Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
ahmad-zuhd:2141ʿAbdullāh > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar al-Qurashī > Abū Usāmah > Muḥammad b. ʿAmr > Ṣafwān b. Sulaym

[Machine] Abu Muslim Al-Khawlani said, "People used to be like leaves without thorns, but today they are thorns without leaves. If you insult them, they insult you, if you criticize them, they criticize you, and if you leave them, they will not leave you."  

الزهد لأحمد:٢١٤١حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ الْقُرَشِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ سُلَيْمٍ قَالَ

قَالَ أَبُو مُسْلِمٍ الْخَوْلَانِيُّ «كَانَ النَّاسُ وَرَقًا لَا شَوْكَ فِيهِ وَإِنَّهُمُ الْيَوْمَ شَوْكٌ لَا وَرَقَ فِيهِ إِنْ سَابَبْتَهُمْ سَابُّوكَ وَإِنْ نَاقَدْتَهُمْ نَاقَدُوكَ وَإِنْ تَرَكْتَهُمْ لَمْ يَتْرُكُوكَ»