O the One Whose dominion never goes away!

Biographers said: “When Hārūn al-Rashīd built his palace, whose magnificence was unmatched at the time, people came to congratulate him. Amon g them was Abu al-‘Atāhiyah, who stood up and sang:

‘Live as long as you wish, safe and sound. Whatever you covet comes to you and whatever you want happens. But when the soul is struggling to leave the body and you are in the throes of death, you will then know for sure.

that your living in lofty palaces and great luxury was nothing but conceit and delusion!

Thereupon, Hārūn wept so powerfully that he fell to the ground. Only a month later, he was dead.”

That was Hārūn! The one who would address the cloud saying: “Drop your rain wherever you want. The yield will reach me.” The one who used to perform Hajj in a year and conduct Jihad the following year.

‘Abd al-Malik ibn Marawān, the ruler of the Muslim world in the past, when he was in the throes of death, he heard a washing man next to his palace singing in great joy. Thereupon, ‘Abd al - Malik said: “I wishI were a washing man! Would that I did not know the rule or caliphate!” Then, he died 

Another man said: “O You Whose dominion never goes away, show mercy to the one whose dominion went away.” Hearing these words, Sa‘īd ibn al -Musayyib replied: “Praise be to Allah Who made them flee to us in the throes of death, and we do not flee to them.”