Holding the soul to account and criticizing it

Extracted notes from the book Written by the Hāfidh Ibn Abī Ad-Dunyā rahimahullāhu ta’ālā. The words of the title can be translated to: “Muhāsabah An-Nafs wal-Izrā ‘alayhā.” – Download the Book Here

The reasons for translating this book
The believer and dunyā: We live in a time where success is measured in a person’s achievements in dunyā and in accordance with how much wealth he has gathered and is able to display to the world. But this is in complete contrast to the message delivered to us by the evidences of Islām. There is no āyah in the Book of Allāh that mentions the craving for dunyā, except that this is something negative and dispraised. Allāh – the Exalted – said:
“Competing in amassing worldly things distracts you, until you visit the graves.” (At-Takāthur 1:2)
“No! Rather, you do not honor the (rights of the) orphans. And you do not encourage feeding the poor person. And you devour the inheritance with greed. And you love wealth with an extreme love.” (Al-Fajr 89:17-20)
Those who desired the life of the dunyā, said: ‘If only we had the same as what Qārūn has been given. He is verily the owner of a great fortune.’” (Al-Qasas 28:79)

And furthermore in the hadīth of the Messenger of Allāh (sallAllāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) which was narrated by Imām Muslim who said: Messenger of Allāh (sallAllāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) walked through the marketplace after having returned from the highlands (of Madīnah), and the people were walking behind and around him. Then he passed by a dead male goat kid with short (or cut off) ears, so he reached out for it and grabbed hold of its ear. Then he said: “Which one of you wants this for one dirham?” So they said: “We do not want it for any price, and what should we do with it?” He said: “Would you love for it to be yours?” They said: “By Allāh, if it was alive it would be flawed due to its short (or cut off) ears. So how about when it is dead?” Then he said: “By Allāh, the dunyā is verily more worthless to Allāh, than this (goat kid) is to you.” (Sahīh Muslim)

The Salaf knew this and they believed in it. And as a result they considered the soul’s craving for dunyā as a humiliation for it, and they would strive in repelling the love for dunyā from their hearts and souls.
So let the reader measure himself and his desire for dunyā in accordance with the evidences. And even more important, let him ask himself the question whether or not he compromises in his religion – or even worse if he commits forbidden deeds – in order to achieve a part of the worldly life. And let him also ask himself whether or not he is neglectful in the fulfillment of the rights of his wife and children – specifically his duty to give them an Islamic upbringing, teaching them Islamic knowledge and keeping them far away from being brought up in the care of the kuffār – just in order for him to keep some comforts of this worthless dunyā.

The translated text of the book

My Lord, increase me in knowledge.
The Messenger of Allāh (sallAllāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Intelligence is the one who holds his soul to account and perform deeds for after death. And the incapable (and unintelligent) is the one who follows his soul in its desires and (then) hopes (for good) from Allāh ‘azza wa jalla.” (Weak)

Umar ibn Al-Khattāb (radiAllāhu ‘anhu) said: “Hold yourselves to account before you will be held account (by Allāh). And measure yourselves before you will be measured. For it is verily easier for you than the account of tomorrow (i.e. on the Day of Resurrection), that you hold yourselves to account today. And beautify yourselves for the major presentation. That Day when you will be presented, none of your secrets (or hidden affairs) will be hidden (for Allāh).” (Sahih)

“And I swear by the self-reproaching soul.” (Al-Qiyāmah 75.2)
Al Hasan said: “The believer is not met except (in a state) when he is admonishing himself (or his soul). (He asks himself:) What did I intend with my words? What did I intend with my eating? What did I intend with my drinking? And the weak he walks ahead without admonishing himself.”

“And (the one) whose affairs have been lost.” (Al-Kahf 18:28)
Qatadah said: “He lost the biggest thing there is to lose. He lost his soul. And perhaps, despite of this, you will find him preserving what he has (of dunyā) and wasting his religion.”

Al-Hasan said: “Verily the slave will continue to be in a good state as long as he has an adviser in himself, and holding (himself) to account is one of his concerns.”

Maymūn ibn Mihrān said: “A man will not be God-fearing before he is stricter in holding himself to account, than a business partner is with his partner.”
“The God-fearing hold himself to account more than a disobedient ruler and a stingy partner (hold others to account).”

Mālik ibn Dīnār said: “May Allāh have mercy upon a slave who says to his precious soul: ‘Are you not the possessor of this (bad characteristic)? Are you not the possessor of that (bad characteristic)?’ And then he criticizes it and ties it, and makes it follow the Book of Allāh. So that he is in control over it.”

Ibrāhīm At-Taymī said: “I imagined myself in Paradise; eating its fruits and drinking from its rivers, and cuddling with its virgins. Then I imagined myself in Hellfire; eating from its Zaqqūm (i.e. a tree with roots in the bottom of Hellfire) and drinking from its sadīd (i.e. the pus flowing from the wounds of those punished), and handling its chains and shackles. So I said to myself: ‘O my soul, what do you want?’ It said: ‘I want to return to dunyā and make good deeds.’”
He said: “I said: ‘Now you have ambition, so perform deeds.’”

Al-Hajjāj saying while delivering a sermon: “A person measures himself. A person takes his soul as his enemy. May Allāh show mercy to a person who holds himself to account before the account ends up with someone else than him. A person grabs hold of the rein of his deeds and looks to where it is going? A person looks into his scale. A person looks into his balance.”

It is written in the wisdom of the family of Dāwūd: It is an obligation upon the sane person not become heedless (or inattentive) about four hours. An hour in which he privately speaks with his Lord. An hour in which he holds himself to account. An hour in which he is alone with his brothers who inform him about his mistakes and tell him the truth about himself. And an hour in which he is alone with his soul and what pleases it from what is allowed and praised. Because this hour will aid him in (performing) those hour and it is a relaxation for the hearts. And it is an obligation for the sane person, that he is not seen departing except for (one of) three: A supply for a meeting (with Allāh), acquiring his livelihood or a pleasure in something which is not forbidden. And it is an obligation upon the sane person that he is knowledgeable about his time, preserving of his tongue and attending to his affairs.”

Umar ibn Al-Khattāb (radiAllāhu ‘anhu) wrote to some of his employees, and in the end of his letter it said: “Hold yourself accountable in good times before the difficult account (on the Day of Resurrection). For verily, the one who holds himself to account in good times before the account in difficulty, his return will be to satisfaction and a better state. And whoever is distracted by his life and kept occupied by his desires, then his return will be to regret and sadness. So remember what you are admonished with, in order for you to be prohibited from what He prohibits, and for you to be from the people of understanding with regard to the reminder and admonition.”

Al-Hasan said: “The believer is the caretaker of his soul and he holds himself to account for the sake of Allāh ‘azza wa jalla. And the account on the Day of Resurrection verily becomes lighter for a people who hold themselves accountable in dunyā. And the account on the Day of Resurrection verily becomes difficult for those who took this affair (i.e. life) without holding (themselves) to account. Verily, the believer is surprised by something and it pleases him, so he says (to it): ‘I verily want you and you are from the things I need, but by Allāh, there is no connection to you, (rather you are) far away. There is a border between me and you.’ And he becomes heedless in something, so he returns to his soul and says: ‘Far away is this from what I intended with this. And what have I to do with this. By Allāh, I will not be excused in this. By Allāh I will never return to this again, in shā Allāh.’ Verily, the believers are a people who were stopped by the Qurān, and it came between them and their destruction. The believer is verily a prisoner in dunyā and he is striving to free his neck. He does not feel safe in anything until he meets Allāh. He knows that he will be held accountable with regard to his hearing, his sight, his tongue and his limbs. He will be held accountable with regard to all of this.”

Chapter: Criticizing the soul

Abū Bakr As-Siddīq (radiAllāhu ‘anhu) said: “Whoever hates himself for the sake of Allāh (i.e. when he disobeys Allāh), then Allāh will safeguard him from His hatred.”

Abū Ad-Dardā said: “A man will not gain full understanding until he hates the (disobedient) people for the sake of Allāh, and then he returns to his own (disobedient) soul and hates it even more.”

‘Abdillāh said while he was in ‘Arafah: “O Allāh, do not reject (the invocations of) all of the people due to me.”

A man said: “When I looked at the people in ‘Arafāt, I thought that they would be forgiven if I had not been among them.”

Mālik ibn Dīnār said: “I mention the righteous. So uff to me and tuff (i.e. how lowly am I compared to them).”

A people from Banū Isrāīl were in a masjid of theirs, on one of their days of celebration, when a young man came and stood at the door of the masjid and said: “I am a performer of such and such (sins). A person like me should not enter with you. I am a performer of such and such (sins).” While disgracing himself. So Allāh – ‘azza wa jalla – revealed to their prophet, that fulān is a siddīq (truthful).

Muhammad ibn Wāsi’ said: “And how will what the people say benefit me, if my hand and foot is grabbed and I am thrown in Hellfire?”
“If the sins had a smell, no-one would be able to sit with me.”

There was a worshipper from Banū Isrāīl in his monastery for sixty years. Then someone came to him in his sleep and it was said to him: “Verily, fulān the shoemaker is better than you.”
Then when he became aware he said: “(It was just) a dream.” And he calmed down. Then when he was taking a nap in the middle of the day he saw the same (dream) in his sleep, and he continued to have the same dream several times until it became clear to him that it was a command. So he exited his monastery and went to the shoemaker. When the shoemaker saw him he got up from his work and received him and began wiping his hand over him. Then he said to him: “What has made you come out from your monastery?”
He said: “You have made me come out. Inform me about your deeds?”
And it was as if he disliked to inform him. Then he said: “Okay. I work during the day and earn something. And whatever Allāh provides me with, then I give half of it in sadaqah and eat with my family for the other half. And I fast during the day.” And then he left him.
Then at a later time it was said to the monk: “Ask him: What is the reason for the yellowness of your face?”
So he went to him and said: “What is the reason for the yellowness of your face?”
So he said: “I am verily a man that thinks about almost everyone whom I meet, that he will be in Paradise and I will be in Hellfire. And verily has the monk been preferred over me due to his disregard for himself.”

It reached Dāwūd At-Tāī that he was mentioned in front of the leaders and that he was praised. So he said: “We are verily content with His cover between His creation. And if the people knew some of what we are upon, then no tongue would ever degrade itself for us by mentioning us with goodness.”

Chapter: Punishing the soul

In Banu Israil there was a man who would worship in his monastery, and he remained therein for a long time. Then one day he looked down and he saw a woman. So he became afflicted by her and wanted her. So he brought out his foot (from the monastery) in order to go down to her. Then Allāh made him aware of his precedence. So he said: “What is this that I want to do?”
And his soul returned to him and he was protected and he regretted (what he intended to do). And when he wanted to return his foot inside the monastery he said: “Far far away is this. A foot that went out intending to disobey Allāh will return with me into the monastery. This, by Allāh, can never be.”
Then he left (his foot) attached outside the monastery and it was afflicted by rain, wind, sun and snow until it was cut off and it fell off. Then he thanked Allāh for this. And it was revealed in some of the books ‘The man with the foot’, mentioning by this.

Ghazwān and Abū Mūsā were in some of their battles when (some part of) a slave girl became uncovered and Ghazwān looked at her. Then he raised his hand and struck his eye until it swelled up, and he said: “You are verily observing things that harm you.”

‘Amr ibn Murrah said: “I am not pleased to be able to see. I verily looked (at something forbidden) when I was a young man.”

Al-‘Atkiyyah narrated: I saw Abū Sughaym when he one day descended from above the house with a jug that had been cooled down for him. Then he poured (the cold water) out and gathered hot water from the well and drank it (instead). So I said to him after this: “May my father be sacrificed for you. I verily saw what you did, so due to what did you do that?”
He said: “I once looked at a woman, so I obligated upon my soul that it would not taste cold water during the days of dunyā. I said (to myself that) I would make life loathsome for it.”

Talq ibn Mu’āwiyah who said: “A man from us who was called Hind ibn ‘Awf came from a travel. So his women prepared a mattress for him (to sleep on). And he used to have a time of the night in which he would pray, but he slept through it until the morning. So he swore that he would never sleep upon a mattress (again).”

It was said to a man: “What do you do with your desires?”
He said: “There is no soul that is more hated to me than it (i.e. his own soul), so how would I give it what it desires?”

Chapter: Striving against the soul and preventing it from its desires

Messenger of Allāh (sallAllāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “The strong (or severe) is not the one who overpowers the people, rather the strong is the one who overpowers himself.”

It Said to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr: “What do you say about jihād and going into battle?”
He said: “Start with your soul and strive against it. And start with your soul and battle against it. For verily, if you are killed while fleeing, then Allāh will resurrect you as one who flees. And if you are killed while showing off, then Allāh will resurrect you as one who shows off. And if you are killed while being patient and expecting reward for your deeds, then Allāh will resurrect you as one who is patient and expects the reward for his deeds.”

Al-Hasan said: “Argue with these hearts, for they are verily fast in sinning. And strike these souls, for they are verily transgressing, and they long for evil goals. And if you aid them, then nothing of your deeds will remain. So bear suffering with patience and be tough, for it is verily only few days. And you are verily a caravan that has stopped, and a man among you is just about to be called. Then he will answer and not turn his head back. So go forth with the good of what is in your presence.”

Messenger of Allāh (sallAllāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “The mujāhid is the one who strives against his soul for the sake of Allāh ‘azza wa jalla.”

Muhammad ibn Al-Hanafiyyah said: “Whoever considers his soul to be honorable, then dunya has no worth for him.”

Muhammad ibn Al-Hanafiyyah said: “Allāh verily made Paradise the replacement for your souls, so do not sell them for something else.”

It was said to Ibn Al-Hanafiayyah: “Who of the people have the greatest status?”
He said: “The one who in his soul is not impressed by anything from dunyā.”

Mutarrif ibn ‘Abdillāh used to say: “O brothers. Strive in performing (good) deeds. Because if the affair ends up being what you hope from the mercy of Allāh and His pardon, then we will have degrees in Paradise. And if the affair ends up being severe as you fear and are wary, then we will not say: ‘Our Lord, send us back so we can perform good deeds other than those that we used to perform.’ (Rather) we will say: ‘We made deeds, but that did not benefit us.’”

Al-Hasan who said: “The believer in dunyā is like a stranger who does not compete for its honor, nor does he fear its humiliation. The people are in a state and he is in (another) state. The people are in relief from him, while he is occupied with his soul.”

if Bakr ibn ‘Abdillāh Al-Murabbī saw an old man he would say: “He is better than me. He worshipped Allāh before me.”
And if he saw a young man he would say: “He is better than me. I have performed more sins than he has performed.”

Wahb ibn Munabbih said: “The īmān is a steerer and the deeds are the driver, and the soul is between those stubbornly. So if the steerer steers leads but the driver does not drive, then this is to no avail. And if the driver drives but the steerer does not steer, then this is (also) to no avail. But it the steerer steers and the driver drives, then the soul will follow them voluntarily or by force, and the deeds will be good.”

Chapter: Being aware against the soul due to fearing an evil return (in the afterlife) and hatred (from Allāh)

‘Atā who said: I entered upon Fātimah bint ‘Abdil-Mālik after the death of ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdil-‘Azīz and said to her: “O daughter of ‘Abdul-Mālik, inform me about Amīr Al-Muminīn.”
She said: “I will do so. But if he had been alive I would not have done it. Verily, ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdil-‘Azīz freed himself and his body for the people. He used to sit with them during his day. And if he entered the evening and he still had some needs left from his day, then he would extend (his day) until he would enter the evening while having finished the needs of his day. Then he would call for his lamp which would be lit for him at his own expense. Then he would get up and pray two units of prayer. After that he would squat down while placing his head in his hands and his tears would run downs his cheeks while he was crying loudly. So I would say (to myself): His soul has exited (his body) and his heart has been split apart. And he would continue like that throughout his night until the morning would emerge upon him. Then he would enter the morning while fasting.”
She said: So i approached him and said: “O Amīr Al-Muminīn, what was that which occurred from you before last night?”
He said: “Yes. But leave me and my affairs, and stick to your own affairs.”
She said: So I said to him: “I verily want to learn a lesson (or be admonished).”

He said: “Then I will inform you. I verily looked at myself, and I saw that I had been put in charge of this Ummah; the young and old among them, and the black and red among them. Then I remembered the stranger, the lost, the poor, the needy, the prisoner, the missing and their likes in the far away cities and the corners of the earth. Then I knew that Allāh will ask me about them, and that Muhammad (sallAllāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) will be the one bringing arguments against me regarding them. So I feared that I would have no excuse in front of Allah, and that I would have no argument for the Messenger of Allāh (sallAllāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam). So I feared for myself (or my soul) with a fear that brought tears to my eye and put fright in my heart. And every time I increase in remembering this, I increase in fear regarding it. And I have verily informed you, so now either learn the lesson or leave (mentioning this again).”

“And do not kill yourselves.” (An-Nisā 4:29)
Fudayl ibn ‘Iyyād said: “And do not be heedless (or inattentive) with regard to your souls.” Then he said: “Whoever is heedless regarding his soul, he has verily killed it.”

A man from the Salaf would meet a brother from his brothers and then say: “O you, fear Allāh, and if you are capable of not harming those whom you love, then refrain (from doing so).”
So one day a man said to him: “And does a person harm the one he loves?”
He said: “Yes. Your soul is the most beloved of all souls to you. So if you disobey Allāh, then you have verily harmed your soul.”

It used to be said: “The slaves do not honor their souls with anything like the obedience of Allāh. And the slaves do not humiliate their souls with anything like the disobedience of Allāh ‘azza wa jalla.”

‘Umar ibn Al-Khattāb heard a woman saying:
“The soul has invited me after ‘Amr has left.
Towards the pleasures that comes into sight.
So I said to it: You are hastening so you will not be obeyed.
Even if his stay will last for four (months or years).
I am on guard against obeying you (and by that) insulting my soul.
And a humiliation which will befall and cover me.”

So ‘Umar said to her: “What has prevented you from this?”
She said: “Hayā (shyness) and honoring my life.”
So ‘Umar said: “Verily in hayā there are moments with different colors. Whoever is shy will conceal himself, and whoever conceals himself fears (Allāh), and whoever fears he is protected.”

Chapter: Exerting the soul in the deeds while seeking relief on the Day of the return (to Allāh)

Al-Aswad ibn Yazīd used to strive in worship and fast until his body became green and yellow. So ‘Alqamah used to say to him: “Why do you punish this body.” So Al-Aswad used to say: “Verily, the affair is serious, so be serious.” And he said (the same) another time. He answered: “Nobility for this body is what I want.”

A man said: “I have worshipped (Allāh) by a verse of poetry that I heard:
For my soul I cry. I do not cry for other than it.
In myself I am occupied with my soul (which prevents me) from (being occupied with) the people.”
(This means that he is occupied with worrying and correcting his own soul, which leaves him with no time to look at the mistakes and shortcomings of others.)

A man among those who were described as being intellectual and mannered entered upon ‘Abdul-Malik ibn Marwān. So ‘Abdul-Malik ibn Marwān said to him: “Speak.”
He said: “What should I say when I verily know that all speech that a speaker utters is against him and disreputable, except for what is for Allāh?”
Then ‘Abdul-Malik began crying. Then he said: “May Allāh have mercy upon you. The people continue to admonish and encourage each other.”
The man said: “O Amīr Al-Muminīn. One the Day of Resurrection no-one from the people will be saved from its troubles of its bitterness and seeing the destruction in it, except the one who pleased Allāh – ‘azza wa jalla – by being dissatisfied with himself.”
Then ‘Abdul-Malik cried. Then he said: “Indeed, I will verily make these words and example placed between my eyes for as long as I live.”

Al-Hasan who said: “Verily the believer is a prisoner in dunyā; he strives to free his neck. He is not safe in anything until he meets Allāh, the Blessed and Exalted.”

A man said to a young man: “Free your neck as much as you are capable in dunyā from the bondage of the hereafter. For verily, the prisoner in the hereafter will never be released.”

‘Umar ibn ‘Abdil-‘Azīz said: “The best of deeds are those which the souls are forced to do.”

A man wrote to one of his brothers: “Thereafter. If you are capable, then leave some of what Allāh has allowed which will be a border between you and what Allāh has forbidden for you. For verily, the one who indulges in everything allowed, then his soul will desire the forbidden.”

Abū Shaybah Az-Zubaydī say: “I feared my soul and longed for my Lord. And I love to leave what I fear for what I long for.”

Yazīd Ar-Raqqashi said: “Son of Ādam. You are verily soft with the people and severe against yourself. If the death of some of your family is announced to you, you cry while the death of your own soul is declared to you everyday and you do not cry.”

Abū Al-Hajjāj Al-Mahdī said: “Whoever places his desires under his feet, then the Shaytān leaves his shadow.”

Al-Hasan said: “If it had not been for afflictions, then a man would never be able to kill his soul (i.e. hold it to account, exhaust it and discipline it) in a short span of time (i.e. afflictions are the reason for a man to hold his soul to account).”

When Ayyūb (sallAllāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was tested, he said to his soul: “You have verily been comfortable for seventy years, so have patience during the affliction for seventy years.”

An old man from the people of Hajar who was called Abū Sālih said: I thought about some things regarding myself and I started hating my soul. And my eyes filled up with tears due to what I remembered. So I stayed up in the night, performed ablution and prayed. Then I fell asleep in my place (of prayer), and then (I saw in a dream) a beautiful girl wearing green clothes and she had something with her that resembled a white plate. Then she said: “Taste this.”
So I tasted it and it was honeycomb. I found it sweet and pleasant and she began feeding me. Then I said: “I have never tasted anything like this.”
She said: “This is from yourself. So if you increase in your efforts.”
I said: “Explain (what you mean).”
She said: “Your hatred towards your soul is worship. And your righteous thought and your tear is happiness. And your prayer is a shield.”
Then she said: “Lay down.”
So I laid down and slept. Then I noticed I had a piece of azure silk in my hand in which there was written: “Glorified is the One who blessed, is thanked and who gives. Whoever rejects (the blessings of Allāh), O son of Ādam, then how ignorant are you that you obey your enemy and disobey your Provider.”
And it said: “Be watchful you stupid one, for verily the best trade of dunyā is piety.”

Abū As-Sahbā Silah ibn Ashyam said: “I searched the halāl (allowed) from the dunyā, and I would not achieve nothing but my sustenance. As for me, I could not help anyone with it. And as for it, it would not exceed my basic needs. When I saw that, I said: ‘O my soul, your provision has been decided to be the minimum necessary to live. So enjoy (what has been decided for you) without any tiredness and complaining.”

A group of reciters entered upon Zanjulah Al-‘Abīdah and spoke with her about being more lenient with herself, so she said: “What will it benefit me to be lenient with it? It (i.e. this life) is merely some hastening days, so whoever misses out on something today, then he will not find it tomorrow. By Allāh my brothers, I will verily pray to Allāh – ‘azza wa jalla – as long as my limbs will carry me, I will fast for Him during the days of my life, and I will cry for Him as long as my eyes carry water.”
Then she said: “Who of you commands your slave to do something and then loves for him to be deficient in it?”

A man said to ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdil-‘Azīz: “O Amīr Al-Muminīn. How did you wake up this morning?”
He said: “I woke up slow, with a big stomach and dirty from sins while I am hoping all kinds of things from Allāh.”

Sulaymān At-Taymī said: “The eye verily has a state of being asleep and being awake. If you accustom it to staying awake it gets used to it, and if you accustom it to sleeping then it gets used to it.”

Abdullāh ibn Al-Mubārak say: “Verily, the souls of the righteous of the past would make them stand firm in goodness with tolerance. And verily, our souls will almost not make us stand firm except by force. So it is upon us to force them.”

Sumayt ibn ‘Ajlān say: “By Allāh. I verily do not consider your bodies to be anything but your riding animals. So make them go forth in the obedience of Allāh. May Allāh bless you.”

Al-Hasan who said: “The people with the easiest account on the Day of Resurrection are those who hold their souls to account in dunyā. So they stop at their intentions and their deeds. And if that which they intend (to do or say) is for them then go ahead with it. And if it is against them, they refrain.” He said: “And verily, the affair becomes heavy on the Day of Resurrection for those who take a risk in the affairs of dunyā. They indulge in it without any account, and then they find that Allāh – ‘azza wa jalla – has counted for them everything equal to the weight of atoms.” And he recited:
“What is it with this book? It has not left out anything small nor big, except that it has accounted for it.” (Al-Kahf 18:49)