Ibn al-Jawzee

in Sa-yyd al-Khaatir, page 321

Al-Imam Ibn al-Jawzee rahimahullah said:

"I sat one day and found sitting around me more than ten thousand persons (listening to my sermon) - all of whom had felt their heart soften (and hearken to the words of Allah) or their eyes overflowed with tears. I reflected upon this within myself and said to myself, "What would your condition be like if they attained salvation and you were destroyed (in the fire)?"

Within myself I cried out: "O Allah! You are my Master! If you judge me fit for punishment in the morrow (hereafter) do not inform them (the audience) of my punishment. I pray this to honour You and not for my benefit, lest one of them say, 'The One (Allah) he called us to (worship and obey) punished him.'"