Imam Ali (AS) was proceeding towards Syria, when the peasants of al-Anbar upon seeing him, dismounted from their mounts and started running towards him. He enquired, ‘What is this you are doing to which they replied, ‘This is the way we respect our leaders. So he said, ‘By Allah, this does not benefit your leaders in any way, whilst you are belabouring yourself in this world and earning misery for yourselves in the Hereafter. How wasteful is the labour in whose wake lies chastisement, and how profitable the composure which brings safety from the Fire!