MERCY AND FORGIVENESS FOR THE ONE WHO REPENTS
When al-Mansur bin 'Ammar, may Allah have mercy on him, once entered the court of Abdul-Malik bin Marwaan, the latter said, "O Mansur, I have a question for you, and I will give you respite for an entire year to answer it: Who is the wisest of people, and who is the most ignorant of people?"
Al-Mansur left the castle and spent some time in contemplation in a nearby courtyard. Then the answer came to him, and so he quickly hurried back to Abdul-Malik. "O Mansur, why have you returned?" asked Abdul Malik.
"The wisest of the people, O Leader of the Believers, is the doer of good deeds who fears not having his deeds accepted," said al-Mansur." "And the most ignorant of people is he who does good deeds and feels safe in that his deeds will be accepted." Upon hearing these words, Abdul-Malik began to cry until his garment became soaked in tears. He then said, 'You have done waell, O Mansur. Now, recite a part of the Quran to me, for the Quran is a cure for what is in the breasts of men."
Mansur then recited this verse:
َوْمَ تَجِدُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَا عَمِلَتْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ مُحْضَرًا وَمَا عَمِلَتْ مِنْ سُوءٍ تَوَدُّ لَوْ أَنَّ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَهُ أَمَدًا بَعِيدًا وَيُحَذِّرُكُمُ اللَّهُ نَفْسَهُ وَاللَّهُ رَءُوفٌ بِالْعِبَادِ
On the Day when every person will be confronted with all the good he has done, and all the evil he has done, he will wish that there was a great distance between him and his evil. And Allah warns you against Himself and Allah is full of Kindness to His slaves.
[Aal-Imraan : 30]
"You have killed me, O Mansur," said Abdul-Malik. "O Mansur, what does, 'And Allah warns you against Himself' mean?"
"It means His Punishment," said Mansur.
"And what is the meaning of, 'every person will be confronted with all the god he has done,'?" asked Abdul-Malik?
"It means that every person will be confronted on the Day of Resurrection by all of his deeds, the largest of them and the tiniest of them. Allah will not leave out or forget any of that."
Abdul Malik then continued to cry until, being overcome with fear, he fainted.
IF YOU REALLY WANT TO DISOBEY ALLAH...
It is reported that a man once went to Ibrahim bin Adham and said, "Oh Abu Ishaaq, I continually wrong my own self, and I turn away from everything that invites me to improve my way of life."
Ibrahim said, "If you can fulfill five conditions, then sinning will never harm you, and you can fulfill your desires as much as you want."
"Tell me those conditions," exclaimed the man.
"As for the first, if you want to disobey Allah, then do not eat from His sustenence," said Ibrahim.
"What then will I eat, for everything on the earth is from His sustenence?" said the man.
"Listen," said Ibrahim. "Are you being sensible when you eat from His sustenence while you are disobedient to Him?"
"No," said the man. "What is the second condition?"
"If you want to disobey Allah, then do not live in any of His lands," said Ibrahim.
"This is even worse than the first. All that is in the East and West belong to Him. So where then will I live?"
"Listen," said Ibrahim. "If you insist on disobeying Him while you eat from His sustenence and live in His lands, then at least look for some spot where He cannot see you, and disobey Him there."
"O Ibrahim!" exclaimed the man. "How can I do that, when He even knows the deepest secrets that are in the breasts of men? What is the fourth condition?" he asked despondently.
"When the angel of death comes to take your soul, then say to him, 'Give me some respite, so that I can repent sincerely and perform good deeds.'"
"When the time comes, the angel will not accept that plea from me," said the man.
"Listen," said Ibrahim. "If you cannot put off death in order to repent, then how do you expect to be saved?"
"Tell me the fifth condition," said the man.
"When the guardians of Hell-fire come to take you away on the Day of Resurrection, don't go with them."
"They won't let me go!" exclaimed the man.
"Then how do you expect to be saved?" asked Ibrahim.
"Stop, stop! That is enough for me," said the man. "I ask Allah to forgive me and I indeed repent to Him."
The man then dedicated his life to the worship of Allah from that day.
Bookmarks