The Quest of a Curious Muslim — Page 47
47 Who has the final word in marriage? Husband or wife? There is a powerful saying attributed to Hazrat Abu Bakr ra as follows, “I wish I were a tree that would be cut and done away with”. 26 At other times, he would say, “I wish I were a blade of grass, whose life ended with the grazing by some beast” 27. He also said, “I wish I were a hair on the body of a believer”. 28 Once he went to a garden, where he saw a bird singing. He sighed deeply and said, “O, bird! How lucky you are! You eat, you drink and fly under the shade of the trees, and you fear no reckoning of the Day of Judgement. I wish I were just like you”. 29 These sayings demonstrate the importance of accountability that directs the actions of a believer. Even the knowledge that a person will be held accountable for their actions should motivate them to act in the best manner. In some cases, it is such a