Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaykh Mawlana Mohamamd Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) said,

‘Sayidina Umar al-Farooq (may Allah be pleased with him) had himself heard the Prophet (Allah’s blessing and peace be upon him) say that, ‘Umar will be in Paradise’.

However, his state was such that he used to ask Sayidina Huzaifa (may Allah be pleased with him) to inform him if his name was amongst the list of hypocrites (munafiqeen) confided to him by the Prophet (Allah’s blessing and peace be upon him) .

Moreover, he told Sayidina Abu Musa al-Ashari (may Allah be pleased with him) that he wished he receives reward only for those actions done within the lifetime of the Prophet and those that were done afterwards are just condoned, without any reward or punishment.

This is the thinking of an individual who has heard the glad tidings of Paradise.

(We must question) Why?

The fact is his concern about himself.  That is,  certainly at that time the Prophet gave this glad tidings but it is possible that his condition has changed since then. He is afraid of this change.

Why have this fear (of change and deterioration in our state) vanished from ourselves?

Why aren’t we concerned (about the change and deterioration in our state)?

How are we free of this  fear and self satisfied on our condition?’

Bayan:  5th February 2009, after ‘asr, Qari Rafiq’s residence, Jeddah.