Who is the wisest of people, "

salam

Who is the wisest of people, and who is the most ignorant of people?"

When al-Mansur bin 'Ammar, may Allah have mercy on him, once entered the court of Abdul-Malik bin Marwaan, the latter said, "O Mansur, I have a question for you, and I will give you respite for an entire year to answer it: Who is the wisest of people, and who is the most ignorant of people?"

Al-Mansur left the castle and spent some time in contemplation in a nearby courtyard. Then the answer came to him, and so he quickly hurried back to Abdul-Malik. "O Mansur, why have you returned?" asked Abdul Malik.

"The wisest of the people, O Leader of the Believers, is the doer of good deeds who fears not having his deeds accepted," said al-Mansur." "And the most ignorant of people is he who does good deeds and feels safe in that his deeds will be accepted." Upon hearing these words, Abdul-Malik began to cry until his garment became soaked in tears. He then said, 'You have done waell, O Mansur. Now, recite a part of the Quran to me, for the Quran is a cure for what is in the breasts of men."

Mansur then recited this verse:

On the Day when every person will be confronted with all the good he has done, and all the evil he has done, he will wish that there was a great distance between him and his evil. And Allah warns you against Himself and Allah is full of Kindness to His slaves.

[Aal-Imraan : 30]

"You have killed me, O Mansur," said Abdul-Malik. "O Mansur, what does, 'And Allah warns you against Himself' mean?"

"It means His Punishment," said Mansur.

"And what is the meaning of, 'every person will be confronted with all the god he has done,'?" asked Abdul-Malik?

"It means that every person will be confronted on the Day of Resurrection by all of his deeds, the largest of them and the tiniest of them. Allah will not leave out or forget any of that."

Abdul Malik then continued to cry until, being overcome with fear, he fainted.