A Pearl of Wisdom from Aḥmad b. ʿUmar al-Shāṭirī

Aḥmad b. ʿUmar al-Shāṭirī said:

الموت أقرب غائب ينتظر وينبغي للمسلم أن يتذكره دائما ليحد من غلوائه وتكبره وغفلته ويقلل من حرصه الشديد على الدنيا وليس ذكره باللسان فقط أي ليس معناه أنك تقول الموت الموت وإنما ذكره بالاستعداد له وأن تكون على حالة حسنة تحب أن يأتيك وأنت عليها وهذا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول كفى بالموت واعظا ويقول أكثروا من ذكر الموت فإنه يمحص الذنوب ويزهد في الدنيا فالدنيا آخرها الموت

“Death is a pending reality beyond our earthly lives that everyone anticipates. It is necessary for a Muslim to be constantly mindful of it; and doing so puts one’s extravagance, pride, and heedlessness in check. Remembering death diminishes one’s covetousness for the world. Remembering death is not something done by the tongue alone! Meaning, one does not just sit around talking about it. Indeed, death is remembered by preparing for it and by maintaining the righteous condition that one wants to die in. Allāh’s Messenger (upon him be peace) said: ‘Death suffices as an admonishment.’ And he (upon him be peace) said: ‘Remember death frequently; verily, by remembering death one lives free from sin and ascetically in the world.’ The end of this life is death.”

(Sharḥ al-Yāqūt al-Nafīs, 248-49)