"Honesty and Dishonesty wage war against each other in the heart until one of them dispells the other.
Honesty starts weak just as the date palm: a single branch appears first. If a child breaks it, its source is destroyed. If a goat eats it, its source is destroyed But if it is irrigated, it spreads. When it is irrigated further, it spreads further till it develops a strong root, it then provides shade, and then fruit that is eaten.
In like manner, honesty starts weak in the heart. The person seeks it and so Allah increases it. The person seeks it further so Allah increases it more. Allah eventually makes it a source of blessing for the person and his speech becomes a medication for those who are in error."
Ja'far says: "Malik ibn Dinar continues: 'Have you not seen them?' He pauses for a while and says: 'By Allah! We have certainly seen them. [They are] Hasan al-Basri, Sa'id ibn Jubayr and their like. Allah causes the speech of a single person from among them to give life to large groups of people.
Abu Nu'aym: Hilyah al-Auliya, vol 2 p.359
A'ishah (r.a.) says: There was no trait that was more wicked in the sight of the Companions of Rasulullah (s.a.w.) than dishonesty. No sooner Rasulullah (s.a.w.) learnt that one of them [Companions] had some dishonesty in him, he would work on him till he repented".
Ahmad ibn Hambal: al-'Ilal wa Ma'rifah ar-Rijal, vol.1, p.406
from 'The Sunnah Way of the Sufis' by Imam Harith al-Muhasibi.
