What is self-accountability?

Imam Muḥammad al-Ghazālī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه writes in his renowned book Iḥyāˈ al-ꜤUlūm:

The reflection that is done in order to recognise the abundance of deeds, their quantity, and their increase or decrease is called muḥāsabah (self-accountability). When a person places the deeds of his entire day before himself so that he may become aware of what is lacking and what is excessive—this is muḥāsabah.^[1]

What is reflection?

اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه Amir Ahl al-Sunnah دَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـهْ continually instils within us the mindset of evaluating our deeds. A person should reflect upon his daily routines from a religious perspective, and then strive to rectify the actions that are harmful for his Hereafter. Whatever actions are beneficial for the Hereafter should be further strengthened and improved.

Countless blessings are attained by consistently reviewing one’s deeds. This is why the pious predecessors رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـه performed self-accountability consistently and were never negligent in this regard. Let us listen to some accounts of the pious predecessors رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـه in relation to this.

Remain fearful of Allah!

Sayyidunā Anas b. Mālik رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ narrates:

I once entered a garden where I heard the voice of Sayyidunā ꜤUmar رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ. There was a wall between us, and he was saying: “ꜤUmar, the son of Khaṭṭāb, and the position of Amīr al-Muˈminīn! How excellent indeed! O ꜤUmar, fear Allah Almighty, otherwise He will subject you to a severe punishment.”^[2]