Devout worship and fear of the Day of Resurrection

“O Amir ul-Mu’minin,” asked al-Ahnaf, “What happened to those people? Was it because scarce of food or was it because of the terror of war?” Amir ul-Mu’minin (a) answered: No, Ahnaf. It was not. Allah, Glorified is He, loved some people who worshipped Him devotedly in this world as if they were under blockade, because He has known their dread of the Day of Resurrection before they have witnessed it. They therefore exerted all their possible efforts in this regard. If they remember that morning when the creatures will be brought before their Lord, they imagine a line comes out of Hell to gather all the creatures before their Lord and imagine a record that is opened before the Witnesses and uncovers all of their sins. Thus, their souls are about to run flowingly, their hearts are about to fly with wings of fear highly, and their minds are as if they are boiling in a cauldron. They have longed (for meeting Allah) like the longing of the distracted in the murk and they have been distressed because of the fear of that to which they dedicated themselves. Thus, they have become weak-bodied, brokenhearted, gloomy-faced, dry-lipped, and atrophied-stomached. You see them as if they are drunk; they talk in the loneliness of nights and are submissive like worn out skins. They have offered their acts to Allah so sincerely in secret and in public. Their hearts have never felt secure because of their fear of Allah. They have behaved as if they were the guards of the domes of their tributes. Were you to see them at nights-when the eyes are asleep, the sounds are quiet, and the movements of the birds in their nests are calm-the threatening horror of the Day of Resurrection has deterred them from sleeping, just as Allah says: “Did the people of the towns think themselves secure from Our wrath that could strike them at night during their sleep? ( : )” So, they wake up panic-stricken, hurried to their prayers crying-they, sometimes, weep and sometimes praise Allah. In their places of worship, they weep and resound. At gloomy nights, they weep. Were you, O Ahnaf, to see them at nights standing on their limbs with the backs bent. They recite the parts of the Quran in their prayers. Their wailing, lamenting, and sighing are very deep. If they sigh, you think as if the fire (of Hell) has taken them from the throat. If they wail, you think as if the chains are fastened on their necks. If you look at them in days, you see the people who “walk gently on the earth,” say “good wording to people,” “when addressed by the ignorant ones, their only response is, ‘Peace be with you,’” and “when they come across something impious, they pass it by nobly.” They have prevented their feet from inspecting the people’s defects, stopped their tongues from mentioning the people’s honors, checked their hearings from interfering in the others’ reference to the wrong, feasted their eyes on turning them away from (looking at) the acts of disobedience to Allah, and directed towards the Abode of Peace-he whoever enters there will be saved from doubt and griefs. It seems, O Ahnaf, that you have been engaged by looking at the face of that one which afflicts you with (various sorts of) misfortunes in the very moment you enjoy looking at its flourishing face, and you have been engaged by looking at the drawings of the portico of that lodging, as well as its hanged curtains, while wind and hot weather are charged with its fruits. Nevertheless, that lodging, which is definitely not your permanent abode, has distracted you from (working for) the Final Abode that Allah created from a white pearl, holed rivers, planted trees, cast shadows of its ripen fruits over it, and filled in it with the young women. Then, He will house (permanently) His disciples and obedient people there. Were you, O Ahnaf, to see them when they will come to their Lord the Glorified. When their mares are stricken, their riding she-camels will make such a nice sound that no one has ever heard its like. A cloud that rains musk and saffron will overshadow them. Their mares will neigh between the plants of the gardens (of Paradise), and their she-camels will take them between the heights of saffron. They will walk gravely on pearls and corals. The curators of Paradise will receive them with the pulpits of basil. A wind from the direction of the Divine Throne will then disperse over them jasmine and daisy. When they approach the portals (of Paradise), Ridhwanwill open them in their faces and they will prostrate themselves for Allah in the courtyard of Paradise. The All-omnipotent Allah will say to them, “Raise your heads. I have freed you from the burden of worship and housed you in the paradise of contentment.” If you, O Ahnaf, disregard that which I have previously said, you will be left in the shirts of tar, you will run around in blazing fire and boiling water, and you will be watered very boiling water. On that day, many spines will be broken, many faces will be destroyed, and many will be deformed and beaten on the noses. Likewise, the chains will eat the palms of many, and the bands will cohere with the necks of many. Were you, O Ahnaf, to see them slipping in the valleys of Hell and climbing the mountains there while they are dressed with pieces of tar and matched to the sinful and the devils. If they call for help against the fire, the scorpions and snakes will attack them. Were you also to see the caller who will say: “O people of Paradise and its bliss and jewels and garments, you will live forever and you will never die.” Only then, they lose hope completely, the doors will be locked, and the relations will be cut. On that day, many old men will mourn for their old age, many young people will mourn for their youth, and many women will wail for their scandals. Their screens will be torn. On that day, many will be dipped and detained between the layers of Hell. It is a dip that will cause you to dress a garment –after you had dressed linen clothes, drunk water that was cooled on the walls, and eaten the various meals-, which will turn gray every single and smooth hair that you were feeding and will gouge out the eye with which you saw every dear one. This is what Allah has prepared for the criminals and that was what Allah has prepared for the God-fearing.