AMAZING MANNER OF INTROSPECTION AND ARGUING WITH THE NAFS

Yazeed Raqqaashi Rahimahullaah used to address himself,

“O Yazeed! Woe to you! Who will perform salaah on your behalf after your demise?
Who will fast on your behalf after you pass away?
Who will please Your Sustainer on your behalf after death?”

What he meant was that if he remains in negligence, then who will act on his behalf when he is not here in the world.

An intelligent person is he who realizes that life is short. If one ponders over his past life, he will realize that it feels like a few seconds. Just as his past now appears to be a dream, so too will his future seem when he stares death in its face. 
Wise is the person who is always prepared for death, regarding every day to be his final day.

Bakr ibn Abdullah Muzani Rahimahullaah states,

“In Yemen, there was a woman who always engaged in acts of worship. In the evening, she would address herself, “O nafs! The night is your night. Perhaps there is no other night destined for you.”
Thereafter she would engage in worship the entire night.

In the morning, she would address herself, “O nafs! Today is your day. Perhaps there is no other day destined for you.” 
She would then strive in acts of worship the whole day.”
(Kitaabuz Zuhd of Imaam Waki narration no. 9 page 226)

There was a great muhaddith in the past by the name Abdur Rahmaan ibn Al-Anoom Rahimahullaah.
In his era, a person decided to ask the pious of his era the following question,

“If you came to know that you would pass away tomorrow, what action would you perform?”
Different pious people gave different answers.
When Abdur Rahmaan was asked, he answered, “I will do the same work I am doing every day. This is because I always keep in mind that today could possibly be my final day in this world, and death could arrive.
Therefore, I do not have any time in my schedule to add any other action. Whatever I am doing every day, I will do it on my final day as well.”

Sufyaan Thawri Rahimahullaah used to say, “If the Angel of Death arrives, I will immediately go. I will not ask for even a short respite as I am completely ready.”

Allaamah Buseeri Rahimahullaah refers to old age and white hair as warners.

Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo states in the Noble Quraan,

أَوَلَمْ نُعَمِّرْكُم مَّا يَتَذَكَّرُ فِيهِ مَن تَذَكَّرَ وَجَاءكُمُ النَّذِيرُ
 فَذُوقُوا فَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِن نَّصِيرٍ

Did We not grant you enough life in which those who wanted to take lesson could take lesson, and a warner had come to you?”
(Faatir verse 37)

Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo has sent, and still sends, many warners to people throughout their life in order to remind them of their death and to prepare for the life of the Hereafter. Amongst the different warners are:

1. Rasulullaah SalAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam

2. The Noble Quraan  

3. Sicknesses, like fever, which reminds a person of death

4. White hairs

5. Demise of one’s family members and friends  

6. One’s own intellect.

مَوْلَاىَ صَلِّ وَ سَلِّمْ دَائِمًا أَبَداً  عَلىٰ حَبِيْبِكَ خَيْرِ الْخَلْقِ كُلِّهِمِ

To be Continued In Sha Allaah