‘Abdullāh ibn Mas’ūd on Death and Importance of One’s Deeds

عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ حُجَيْرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ: كَانَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ إِذَا قَعَدَ يَقُولُ: إِنَّكُمْ فِي مَمَرِّ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ فِي آجَالٍ مَنْقُوصَةٍ، وَأَعْمَالٍ مَحْفُوظَةٍ، وَالْمَوْتُ يَأْتِي بَغْتَةً، فَمَنْ زَرَعَ خَيْرًا يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَحْصُدَ رَغْبَةً، وَمَنْ زَرَعَ شَرًّا يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَحْصُدَ نَدَامَةً

‘Abdullāh ibn Mas’ūd (may Allāh be pleased with him) said:

“You are in the passage of day and night, your life decreases [by every passing moment] but your deeds are all preserved and death shall come to you all of a sudden. So, whoever planted good is soon to expect the harvest of happiness, and whoever planted evil is soon to expect the harvest of regret.”