(3) بَاب فَضْلِ دَوَامِ الذِّكْرِ وَالْفِكْرِ فِي أُمُورِ الْآخِرَةِ وَالْمُرَاقَبَةِ وَجَوَازِ تَرْكِ ذَلِكَ فِي بَعْضِ الْأَوْقَاتِ وَالِاشْتِغَالِ بِالدُّنْيَا
Hanzala Usayyidi, who was amongst the scribes of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). reported:
I met Abu Bakr. He said: Who are you? He (Hanzala) said: Hanzala has turned to be a hypocrite. He (Abu Bakr) said: Hallowed be Allah, what are you saying? Thereupon he said: I say that when we are in the company of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) we ponder over Hell-Fire and Paradise as if we are seeing them with our very eyes and when we are away from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) we attend to our wives, our children, our business; most of these things (pertaining to After-life) slip out of our minds. Abu Bakr said: By Allah, I also experience the same. So I and Abu Bakr went to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said to him: Allah's Messenger, Hanzala has turned to be a hypocrite. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: What has happened to you? I said: Allah's Messenger, when we are in your company, we are reminded of Hell-Fire and Paradise as if we are seeing them with our own eyes, but whenever we go away from you and attend to our wives, children and business, much of these things go out of our minds. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: By Him in Whose Hand is my life, if your state of mind remains the same as it is in my presence and you are always busy in remembrance (of Allah), the Angels will shake hands with you in your beds and in your paths but, Hanzala, time should be devoted (to the worldly affairs) and time (should be devoted to prayer and meditation). He (the Holy Prophet) said this thrice.
Reference: Sahih Muslim 2750 a
In-book reference: Book 50, Hadith 14
USC-MSA web (English) reference(deprecated numbering scheme): Book 37, Hadith 6623