The early generations of Islam are called the best generation because they competed in trying to come close to Allah The Almighty by performing good deeds, and they were equally swift in holding themselves to account for the mistakes they committed. They remained between a state of hope and fear that Allah The Almighty might not accept their deeds from them.

Ibn Al-Qayyim said, “If one looks at the Companions he would find that they worked hard yet were the most fearful from Allah, while we combine between negligence and feeling secure (from punishment).” These are the words of Ibn Al-Qayyim many centuries ago, what about our time?

Ibn Al-Qayyim explained the correct manner of taking oneself to account:

First, start with the obligatory matters and make up any shortcomings in them.

Second, check the prohibited matters, repent and seek forgiveness for your sins and strive to perform good deeds to wipe these sins.

Third, hold yourself to account for your heedlessness by mentioning Allah The Almighty often (Thikr).

Fourth, hold yourself to account for the tongue, eyes, ears, feet and hands. What did you intend by using them? How did you use them?

We must ask ourselves:

Do we neglect our prayers?
Do we give up fasting?
Do we pay our due obligatory charity?
Do we deliberately put off going for Hajj?
Are we careless of the chance to perform righteous deeds?
Do we see evil and not forbid people from doing it?
Do we restrain our sight from prohibited matters?
Do we use bad language and utter evil or immoral words?
Do we give our parents their due rights and ask their forgiveness?
Are we harsh on the weak and oppressed?
Do we curse people, backbite or carry tales?
Do we eat up the wealth of others unjustly?

A determined believer who believes in Allah The Almighty and the Hereafter should not be heedless and should take himself to account frequently.

There are two means of taking account:

First: Holding oneself to account before performing a deed when a person intends and wants to do it, and he should not start until he is certain that that there is no reason for him not to start it. This is like what Al-Hasan said in this regard, “May Allah have mercy upon a person who stops before he performs a deed and checks his intention, if it is for the sake of Allah he would do it, otherwise, he would refrain from doing it.”

Second: Holding oneself to account after performing the deed and this is of three types:

First, holding oneself in reckoning to determine if there was a shortcoming in performing an act of obedience, and if it was performed in a proper manner.

Second, holding oneself in reckoning for every prohibited deed that should have been shunned.

Third, holding oneself in reckoning for every permissible deed that one is used to performing regularly to determine why he performed it. Did he intend the pleasure of Allah The Almighty and the reward of the Hereafter? If so, then one will be amongst the successful. Did he want a worldly gain? If so, then he will be amongst the losers and will miss the reward.

Actions that help a person hold himself to account:

Self-awareness: Knowing that the more he holds himself in reckoning today, the easier it becomes tomorrow, and the more he neglects it, the harder the final reckoning becomes.
Contemplating the evil consequence of the negligence of reckoning, like destruction, entering Hell, being deprived from seeing Allah and being with the people of disbelief and misguidance.
Befriending righteous people who would advise him about his mistakes and shortcomings.
Reading about the stories of our righteous predecessors.
Visiting the graves and pondering upon their situation.
Attending circles of knowledge and admonition.
Praying supererogatory prayers during the night and reciting the Quran.
Staying away from the places of heedlessness.
Mentioning Allah The Almighty and supplicating to Him.
Not feeling satisfied with his deeds.