When he was on his deathbed, Abu Bakr (radiallaahu `anhu) summoned for Umar (radiallaahu anhu) to come him. When the latter arrived, Abu Bakr (radiallaahu `anhu) said, “Verily, I want to give you some final advice-if you will accept it from me:

‘Indeed, Allah ‘Azza wa Jall (the Possessor of might and majesty) has rights during the night, which He does not accept during the day; and rights during the day, which He does not accept during the night. And verily, He ‘Azza wa Jall does not accept voluntary acts of worship until obligatory ones are first performed. Do you not see that those who scales are heavy in the Hereafter  are heavy only because they followed the truth in the world,for doing so was heavy upon them (i.e., it required striving and effort, like an upward climb). And it is befitting for a scale to be heavy when only truth is placed on it. Do you not see that those whose scales (i.e., scale of good deeds) are light in the Hereafter are light only because they followed falsehood in the world; and doing so was light for them (i.e. easy, without strain, like descending a downward slope). And it is only befitting for a scale to be light when only falsehood is placed on it. Do you not see that Allah ‘Azza wa jall revealed Verses that inspire terror, and Verses that inspire hope. This is so that a slave (of Allah) remains both hopeful (of reward) and fearful (of punishment), without taking his own life, and without hoping for anything other than the truth from ‘Azza wa Jall. If you remember and preserve (i.e., apply) this advice of mine, then let no matter of the unseen world be more beloved to you than death-which, at any rate, is inevitable. And if you do not heed this advice of mine, then let no matter from the the unseen world be more hateful to you than death.”

˜

[Transcribed from: Glimpses of the lives of the righteous people|Pages 114-115|Compiled by: Majdi Muhammad Ash-Shawawi|Edited by: Abdul Ahad (Aliq.)|Darussalaam 2005]

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