1643 – ʿAbd Allah narrated to us; my father narrated to us; Rawḥ narrated to us; Hishām reported, on the authority of al-Ḥasan, who said:

“By Allah, I met people and kept company with groups of them who never rejoiced at any worldly gain that came to them, nor grieved over anything of it that passed them by. In their eyes the whole world was cheaper than this very dust. One of them might live fifty years without a single garment ever being tailored for him, without a pot ever being set up for him, without placing anything between himself and the bare earth, and without once ordering that food be prepared in his house.

When night fell, they would stand on the tips of their feet in prayer, then stretch their faces upon the ground; tears streamed down their cheeks as they whispered to their Lord, imploring Him to free their necks (from the Fire). Whenever they performed a good deed, they would persist in thanking Allah for it and would ask Him to accept it; and whenever they committed a sin, it would grieve them and they would ask Allah to forgive it. They remained like that, and—by Allah—they were not safe from sin, nor did they find salvation except through forgiveness.

As for you, you have awakened with your appointed term already diminished; your deeds are being recorded; by Allah, death is fastened around your necks and the Fire is before you. So, anticipate the decree of Allah—glorified and exalted is He—every day and night.”