His Sense of Accountability

Hazrat Malik bin Mighwal relates that Hazrat Umar (ra) stated, “Bring yourself to account before you are taken to account, for this is far easier.” Or he stated, “This is a far easier assessment to make.” He also stated, “Evaluate your inner self lest this is done for you and prepare yourselves for the great day of reckoning.

يَوۡمَئِذٍ‭ ‬تُعۡرَضُوْنَ‭ ‬لَا‭ ‬تَخۡفَى‭ ‬مِنْكُمۡ‭ ‬خَافِيَةٞ

‘On that day you will be presented before God; and none of your secrets will remain hidden.’”

(Ali Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah fi Ma‘rifat al-Sahabah, Vol. 4, [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 2003], p. 161)