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SalaahSuwaid bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) says that there was a devout worshipping lady in the town of Ghuna who hardly used to sleep. When someone critisiced her for that she said,

"Death and the long rest in the grave will be enough sleep for the believers."

Aminah (may Allah be pleased with her), the daughter of Abu Waraa' (may Allah be pleased with him) was among the devout and fearing. Whenever the fire was mentioned to her she would cry and say,

"They will be forced into Hell. They will eat fire; they will drink of the fire and live (therein)!"

She would cry as if she was being fried in the pan.

Hakim ibn Sinan Bahili (may Allah be pleased with him) says that a woman who served Mu'aadhah Al-'Adawiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) said:

'She would keep vigil for most of the night in prayers. When sleep would overcome her, she would say to herself:

"O Self! Sleep is in front of you. If you let it overcome you, you will end up regretting it in the grave."

One of her quotations was:

"I am amazed at an eye that sleeps while it knows of the long rest in the darkness of the grave."

Ajradah Ammiyah (may Allah be pleased with her) used to stay awake from early night until Fajr. When Fajr arrived, she would announce in a sad voice,

"(O Allah!) It is for You that the worshippers have spent their time in the darkness of the night. They have stayed up for Your Mercy and Grace. So it is You and none besides You that I can ask to make me amongst the leaders of those who rush towards You. And to elevate me to the ranks of the close ones and to recruit me among Your pious servants. For You are the Most Noble of the Noble, the Most Merciful of the Merciful and the Greatest of the Great, O Generous One."

She would then fall down in prostration, praying and weeping until Fajr.

Ufairah Al-Abidah (may Allah be pleased with her) says:

"Sometimes i want to sleep but am unable to do so. How can i sleep when my record-keeping angels do not sleep?"

Khalid Ibn Warraq (may Allah be pleased with him) says, 'I had a maid who was very strict on herself so i told her one day that Allaah is understanding and would accept even the easiest (i.e. smallest) of deeds. She cried and replied,

"I have placed upon Allaah such whims and fancies that the mountain would not be able to bear their burden... I am aware that there is a resort in the grace of Allaah for the sinners, but how can i stand the remorse of not being among the winners?'

"And what is that?" i enquired.

She explained,

"Tomorrow, on the day of resurrection, when everything in the graves will be overturned, the good people will ride their mounts of deeds and rush towards the path (towards paradise). My Master! No lazy person can outrun the competitors, even if many gifts are presented. Then how can i face a death of sorrow and dullness (by not pushing myself to do good deeds) when i see everyone riding their mounts, raising the banners of the good people and those who yearn will cross the path and those who love Allaah will meet Him, while I lag behind with the wrongdoers and the sinners?"

She then cried and said,

"Beware! Do not allow anybody to prevent you from competing in the race of deeds, for there is not in either (i.e. neither in this world nor the next) world any house where servants can make up for their lost time. Woe unto those who fall short of serving their Lord and yet have false hopes. Why can't these hopes wake them up...?"

From ‘Abdah bin Abee Shawwal who was the servant of Rabi’ah al-'Adawiyyah (rahimahallaah). She said,

“Rabi’ah used to pray the whole night. And then she would sleep when Fajr would appear. I would hear her say,

"O Nafsee (my soul)! How long will you sleep? And until when will you wake up? Soon you will sleep and not wake up from it (i.e. the sleep of death) until the Day of Resurrection!”

We will quote Imam Ghazali's (rahimahullah) statement for the final advice in this matter,

'These were the fears of the pious. We need to be even more apprehensive than they were. Our desires lead us and our misfortune dominates us while no examples of the predecessors move us, nor does the threat of death disturb us. We ask Allaah to reform our actions through His Grace.

What is even more strange is that when we want wealth in this world, we farm, we do business and we board all sorts of vehicles on land and in the sea. Whereas, when we seek the ranks of knowledge, we do try to understand, but we tire (so easily) while memorising information.

Then, when we look towards the Eternal Kingdom, we are content by saying, "O Allaah! Forgive us and have mercy upon us." Whereas the One Whom we should long for says: {Man will only reap what he strives for.} [Surat An-Najm: 39] and: {O man! What has deceived you about your Generous Lord?}

Source: Taken from the Book: 'Ten Frightening Things For Women' and  'Siyar A'laam an-Nubalaa''.

 

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