When I would see men gathering around a person, I would envy him. Then when I was put to trial in the same manner (i.e., when I started to gain fame and recognition), I wished to be saved from them (i.e., from crowds of admirers), so that I could start over with a clean slate, with no sins against me and no rewards in my favor.
—Sufyān al-Thawrī [d. 161H/778CE]
(Read on pg 73, Salaahud-Deen ibn ‘Alee ibn ‘Abdul-Maujood, The Biography of Sufyaan Ath-Thauree. Darussalam Publishers. Riyadh:2005.)