Ibn al-Jawzī رحمه الله authored the following as an advice to his son,
Abu’l-Qasim Badr al-Dīn ‘Alī al-Nasikh.1
You
should know, my son, may Allāh guide you to what is right, that man has
been distinguished by intellect only so that he would act according to it.
Bring it to the fore, use it in contemplation and spend time alone with
yourself. You will conclude that you are a created being who has
responsibilities and obligations and that the two angels are counting your
every word and glance. Every breath is a step closer to death. The time we
spend in this world is short, the time we are held in our graves is long,
and the punishment for following our base desires is calamitous (disastrous)!
