Wise sayings of Abu Darda (Radi Allaahu Anhu) regarding life and death

**Khalid Saifullah** · 02-04-2016

Abu Darda (Radi Allaahu Anhu) said: “He who remembers death often, then his delight becomes less and his enviousness (of others) diminishes”.

Abu Darda (Radi Allaahu Anhu) on his final moments said “Let man work for a demise like mine! Let man work for an hour like this! Let man work for a day like this” and he wept. His wife asked him, “do you weep even though you have accompanied the messenger of Allah? He said ”Why should I not weep, when I do not know which of my sins will bring my destruction”

Abu Darda (Radi Allaahu Anhu) said “when you remember the dead, consider yourself one of them”

Abu Darda (Radi Allaahu Anhu) said “Should I tell you about the day I will become poor? It is the day when I am lowered in my grave”

Abu Darda (Radi Allaahu Anhu) said: "Before Islam I used to be a merchant, and after the advent of Islam I was busy with commerce and worship, but it was so difficult for me to combine the two, that I renounced commerce and turned towards worship."

Abu Darda (Radi Allaahu Anhu) said: "Everyone has an imperfection of knowledge and wisdom, if his wealth increases, he becomes so happy though day and night are working hard on destroying his life-span. So what is good of a wealth that increases and a life-span that decreases?"

Abu Darda (Radi Allaahu Anhu) said: "Had it not been for three things, I would have preferred to be under the earth:
1- Brothers and friends visiting me and choosing fruitful speech.
2- To cover my face with dust in prostration to Allah.
3- To go out for Allah's Sake."

Abu Darda (Radi Allaahu Anhu) said: "I love poverty so as to be modest before my Rabb, I love death because I am longing to see the All-Mighty Allah and I love sickness so as to expiate my sins."

Umm Darda said that when a righteous man died, Abu Darda (Radi Allaahu Anhu) used to say "congratulation. I wish I was in your place". When Umm Darda asked him about it he said, "Do you not know that one starts the day while a believer and ends it while a hypocrite, thus, being rid of his faith while he is unaware? This is why I congratulate that dead man (for dying while righteous) more than I wish for him to stay alive to pray and fast"

**Asiyah3** · 02-04-2016

Originally Posted by Khalid Saifullah

Abu Darda (Radi Allaahu Anhu) said: "Had it not been for three things, I would have preferred to be under the earth:
1- Brothers and friends visiting me and choosing fruitful speech.
2- To cover my face with dust in prostration to Allah.
3- To go out for Allah's Sake.""

SubhaanAllah. Remembering death makes a person content in any financial situation, and kills the desires for temporary materialistic things.

**keiv** · 02-04-2016

While I agree with the sayings mentioned in the thread, how do we implement that in today's world? For those that can afford it, do you cut back from full-time to part-time work, which would more than likely require you to change careers all together? Do you re-evaluate your life and live a more simple life? Even if you already live a simple and frugal life, the needs of your family require you to work these long shifts in order to support them so, then what?

**Asiyah3** · 02-04-2016

Originally Posted by keiv

While I agree with the sayings mentioned in the thread, how do we implement that in today's world? For those that can afford it, do you cut back from full-time to part-time work, which would more than likely require you to change careers all together? Do you re-evaluate your life and live a more simple life? Even if you already live a simple and frugal life, the needs of your family require you to work these long shifts in order to support them so, then what?

Allah loves the hard-working who benefit people and the society. Work hard, but with the pure intention of seeking Allah's pleasure.

**keiv** · 02-05-2016

Abu Darda (Radi Allaahu Anhu) said: "Before Islam I used to be a merchant, and after the advent of Islam I was busy with commerce and worship, but it was so difficult for me to combine the two, that I renounced commerce and turned towards worship."

I meant to quote this in my original post but, this was the part I was referring to. I don't know if I was interpreting it right but, it seems like if you can't find a balance between your work life and religious life for whatever reason (long hours in my example), what is the general view of that?

**azc** · 02-05-2016

Originally Posted by keiv

While I agree with the sayings mentioned in the thread, how do we implement that in today's world? For those that can afford it, do you cut back from full-time to part-time work, which would more than likely require you to change careers all together? Do you re-evaluate your life and live a more simple life? Even if you already live a simple and frugal life, the needs of your family require you to work these long shifts in order to support them so, then what?

this is a normal Q by most of us due to weakness in iman