The ego is an enemy, and an enemy should never be trusted. It is in effect the worst of enemies, as the Messenger of Allah, may blessings and peace be upon him, has said: 'Your worst enemy is your ego which is between your flanks.' How inspired is the verse of the poet: Beware of your ego, and trust not its mischief; The ego is worse than seventy (70) devils. O Allah SWT! I seek Your protection against my committing idolatry [shirk], knowingly, and Your forgiveness for that of which I am not aware I have begun each chapter in this treatise by saying: 'you must do such-and-such a thing!' this being addressed particularly to my own self, my brother who was the cause for writing the treatise, and generally to every Muslim who reads it. This expression has an effect on the heart of those it is addressed to, and I hope that, having used it, I will escape the reproaches and threats directed against those who say but do not do, and who know but do not act. For if I address myself saying: 'You must do this!' this indicates that the thing has not yet become a reality through my practising of what I know, and that I am still at the stage of prompting myself to practice what I preach. In this manner, I will neither be deceiving the believers, nor forgetting myself, for this is how God has described those who have no understanding: Do you exhort people to goodness and forget yourselves, and you recite the Book? Have you no understanding? Glorious Quran 2: 44. And I will thus be saved from the threats directed at those who speak but do not act. - Imam al-Haddad, The Book of Assistance.