairs."
