Rectify What Remains of your Life ! - Advice from Al-Fudayl ibn 'Iyaad (d. around 180H)

Al-Fudayl ibn 'Iyaad ibn Ma'sood, Shaikh ul-Islaam, Abu 'Alee, al-Yarboo'ee, al-Khursaanee. He was born in Samarqand and grew up to be a highway robber. However, his heart was moved upon hearing the Qur'aan recited and he repented and then travelled in search of knowledge to Koofah, eventually settling in Makkah. Some of his students were Ibn al-Mubaarak, Yahyaa al-Qattaan, 'Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Mahdee, 'Abdur-Razzaaq, ash-Shaafi'ee and Qutaibah ibn Sa'eed. Ibn al-Mubaarak said, "No one better than Fudayl ibn 'Iyyaad remains upon the face of the earth." Haaroon ar-Rasheed said, "I have not seen any scholar with greater dignity than Maalik, nor anyone more pious than al-Fudayl." [As-Siyar (8/421-441) and Tadhkiratul-Huffaadh (1/245-246) of adh-Dhahabee] Shaikh Raslaan (hafidhahullaahu ta'ala) Taken from http://mtws.posterous.com