O devotees of the Prophet! The earth, the days and nights, the angels who record our deeds, our limbs, our eyes, tongue, ear, hands and feet will be witnesses on the Day of Judgement. How will we attain salvation? Will any excuse save us? No, it will not.

We fail to understand, we do not fear, we forget about the Hereafter, and we sacrifice the eternal abode of Paradise for the temporary pleasures of the world. Attaining salvation is tough, but we make it even more difficult by performing sins relentlessly.

Who is the most ignorant?

Caliph ꜤAbd al-Malik b. Marwān said to Sayyidunā Manṣūr b. ꜤAmmār رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه, “O Manṣūr! I have a question and I will give you one year to find an answer for it. Who is the most intelligent person, and who is the most ignorant person?”

Upon hearing this, Sayyidunā Manṣūr bin ꜤAmmār رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه left the palace to search for an answer. As soon as he entered the open atmosphere, he returned to the palace and the Caliph said to him, “O Manṣūr رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه! Have you found the answer?”

He replied, “Yes, the most intelligent person is the one who remains fearful after performing good deeds, and the most ignorant is the one who commits sins but does not fear the wrath of Allah.”

ꜤAbd al-Malik b. Marwān started crying and said, “O Manṣūr رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه! By Allah, your answer is correct. Recite a verse of the heart’s cure, meaning a verse of the noble Quran, to me.” Sayyidunā Manṣūr bin ꜤAmmār رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه recited the third verse of Sūrah Āl-ꜤImrān:

یَوْمَ تَجِدُ کُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّا عَمِلَتْ مِنْ خَیْرٍ مُّحْضَرًا ۚ وَّ مَا عَمِلَتْ مِنْ سُوْٓءٍ ۚ

˹Remember˺ the Day when every soul will be presented with the good it has