Zayn al-Abideen, the great-grandson of the Prophet (peace be upon him), once said: Eight thoughts doggedly pursue me wherever I go:
- That Allah demands that I fulfill His rights upon me.
- That the Prophet wants me to follow his Sunnah.
- That my family relies on me to provide for them.
- That my carnal soul wishes for me to cater to its needs
- That Satan is always whispering to me.
- That the two scribes, who are ever present with me, are diligently recording my every move.
- That the angel of death is waiting around the corner ready to seize my soul.
- That the ground is ever-ready to receive my body.