Part 7

Al-Bara’ ‘Azib related: “While we were with the Messenger of Allah (3), he noticed a group of people so he asked: “what are they gathered for?” We replied: ‘They are digging a grave [i.e. to burry someone].’ Upon hearing this, the Prophet rushed and headed to the grave. When he reached it he went down on his knees so I stood in front of him so that I see what he does. He was there crying so much until his tears wet the dust then he looked at us and said: “O my brothers, prepare yourself for such a day fie. when you are dead].””

‘Abdullah ibn Buraydah narrated from his father that the Messenger of Allah (3%) came out his house one day and called three times in loud voice: “O people, do you know what the example of you and me is? They said: Allah and His Messengers know best. He said: The example of you and me is like a group of people dreading the attack of their enemy so they send a man investigating the matter so the man noticed the enemy

* Musnad Ahmad (4/294), Sunan Ibn Majah (4195)

RANKS OF THE FEARFUL

The Anxiety and Solicitude of ‘Umar ibn alKhattab

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amir ibn Rabi‘ah related: “I saw ‘Umar ibn alKhattab picking up a straw from the ground then said: ‘I wish I was this straw, I wish I was not created, I wish my mother never delivered me, I wish I was nothing, I wish I was totally forgotten.”

Zaid ibn Aslam also narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that he saw his father in his dream so he asked him: “when did you pass away? Umar replied: “That was twelve years ago and I have just now

* Musnad Ahmad (5/348) 5 Al-Zuhd of Ibn al-Mubirak (235)

¢ Al-Manamat of Ibn Abi al-Dunya (22)

Appendix One: Disturber of the Hearts

Decpiction of the Punishment of Hell

Swayd ibn Ghaflah related: “When Allah wants to neglect the people of Hellfire, He allocates each one of them a coffin made of Fire, then shuts these coffins with locks made of Fire. Every time their nerves sense feels the pain, it includes a metal pin of fire. Then each coffin is placed inside another coffin made of fire then shut down with locks made of fire and Allah kindles fire in between them. Then again He places each coffin inside another coffin made of fire then shuts them down with locks made of fire then He kindles fire in between them. So each person believes that no one suffers a worse punishment than what he suffers or undergoes.”*

Decpiction from the Lives of the Righteous Predecessors

‘Abdul Rahman ibn Mahdi related: “Sufyan died at my place. When he was on his deathbed and the agonies of death became severe, he started to cry. One man said to him: ‘O Aba ‘Abdullah, is this because you have, seemingly, committed too many sins?!’ Sufyan then picked up something from the floor and said: ‘By Allah, my sins are less important to me than what I have picked from the floor. But I fear that Allah might take away my Jman from me right before I die.”

” Hilah al-Awliya’ (134) * Hilab al-Auliya’ (4/176)

RANKS OF THE FEARFUL

Ibrahim ibn ‘Isa al-Yashkari said: “I have never met a person with more lasting sadness than al-Hasan. Every time I see him, | would think a calamity has just befallen him"

Yazid ibn Hawshab said: “I have not seen a person more fearful than al-Hasan and ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul ‘Aziz. [Their extreme state of fear from Allah would give you the impression] that Hell was only created for both of them.’””

Qasim al-Khawwas narrated that Muhammad ibn Wasi‘ said to a man: “What made you cry is the pre-knowledge of Allah, Exalted is He, about you.”

‘Amarah ibn Zhadhan related: Kahmas ibn al-Hasan said to me: “I committed a sin for which I have been crying in regret for forty

0 Hilyah al-Awliya’ (7/12) " Hilyah al-Awliya’ (6/251) 2 AlZuhd of Imam Ahmad (316)

'S Siyar al-A ‘Tam al-Nubula’ (6/121)

Appendix One: Disturber of the Hearts

vears.” I asked: “What was it?’ He said: ‘A friend of mine visited me once so I bought for him a fish (to serve it to him). After he ate I stood up and took a piece of mud from the wall of my neighbour so he can use to wash his hand. This sin [taking the piece of mud without asking the permission of my neighbour] is what I have been crying about for forty years.”"*

He remains under the Dust until the Day of Judgement

‘Abdul Wahid ibn Zaid related: Khabib, a.k.a Aba Muhammad, panicked when he was dying so he started saying in Persian, ‘I want to take a journey that I have never been on before, I want to take a path that I never walked on before, I want to visit my Master and my Lord Who I have never seen ever. I want to witness horrors of which I have never seen anything like them. I want to remain under dust until the Day of Judgement then stand before Allah. I fear He then will say to me: ‘O Khabib, show me one Tasbih you have uttered in the last sixty years that the Satan could not overpower you in even part of it’. ‘What should I say then?” ‘Abdul Wahid said: ‘This is a slave of Allah who worshipped Allah for sixty years devoting all his life for Allah alone and never involved himself in the worldly affairs, so what will be our state [in comparison to him]? I truly seek the aid of Allah!!!

‘Abdul Khaliq al-‘Abdi related: ““Utbah al-Ghulam used to have a house in which he would worship Allah. When he intended to travel to Sham, he boarded up the house and said to his people: ‘Do not open it until the news of my death reaches you’. When he

“ Hila al-Awliya’ (6/211)

8 Hihah al-Awliya’ (6/152)

RANKS OF THE FEARFUL

died and they opened it, they found in it a dug grave and metal chains [i.e. he used to worship Allah while reminding himself of the horrors of the hereafter and the darkness of the grave].”"

Muhammad ibn ‘Ubaid narrated: “We entered upon an [old] woman residing in a party of the city of Basra known as ‘Afirah. Some people said to her: ‘Invoke Allah for us.’ She said: ‘If sinners were ordered to be silent, your old woman (referring to herself) would have never talked, but a good doer is asking a wrong doer to invoke Allah! I ask Allah to make you eat from the food of Paradise and I ask Him to make death always in our minds.”

The Grief Of The Day Of Judgment Brings Forth Tears In This Worldly Life

Sufyan ibn “Uyaynah said: “Whenever Umayyah al-Shami used to pray, he would cry and weep until his weeping becomes loud and his tears run onto the stones on the floor. The ruler of that area sent him a message saying: “You are ruining the Sa/ah of others with your excessive crying and loudness of your weeping.’ Upon hearing this he started to cry and said: ‘Having the grief of

the Day of Judgement gave me copious tears so they make me comfortable sometimes.”””

Horrors of the Day of Judgement

Abi’l-‘Aliyah related: Ubay ibn Ka’b said: “While people are busy in their markets the light of sun disappears and the moun-

"" Sifat al-Safwab (4/222)

Appendix One: Disturber of the Hearts

tains disintegrate. The earth becomes disturbed and stars to shakes, and the cattle, birds and beasts start mixing with each other [in a state of extreme confusion and disorder]. The Jinn say to mankind: ‘We shall bring you the news of what is happening’. They head to the sea and when they arrive they find it as an intense, blazing fire. Then while witnessing this scene, the earth rends from first layer downward to the seventh layer, and then heaven rend from first layer upward until it reaches the seventh layer. Then a wind blows and take away their souls.”"*

Muhammad ibn al-Furat related: “I heard Muhiarib ibn Duthar saying: ‘On the Day of Judgement, birds will move their tales in disturbance and throw out what they have in their gizzards, though birds cannot reach what they seek, due to the horrors they witness on that day.”?”

Ibrahim al-Harbi narrated: “Mus‘ab told me that his father said: ‘There was a well-known righteous man from the people of Madinah. When he was on his deathbed he started panicking. So people asked him: ‘Do you panic over death despite of the much righteous deeds you have performed?” He said: “Why should not I panic!! By Allah, if the ruler of Madina sends me a messenger (a one of his servants), I would panic. So how should I feel when I receive the Messenger of the Lord of all worlds (i.e. angel of

"* Tafsir al-Tabari: seerah al-Takwir, Ayah 1. " Al-Abwal by Ibn Abi al-Dunya (37)

* Al-Mubtadirin by Vbn Abi al-Dunya (211)