“Where are the brothers you once knew?
Where are the companions you once knew?
They have reached where they were meant to go, having been met by the deeds they performed in their days gone by. They reside there (in the Hereafter) either in misery or happiness.
Where are the arrogant tyrants who built the townships and encircled them with walls?
They are now underneath stones and wells.
Where are those whose faces were beautiful full of light, those who were impressed by their youth?
Where are the kings?
Where are those who were granted victory on the fields of war?
Time has caused them to decay, and they are now in the darkness of their graves.
There is no goodness in saying that which is not spoken for the countenance of Allah.
There is no goodness in wealth that is not spent in the path of Allah.
There is no goodness in a person who ignorance has overcome his forbearance.
And there is no goodness in a person who, when it comes to doing something for the sake of Allah, fears the blame of the blamers.
Between Allah and any person there is no familial relation, and none can hope to receive anything from him through such a relationship (i.e., since no one is related to Allah, none can hope for the kind of help they receive from relatives on this earth based on family loyalty and love), nor can one hope that Allah will save him from evil (based on the same reason).
He gives goodness and saves from evil only through obedience to Him and the following of His commands.
There is no such thing as something that is good if it leads to the Hellfire, and there is no such thing as something that is evil if it leads to Paradise… Because you are needy and poor (to Allah), I advise you to fear Allah, to praise Him as He deserves to be praised- and to ask for His forgiveness; for indeed, He is oft-forgiving. I have said what I needed to say, and I ask Allah for forgiveness, for both myself and you.”
A
Kutbah delivered by Abu Bakr (RadiyAllahu Anh)
(Musannaf ibn Abee
Shaibah 7/144)