To take account of oneself, that is, to undergo honest selfcriticism, is part of the Muslim practice al-muhasabah, or self-inventory. According to the Companion Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, to engage in al-muhasabah is to "assess and adjudge yourselves before you are assessed and adjudged on the Day of Judgment, and to weigh out your deeds, before they are weighed out for you." Umar, a man of his word, reportedly used to whip his right foot at night and say to it "What have...
