your passion to perform virtuous deeds will increase and you will gain courage to endure the hardships that you face while doing so.

These righteous individuals don’t remain occupied in pondering over bettering their worldly life like ordinary people, rather, they remain restless in bettering their afterlife every moment. Due to this very reason, every moment of theirs is spent in virtuous deeds. Let’s listen to the parables of the greed for virtuous deeds these righteous individuals had.

Reciting the Holy Quran during last breaths

Sayyiduna Junaid Baghdadi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was reciting the Holy Quran during the last moments of his life. Somebody asked him: ‘Reciting Quran even at this time?’ He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه replied: ‘My book of deeds is coming to an end. I am quickly increasing (good deeds) in it.’ (Sayd-ul-Khatr Li-Ibn Jauzi, pp. 227)

Sweetness of worship

It is narrated: Some people went to inquire after the health of Sayyiduna Umar Bin Abdul Azeez رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه. A thin and weak young person was also with them. Sayyiduna Umar Bin Abdul Azeez رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه asked him: ‘O young man! Why am I seeing you so weak?’ He humbly replied: ‘O Ameer-ul-Mu`mineen! Due to few illnesses.’ He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه said: ‘For the sake of Allah Almighty, tell me everything truthfully.’ He replied: ‘O the leader of believers! I saw the luxuries of this world, I found them to be displeasing. Its liveliness and sweetness diminished in my sight. Its gold and stone became the same for me. Now my state is such that I see the Divine ‘Arsh. I see people going towards the Paradise and Hell. Just because of this very reason, I fast during the day and worship during the night. Even this action of mine is very little compared to the reward and torment given by Allah Almighty. (Ihya-e-‘Uloom-ud-Deen, vol. 5, pp. 143)

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب           صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد