Sari as-Saqati and the young man

Sari as-Saqati reports: I was traveling as a tourist when I once stumbled upon a cave. Issuing forth from inside of it was the sound of weeping. When I looked inside the cave I saw a young man, who had the look of a man whose sorrows have reduced his body to a weak, wan and emaciated figure. From the looks of him, he seemed to be a pious worshiper, and so I asked him,

“O young man, how can I achieve safety?”

“By performing obligatory acts of worship, by returning things to their rightful owners (also by gaining the pardon of those one wrongs) and by repenting to Allah Azza Wa-Jall (Processor of Might and Majesty)"

Will you preach me I asked

“If you want to learn an important lesson” he began “Or to be on the receiving end of a profound admonition, then look within yourself (at your deeds your level of faith etc.) Act with the knowledge that Allah sees you when you are alone, for doing so atones for your sins and results in Allah displaying you to the dwellers of the heaven”.

Give me more I asked

“Indeed Allah has slaves whom He created to (worship) Him and whom He has chosen for His love. He has bestowed upon their hearts an eagerness to seek closeness to Him. Their minds are constantly engaged in reflection, and the color of their skin turned yellow (pale) because they forsake their beds and stay up late at night to worship Allah.

He then said “Go away now, for you have kept me preoccupied away from what I was doing”.

Source: Glimpses of the lives of righteous people quoted from Al- Mawaiz Wam Majalis page 101