Oh believers:

“Get up (and hurry) in entering upon Allaah and accompanying Him in the Home of Peace, without any tiredness, hardship or fatigue - but in fact by the nearest of paths and the most easiest (of them). And this is (by realising) that you are in a time between two times which is (what constitutes) your life, and this is the present time which is between what has passed and what is yet to come. Then that which has passed, you can correct by repentance, remorse and seeking forgiveness. This is something in which there will be no tiredness, fatigue, or any straining efforts (required on your behalf). It is (nothing but) the action of the heart.

And your restraining yourself from sins in what has yet to come (in the future). (This) restraint of yours is but mere abandonment and relaxation and does not involve (any) actions from the limbs or the efforts which cause you difficulties and hardship. It is but (firm) resolution and a strong and firm intention (which allows your) body, heart and your inner-self to rest. So whatever has passed you by, you amend by repentance and you correct what has yet to come with restraint, resolution (of one’s will) and (firm) intention.

And in both of these there is no hardship or tiredness for the limbs, however the concern is for your life - and that is the time, (at present), which is between two times. If you waste it, you will have wasted your happiness and your (means of) safety and if you safeguard it, along with correcting the (other) two times which are before it and after it with what has been mentioned, you will be saved and you will succeed with ease, pleasure and bliss.

And safeguarding it involves greater hardship than the rectification of what has passed before it and what it is to come after it. Safeguarding the present time requires that you make your soul cling to that which befits it, is of greater benefit to it and is greatest in obtaining its happiness. In this affair, people vary greatly one from another. Verily, these are your days gone past, in which you gather your provision for your place of return, either to Paradise or to Hellfire…”

(Ibn al-Qayyim-rahimahullah-Al-Fawaid, in the chapter ‘How you rectify your condition’)

Intentions

anonimouspoet:

And my intention
Is it for attention?
Will it be pretentious?
Will it be contemptuous?

For who’s sake?
For His sake?
I don’t know
But I want it to be so.

Am I being aloof?
What game’s afoot?
In vanity
There be no clarity.

And my intention
Will it be veracious?
Will it be conscientious?
Is it sincere?
God willing, God willing.

—Anonimous Poet