Abstemiousness, fear of God, importance of preparing for the hereafter

Nahj al-Balāgha|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 114

Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 1, Chapter 114

Abstemiousness, fear of God, importance of preparing for the hereafter

Hadith #5

عِبَادَ اللهِ، إِنَّ تَقْوَى اللهِ حَمَتْ أوْلِيَاءَ اللهِ مَحَارِمَهُ، وَأَلْزَمَتْ قُلُوبَهُمْ مَخَافَتَهُ، حَتَّى أَسهَرَتْ لَيَالِيَهُمْ، وَأَظْمَأَتْ هَوَاجِرَهُمْ; فَأَخَذُوا الرَّاحَةَ بِالنَّصَبِ، وَالرِّيَّ بِالظَّمَإِ، وَاسْتَقْرَبُوا الاْجَلَ فَبَادَرُوا الْعَمَلَ، وَكَذَّبُوا الاْمَلَ فَلاَحَظُوا الاْجَلَ.

O creations of Allāh ! Certainly fear of Allāh has saved the lovers of Allāh from unlawful items and gave His dread to their hearts till their nights are passed in wakefulness and their noons in thirst. So they achieve comfort through trouble and copious watering through thirst. They regarded death to be near and therefore hastened towards (good) actions. They rejected their desires and so they kept death in their sight.