Taken
from:
The Beauty of the Righteous and the
Ranks of the Elite,
by Imam abu na'eem al Asfahanee, translated
by al-Akili
Iyyadh bin Ghanam narrated that God's
messenger (saws) said: " I was informed by the heavenly hosts of
angels that the most dignified among my followers are people who
rejoice in public when they ponder the vastness of Allah's all-encompassing
mercy and compassion, and they weep privately when they contemplate
rigorous punishment He reserved for the sinners and the deniers of
the truth. They sit in His blessed mosques morning and evening
worshipping Him and celebrating His praises inwardly, and they implore
Him with their tongues outwardly with reverence and awe. They
pray to Him with their hands raised as well as lowered, and they
yearn for Him unceasingly. They take little from people, and
yet, it bears heavily on their hearts. They walk barefooted,
humble, unpretentious, and unnoticed, just like ants, without finery; and
they are free of self-adulation. They walk with dignity and
serenity, and they rise to the nearness of their Lord through their link
to His messenger (saws). They wear the garment of good conduct and
follow the clear proof. They read the Qur'an regularly, take
their daily guidance from it, and they happily make the necessary
personal sacrifices to meet its requirements. Almighty Allah
has surrounded them with distinguished witnessing angels, and faithful
guardians, and He has illumined their faces with effulgence as a
sign of His blessings upon them and as a demostration of His satisfaction
with them. When they look at His servants, they anticipate
promising signs. They often contemplate the vastness of Allah's
creation. Their bodies dwell on earth, and their eyes are anchored
upon the heavens. Their feet stand on earth, and their hearts dwell
in the heavens. They breath on earth, and yet, their spirits
are connected to the divine Throne. Their souls live in this world,
and their thoughts are focused on the hereafter. They only
worry about what may come. Their graves are in this world,
and their ranks are exalted in Allah's sight."
God's messenger (saws) then recited:
"Such is the reward of one who reveres My Majesty, and fears My
warning." (Qur'an, 14:14)
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