[Machine] A man said: "O Abu 'Abdullah, how can it be that a matter, if one takes it today, is guidance, and if one takes it after today, it is misguidance?" He replied: "You have indeed done it. Consider this with two men who passed by a people who were committing sins. They both disapproved of it, but one of them remained silent and the other spoke up. They took him and brought him to their leader, and they did not stop until they took hold of him and carried out their punishment on him."  

رَجُلٌ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ كَيْفَ يَكُونُ أَمْرٌ مَنْ أَخَذَ بِهِ الْيَوْمَ كَانَ هُدًى وَمَنْ أَخَذَ بِهِ بَعْدَ الْيَوْمِ كَانَ ضَلَالَةً؟ قَالَ قَدْ فَعَلْتُمُوهُ اعْتَبِرُوا ذَلِكَ بِرَجُلَيْنِ مَرَّا بِقَوْمٍ يَعْمَلُونَ بِالْمَعَاصِي فَأَنْكَرَا كِلَاهُمَا وَصَمَتَ أَحَدُكُمَا فَسَلِمَ وَتَكَلَّمَ الْآخَرُ فَقَالَ إِنَّكُمْ تَفْعَلُونَ وَتَفْعَلُونَ فَأَخَذُوهُ وَذَهَبُوا بِهِ إِلَى ذِي سُلْطَانِهِمْ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ أَوْ لَمْ يَزَالُوا بِهِ حَتَّى أَخَذَ بِأَخْذِهِ وَعَمِلَ بِعَمَلِهِ