Abu Hazim al-A'raj

Abu Hazim al-A'raj, an ascetic and preacher, whom al-Mas'udi mentions and whose conversation with Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik he relates. ¹

Sulayman asked him why we dislike death. He answered that they had built up their worldly life and ruined their Hereafter, so they dislike moving from a populated place to a ruin. ¹

He was asked how the coming before God would be, and he said that the good man is like the absent one who returns to his family happy, and the wrongdoer is like the runaway slave who comes to his master sad. ¹

The book "The Umayyad State" by al-Salabi says that Sulayman summoned him when he made the pilgrimage in 97 AH; he advised him to fear God and to present his deeds to the Book of God, and explained that among the best deeds is performing the obligations while avoiding the forbidden things, and he refused his gift. ²

• The dates of his birth and death and his full lineage need an additional source.

The Sheikh tells again that Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, a man of awe-inspiring presence, said he wished he had washed and shrouded the dead and had not governed the Muslims for even a single day, that Abu Hazim paused on hearing this, then told his assistant to pour water on the dead man, and praised God that at their death they wish for our life (needs_source) ³.

The Sheikh narrates that Abu Hazim entered on Ishaq ibn Abd al-Malik and took off his shoes, saying that he takes off his shoes before his Lord five times a day and night (needs_source: narration with no source given in the lecture). ^{4 5}