By Allah, I recommended people during this year ^[1], and by Allah they kept close to me and maa sha Allah [what was apparent was a life of] asceticism and such and such and so forth.

Then it became apparent to me the criticism about them. As for me, if one prays with me and he was upright and he remembers Allah and he travels with me, and till the end, I bear witness to that which I have seen, and I do not praise anyone over Allah.

But if another person comes, [and] he knows him [meaning the one who I recommended] more than me, and he discovered errors [with him] and he found out about [some] things that diminish [him] in his adaalah (integrity) – so he criticizes him with knowledge and he establishes proof upon his criticism by way of evidence and he explains his criticism – then give preference to the evidence of the criticism of this person over my praise, and I yield [to the evidence of the criticism]. Give preference to the evidence of the criticism of this person. In reality the truth is with him.

Translator's Note: That which is between the brackets [ ] was added to complete the translation, or for clarity, or additional benefit.