Wise sayings of Abu Darda (Radi Allaahu Anhu) regarding life and death

Abu Darda (Radi Allaahu Anhu) said: “He who remembers death often, then his delight becomes less and his enviousness (of others) diminishes”.

Abu darda (Radi Allaahu Anhu) on his final moments said “Let man work for a demise like mine! Let man work for an hour like this! Let man work for a day like this” and he wept. His wife asked him, “do you weep even though you have accompanied the messenger of Allah? He said ”Why should I not weep, when I do not know which of my sins will bring my destruction”

Abu Darda (Radi Allaahu Anhu) said “when you remember the dead, consider yourself one of them”

Abu Darda (Radi Allaahu Anhu) said “Should I tell you about the day I will become poor? It is the day when I am lowered in my grave”

Abu Darda (Radi Allaahu Anhu) said: "Before Islam I used to be a merchant, and after the advent of Islam I was busy with commerce and worship, but it was so difficult for me to combine the two, that I renounced commerce and turned towards worship."

Abu Darda (Radi Allaahu Anhu) said: "Everyone has an imperfection of knowledge and wisdom, if his wealth increases, he becomes so happy though day and night are working hard on destroying his life-span. So what is good of a wealth that increases and a life-span that decreases?"

Abu Darda (Radi Allaahu Anhu) said: "Had it not been for three things, I would have preferred to be under the earth:
1- Brothers and friends visiting me and choosing fruitful speech.
2- To cover my face with dust in prostration to Allah.
3- To go out for Allah's Sake."

Abu Darda (Radi Allaahu Anhu) said: "I love poverty so as to be modest before my Rabb, I love death because I am longing to see the All-Mighty Allah and I love sickness so as to expiate my sins."

Umm Darda said that when a righteous man died, Abu Darda (Radi Allaahu Anhu) used to say "congratulation. I wish I was in your place". When Umm Darda asked him about it he said, "Do you not know that one starts the day while a believer and ends it while a hypocrite, thus, being rid of his faith while he is unaware? This is why I congratulate that dead man (for dying while righteous) more than I wish for him to stay alive to pray and fast"