Fuḍayl b. ‘Iyāḍ’s Raḥimahullāh Advice to a 60 year old man…
Fuḍayl b. ‘Iyāḍ رحمه الله said to a man: “How many (years) have come upon you?”
The man said: “60 years.”
Fuḍayl said: “So since 60 years you are heading toward your Lord, and you are on the verge of arriving.”
So the man said: “Indeed to Allāh we belong and indeed to Him we return.”
Fuḍayl said: “Do you know the meaning of that?”
You are saying that I am a servant of Allāh and to Him I will return, so whomsoever knows he is a servant of Allāh, and that to Him he will return, then let him be aware that he will stand before Him, and whomsoever is aware that he will stand before him then let him be aware that he will be questioned, and whomsoever is aware he will be questioned then let him prepare an answer to the question.”
So the man said: “So what is the strategy?”
Fuḍayl said: “Easy.”
The man said: “What is it?”
Fuḍayl b. ‘Iyāḍ said: “Be righteous in what remains and you will be forgiven for what has passed, for indeed if you incur evil in what remains (i.e. no repentance and continuation upon wrongdoing) then you will be held accountable upon it and that which has passed.”
● [جامع العلوم والحكم لابن رجب الحنبلي ص ٣٨٣]
