O devotees of the Companions! Reflect upon this. Sayyidunā ꜤUmar رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was a beloved Companion of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. This is the great Companion from whose shadow the Devil would run.^[1] He is the one to whom the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم gave glad tidings of Paradise.^[2]

The one for whom the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم made the following duꜤā: “O Allah! Grant honour to Islam through ꜤUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb (رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ)”.^[3] He is also the one in accordance with whose opinion verses of the Quran were revealed.^[4]

Adopt the character of Sayyidunā ꜤUmar رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ

Despite possessing a high rank and status, Sayyidunā ꜤUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ would hold himself accountable for his deeds and advise himself, saying: “O ꜤUmar! Remain fearful of Allah! O ꜤUmar! Remain fearful of Allah!” If this was the condition of his self-accountability, then how much more do we- who are drowned in sins, spending our days and nights in heedlessness, and possessing hardly any good deeds- need to hold ourselves accountable?

Let us listen to a parable of a righteous man of Allah regarding his method of self-accountability.

Accountability of days and sins

Sayyidunā Tawbah b. Ṣimmah رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه performed self-accountability one day. He calculated that his age was sixty years, and then he calculated that it amounted to 21,500 days. He cried out: “(If I have committed just one sin each day then) I will meet Allah Almighty with 21,500 sins. If I committed 10,000 sins every day, what will become of me?” After saying this, he fell unconscious