English Translation

Abd al-Malik ibn Umayr reported from a man of Banu al-Harith ibn Ka'b who said: I entered upon Ibn Mas'ud while he was admonishing people. He said: "Seek knowledge before it is taken away, and its being taken away is the departure of its people. You will surely face innovations and novelties, so adhere to your original practice. And upon you is the Quran, for you will face a people who claim to call you to the Book of Allah while they have cast it behind their backs. So upon you is knowledge, and beware of hypocrisy, and beware of going to extremes in religion, and upon you is the early (original) way."