will not forgive you’, and all of my deeds become useless.’ (Ihya-ul-‘Uloom Al-Dunya, vol. 4, p. 231)

Taking accountability of the Nafs in a unique way

Sayyiduna Ibrahim Taymi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه states: ‘I once imagined myself to be in Paradise, eating the fruits found therein, drinking from its rivers and meeting Hoor. After this, I imagined myself to be in the Hellfire, tied by chains of fire, eating from a thorny tree, and drinking the pus of its inhabitants. I then asked by Nafs: ‘Tell me! What do you want?’ My Nafs replied by saying: ‘I want to go back into the world, so I may perform good deeds.’ Upon this, I said: ‘Go, your desire will be fulfilled, so perform good deeds.’ (Mukashafa-tul-Quloob, p. 265)

Acting upon the Pious Deeds booklet daily

It has been narrated about Sayyiduna ‘Ata Sulami رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه, who did not look towards the sky for forty years out of the fear of Allah Almighty, and nor did anyone see him smile; Addressing to his Nafs every day, he would say: ‘Oh Nafs! Don’t cross your limits, and remember! You have to go into the grave too, you have to cross the Bridge of Sirat too. You will be surrounded by your enemies [hooks] who will pull you from the right and left. That time, the Qazi will be Allah Almighty and the prison will be Hell, whereas Sayyiduna Maalik (عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام) will be in charge of it. The Qazi of that day will not turn towards injustice مَعَاذَاللّٰھ, and nor will the in-charge accept any bribe, and nor will it be possible to break the jail so that you can escape from it. There is only destruction for you on the Day of Judgement. You do not even know where angels will take you, whether they will take you to the place of comfort and honour in Paradise or to the place of regret and narrowness in Hell. (In this way, he رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه would continue to think of the Hereafter, similar to the way someone who acts upon the 72 Pious Deeds booklet will do) During