Among the Banu Israaeel, there was a person who had dedicated the crime of murdering ninety-nine individuals. After killing ninety-nine individuals, he felt regret in his coronary heart and thus wished to repent and reform his life.
He thus approached some individuals and requested them to direct him to the best Aalim of that place. In response, they guided him to a sure worshipper who had disassociated himself from the world and devoted himself to the ‘ibaadah of Allah Ta‘ala. On coming to the worshipper, the person stated, “There is a person who murdered ninety-nine people. Is there any taubah for such a person?” The worshipper replied, “No, (there is no taubah for him).” When the person acquired this reply, he murdered the worshipper as effectively, thus growing his complete to at least one hundred murders!
However, the sensation of regret and the urge to repent nonetheless endured inside his coronary heart. Hence, he as soon as once more requested some individuals to direct him to the best ‘Aalim of that place. However, on this event, he was not directed to a mere worshipper however to a educated ‘Aalim.
On coming to the ‘Aalim, he as soon as once more stated, “There is a person who murdered one hundred people. Is there any taubah for such a person?” The ‘Aalim replied, “Yes! Who can prevent him from turning to Allah Ta‘ala in sincere repentance? (I.e. the door of taubah is also open for him.)”
The ‘Aalim then suggested him saying, “(In order to reform your condition, you must) go to such-and-such place (a city named Nasrah), as there are people in that place who (are pious and) engage in the worship of Allah Ta‘ala. (You should go there and) worship Allah Ta‘ala with them. Do not return to your city (named Kafrah) as it is a place filled with evil and sin.”
The man accepted the recommendation of the ‘Aalim and thus set out for the town of Nasrah the place the pious individuals resided. However, en-route, when he had lined half the journey, he was approached by the angel of dying who had come to extract his soul. In his remaining moments, as he was respiration his final, he turned his chest in direction of the city of the pious (since he couldn’t attain it).
After he handed away, two teams of angels arrived; the angels of mercy and the angels of punishment, and each teams claimed that that they had the best to take him. The angels of mercy stated, “He came in the state of taubah and repentance, with his heart focused towards Allah Ta‘ala (thus we should take him).” However, the Angels of punishment stated, “He never carried out any good deed (thus we should take him for punishment)!”
At that time, one other angel arrived, within the kind of a human, and was appointed by the 2 teams to resolve between them. He stated to the 2 teams of angels, “Measure the distance between him and the two towns (i.e. the town he came from and the town he is going towards). Whichever town he is closer to, regard him to be from the people of that town.”
However, earlier than the angels may measure the gap, Allah Ta‘ala instructed the city of Kafrah, from which he had come, to maneuver away from him, and in addition instructed the city of Nasrah, which he was going in direction of, to attract nearer to him. Hence, when the angels measured the distances, they discovered that he was nearer to Nasrah by the gap of one hand-span.
As a end result of this, the angels of mercy took his soul and he was forgiven (and saved from the punishment). (Saheeh Bukhari)
Lessons:
1. No matter what number of sins we now have dedicated, and the way evil our actions could also be, if we flip to Allah Ta‘ala in honest repentance, He will forgive us. With full regret in our hearts, and with the honest resolve that we’ll by no means repeat the sin, we should cry to Allah Ta‘ala and beg Him to forgive us. If we do that, then even when our sins are as quite a few because the grains of sand on the planet, He will forgive us and erase our sins from our information.
2. When we’re in search of steerage in Deen, we should seek advice from those that are certified to dispense steerage. If we require the reply to a mas-alah (ruling), we should seek advice from an ‘Aalim who is knowledgeable in fiqh and masaa-il. Likewise, if we require guidance regarding an issue relating to self-reformation, then we should refer to the Mashaayikh (senior scholars) who are the experts at diagnosing and treating spiritual ailments and maladies. Just as referring to an unqualified person for health advice can damage and destroy one’s well being, referring to an unqualified individual for Deeni recommendation can convey harm and destruction to at least one’s Deen.
3. When an individual needs to reform his life and quit sins and evils, then among the many necessities for his taubah to be accepted is that he ought to miss the sins and all of the avenues that result in sins (e.g. cellular phone, web, unhealthy firm, and so forth.). Similarly, he ought to guarantee that he’s in a pious and good surroundings, within the firm of pious individuals. This will encourage him in direction of righteousness and help him to reform his situation.
4. Allah Ta‘ala is so loving and compassionate to His slaves that when an individual takes the initiative, and takes step one in direction of Allah Ta‘ala, then Allah Ta‘ala makes the remaining of the journey simple for him. However, what’s required is that one turns to Allah Ta‘ala and takes step one. Thus, when the assassin set out on the highway to Nasrah, then although he didn’t attain the vacation spot, Allah Ta‘ala made the programs of the world work in his favour and forgave him – as the need in his coronary heart to repent and reform was true and honest.
