They lived like passengers…

[5 minutes]

Aren’t we all passengers in this world ?

They realized the fragility of life and their own

existence…

Isn't it a reality that we are mere creatures

destined to face death one day ?

They kept their duties as the pivotal aim of their

lives…

Shouldn’t we do that too ?

A selection from the sayings of Imam Ali (as)…

Attitudes of God Fearing People…

O' creatures of God, fear God keeping in view the

reason why He created you and be afraid of Him to the extent He has advised you

to do so…

Make yourself deserve what He has promised

you, by having confidence in the truth of His

promise and entertaining fear for the Day of

Judgment…

Fear God like a person…

Who listened (good advice) and bowed before

it, who admits the sins committed by him and

recognizes their enormity…

…Who is afraid of the consequences of his

actions; performed good deeds…

…Who hastens to lead a virtuous life…

…Who believes in the Day of Judgment and

undertakes honesty and piety…

…and when advised to take a warning accepts the advice and abstains

from evil deeds.

Fear God like a person…

Who faithfully believes in His Commands and sincerely decides to

follow them…

…Who repents the sins committed by him and

the good work left undone by him…

…Who carefully follows in the footsteps of virtuous people gone before him; and when he is told of truth, he recognizes it

and follows it.

Fear God like a person…

Who spends his life in search of truth, and

when alarmed by ties of worldly life, discards and

renounces it…

…Who provides himself carefully for the

Hereafter…who keeps his mind free from evil

desires…who purifies his soul and prepares to

secure for himself a place where he has to stay

permanently.

Fear God like a wise man…

Whose mind is so filled with thoughts of

tomorrow that he has forgotten everything

else…

…Whose mind has realized the enormity of His Wrath and to escape it, he exerts himself to the best of his ability…

…Night prayer has turned even his short

sleep into awakening…

…In the hope of Divine reward his days are spent in doing good deeds even under the scorching sun,

under fatigue and thirst of fast…

…Piety has kept his desires in control…

Remembrance of God is ever moving his tongue...

…He entertains fear before dangers… and avoiding dubious and

crooked ways, he takes to the true and straight path so that he may reach his

destination safely…

…Vanity and pride do not lead him towards self-deception and do not

upset his mind…

…He is never deceived with doubtful or false

arguments…

…He passes his days happily because of the

happiness of good tidings and pleasure of eternal

bounties...

…He passes the pathway of this world in

praiseworthy manner…He reaches the next world

with virtues…

…He knows the dangers one has to face there and protects himself well with

the help of sublime thoughts, ideal virtues

and noble deeds…

…He concentrates on the ways and means of attaining His Favor,

successfully endeavors to shun vice and

wickedness, he prepares himself to meet his death.

…In this way he passes the few days of the transient

stay allotted to him in this world…

Thus he leads a glorious life and passing this

period of transition with meritorious and

exemplary character, he reaches the next world happily and gracefully.

Thus explains Imam Ali (as) the attitudes of those

who fear God.

[Nahjul Balagha, Sermon al-Ghurra (# 89)]