عن ابن المبارك عَنِ الْحَسَنِ رحمه الله قَالَ: إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ قَوَّامٌ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ يُحَاسِبُ نَفْسَهُ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَإِنَّمَا خَفَّ الْحِسَابُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَلَى قَوْمٍ حَاسَبُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَإِنَّمَا شَقَّ الْحِسَابُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَلَى قَوْمٍ أَخَذُوا هَذَا الأمْرَ مِنْ غَيْرِ مُحَاسَبَةٍ.

Ibn al-Mubarak reported: Hasan al-Basri رحمه الله said: “Verily, the believer is a guardian over himself and he holds himself accountable to Allah Almighty. The reckoning will only be lightened on the Day of Resurrection for people who held themselves accountable in this world. Verily, the reckoning will only be grueling on the Day of Resurrection for people who did not hold themselves accountable.”

[ 📖 Source: al-Zuhd wal-Raqa‌’iq 307 ]

Abdullah Ibn Masud رضي الله عنه said:

“Do not scatter the Quran as if it were dates falling from a tree, nor recite quickly as if it were poetry. Stop at its verses that amaze you and let it move your hearts. Let not your concern be reaching the end of the Surah.”

أخلاق حملة القرآن 1

Anas ibn Mālik (رضي الله عنه):

كان المسلمون إذا دخل شعبان انكبّوا على المصاحف، فقرؤوها، وأخرجوا زكاة أموالهم تقويةً للضعيف والمسكين على صيام رمضان.

“When Sha‘bān began, the Muslims would devote themselves to the Muṣḥaf and recite it, and they would give out the Zakāh of their wealth to strengthen the weak and the needy for fasting in Ramaḍān.”

[Laṭā’if al-Ma‘ārif (1/135)]

https://youtube.com/shorts/5_jQCnxUA8U?si=nUbnELVQKZYEBekS

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

‎“Wear the mantle of supplications to protect you from the evils of men and jinn, and cover your souls with asking for forgiveness to erase for you the sins of the night and the day, and if something you hate befalls you, you will be satisfied and certain that it is the best predestined for you by your Lord, because you have been protected by God.”

‎[Al-Waabil As-Sayyib | 71]

Khulayd Al-‘Asrī رحمه الله said:

“The believer is honourable and self-sufficient from the people! And he is subservient and always asking his Lord!”

[Az-Zuhd Li Imām Ahmad: 1318]

.
Narrated Muadh bin Jabal:

While I was riding behind the Prophet (ﷺ) and between me and him and between me and him there was only the back of the saddle, he said, "0 Muadh!" I replied, "Labbaik, 0 Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)!" He said, "Do you know what is Allah's right upon his slave?" I said, "Allah and His Messenger know best." He said:

حَقُّ اللَّهِ عَلَى عِبَادِهِ أَنْ يَعْبُدُوهُ وَلاَ يُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا
"Allah's right upon his slaves is that they should worship Him alone and not worship anything else besides Him." Then he proceeded for a while and then said, "O Mu`adh bin Jabal!" I replied, "Labbaik, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)!' He said, "Do you know what is the right of the slaves upon Allah if they do that?" I replied, "Allah and His Apostle know best." He said,

"لاَ يُعَذِّبَهُمْ ‏"‌‏.
"The right of the slaves upon Allah is that He will not punish them (if they do that).

? Sahih al-Bukhari 5967

Note: Being rewarded for worship is not a right of the slaves, rather it is a favour from Allah upon them.

Ibn al-Jawzī رحمه الله said:

“O you who once had a bond with his Lord which he himself undid, O you who became perplexed regarding what he was ordained to do and stopped counting his bad deeds: weep for the days in which you were in contact with your Lord, for such days indeed warrant being cried over. Indeed, the remnants of the beloved engender in the heart nothing but sorrowful memories and concern.”

[Seeds of Admonishment and Reform by Ibn al-Jawzī رحمه الله pg. 161]

Al-Hasan al-Basri, [may Allāh bestow mercy upon him], said:

“This worldly-life consists of three days:

‘Yesterday has passed with all that was done, tomorrow is uncertain and may never come, but today is yours to act upon [by way of good deeds, therefore do so!].’”

Kitāb az-Zuhd | Page 197 | Al-Imām ibn Abi Dunyah, [may Allāh bestow mercy upon him].

Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī رحمه الله said:

Man! Were you to go to the door of the governor, he would not receive you or give you any attention, perhaps he will even prevent you from getting near him.

But the King of Kings is saying, ‘Whoever comes to Me walking, I will go to him running,’ yet you turn away from Him and run after another! You have been cheated in the worst of manners and you have lost out in the severest of ways!

The Journey to Allah, p.68