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The Braying Drunkard
Al-’Awâm b. Hawshab (148H) – Allâh have mercy on him – said:
I once came to an area in one part of which was a graveyard. After ‘asr, one of the graves split open and a man with the head of a donkey and the body of a human came up from it and brayed three times, after which the grave closed back up on him. I then saw an old woman weaving fleece or wool, and a woman said, “Do you see that old woman?” I said, “What about her?” She replied, “That is the mother of this [dead] man.” I asked, “What was his story?” She replied, “He used to drink wine, and whenever he would go out his mother would say, ‘O my son, fear Allâh; until when will you keep drinking wine?’ He would reply, ‘You bray like a donkey.’” The woman said, “He then died after ‘asr, so every day after ‘asr the grave opens up and he brays a few times, then the grave closes up on him again.”
Al-Hâfidh Abul-Qâsim Al-Asbahânî, Al-Targhîb wa Al-Tarhîb article 471.
Shaykh Nâsir Al-Dîn Al-Albânî graded this narration hasan in his edition of Al-Mundhirî’s Al-Targhîb wa Al-Tarhîb. See Sahîh Al-Targhîb wa Al-Tarhîb hadîth 2517.
Al-Mundhirî quotes Al-Asbahânî as saying:
This [story] was narrated by Abul-’Abbâs Al-Asam in a dictation at Naysâbûr, in the presence of great preservers [of traditions] and people of knowledge, and they did not reject it.
10 Days to Marry
It is reported that ‘Abdullâh b. Mas’ûd – Allâh be pleased with him – said:
If I had ten days left to live, and I knew I would die by the end of them, and I had enough time to get married, I would get married for fear of temptation (fitnah).
Sa’îd b. Mansûr, Al-Sunan article 493.
Dead Hearts and Empty Supplications
It is reported that Ibrâhîm b. Adham (d162H) – Allâh have mercy on him – once passed through the market of Basrah. People gathered around him and asked:
O Abû Ishâq, Allâh the Exalted says in his Book. ‘Call on me, I will answer your prayers’, but we have been calling on Him for a long time and He does not answer our prayers. [Ibrâhîm] replied, “O people of Basrah, your hearts have died in respect to ten things: First, you know Allâh but you do not give Him His rights; second, you have read Allâh’s Book but you do not act by it; third, you claim to love Allâh’s Messenger – Allâh’s peace and blessings be upon him – yet you abandon his Sunnah; fourth, you claim to be enemies to Shaytân but you conform to [his ways]; fifth, you say you love Paradise yet you do not work for it; sixth, you say you fear The Fire yet you put yourselves closer to it [by sinning]; seventh, you say death is true but you do not prepare for it; eighth, you busy yourselves with the faults of others and disregard your own; ninth, you consume the favors of your Lord but are not grateful for them; and tenth, you bury your dead but take no lesson from them.”
Abû Nu’aym, Hilyah Al-Awliyâ’ 8: 15, 16.
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Prepare for death yourself [khutbah of Uthman]
It is narrated that ‘Uthmân b. Áffân – Allâh be pleased with him – said in a sermon:
Son of Adam! Know that the angel of death who has been assigned to you has not ceased to pass you and move on to others, ever since you have been in this world. But it is as if he is about to pass someone else and move on to target you, so be careful and prepare for him (by correcting your deeds). And do not forget him, for he does not forget you. And know o son of Adam, if you are heedless about yourself and do not prepare, no one else will prepare for you. You must meet Allah the Mighty and Majestic, so take for yourself and do not leave it to someone else. Peace be on you.
Abû Bakr Al-Daynûrî, Al-Mujâlasah wa Jawâhir Al-Ílm 2: 73, 74.
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An advice at death about direction in Life
It is reported that when Al-Hasan Al-Basrî was on his deathbed, some of his companions came to him and said:
O Abû Sa’îd, offer us some words you can benefit us with. He replied, “I will equip you with three words, then you must leave me to face what I am facing. Be the farthest of people from those things you have been forbidden, and be the most involved of people in the good you have been commanded to do; and know that the steps you take are two steps: a step in your favor and a step against you, so be careful where you come and where you go.”
Abû Na’yam, Hilyah Al-Awliyâ` 2:154
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