`Umar
ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him)
wrote to some of his deputies, “Bring yourselves to
account for your deeds in time of prosperity before you are
brought to account for them in time of adversity. He who
reckons his own deeds in this way will be pleased in the
end, while he who succumbs to the preoccupations and
temptations of this world will gain regret and loss in the
end.”
Al-Hassan
(the Prophet’s grandson, may Allah be pleased with him)
said, “A believer remains steadfast on the right path so
long as he admonishes himself and brings it to account for
its own deeds.”
Maimoun
ibn Mahran said, “No believer is regarded truly righteous
unless he brings himself to account for his own deeds in a
more serious way than he would call his business partner to
account. That is why it is said ‘One’s self is like the
unreliable partner; if one has not called him to account for
his deeds every now and then, all money will be lost.’”
Imam
Ahmad reported on the authority of Wahb that it was written
in the wise statements reported to have been said by the
family of Prophet David (peace and blessings be upon him):
“It behooves a person
of sound reason not to neglect the observance of four
significant times: a time to beseech his Lord and supplicate
Him; a time to bring himself to account for his own deeds; a
time to spend with his true fellows who advise and admonish
him sincerely; and a time to entertain himself in lawful
ways so that he be able to bear the seriousness of the
previous times and reinvigorate his energy at the same
time.”
Al-Hassan
Al-Basri would say, “A true believer observes his
responsibilities sincerely, and hence, he calls himself in
this world to account for his own deeds for Allah’s sake.
Easy would be the reckoning in the Hereafter of those people
who reckon their own deeds in this world and hard would be
the reckoning of those people who pay no heed to bringing
themselves to account for their deeds.”
Ibn
Abi Mulaikah said, “I met thirty companions of the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him); all of them would fear
that their deeds might be mingled with hypocrisy, and no one
of them would claim to have faith like that of Angel Jibreel
or Angel Mika’il.”
Imam
Ibn Al-Qayim (may Allah have mercy upon him) said, “He who
contemplates the lives of the Prophet’s Companions (may
Allah be pleased with all of them) will find that they would
exert their utmost in doing good deeds, yet they were at the
same time extremely afraid that Allah might not accept their
deeds and punish them too. We, paradoxically, have neglected
our duties towards Almighty Allah, yet we feel safe of His
punishment.” If this is the opinion of Imam Ibn Al-Qayim
about his time, what can we say about ours?
