Instructions to Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, upon appointment as the governor of Egypt
Nahj al-Balāgha|Volume 1|Book 2|Chapter 27
Nahj al-Balāgha
Book 2, Chapter 27
Instructions to Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, upon appointment as the governor of Egypt
فَاحْذَرُوا عِبَادَ اللهِ الْمَوْتَ وَقُرْبَهُ، وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُ عُدَّتَهُ، فَإِنَّهُ يَأْتِي بِأَمْر عَظِيم، وَخَطْبٍ جَلِيلٍ، بِخَيْرٍ لَا يَكُونُ مَعَهُ شَرٌّ أَبَداً، أَوْ شَرٍّ لَا يَكُونُ مَعَهُ خَيْرٌ أَبَداً، فَمَنْ أَقْرَبُ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ مِنْ عَامِلِهَا! وَمَنْ أَقْرَبُ إِلى النَّارِ مِنْ عَامِلِهَا!
Therefore, O’ creatures of Allāh, be afraid of death and its measures and keep ready all that is needed for it. It will come as a big event and a great affair, either as a good in which there will never be any evil, or an evil in which there will never be any good. Who is nearer to Paradise than he who works towards it, and who is nearer to Hell than he who works for it?