سفيان

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘When Allah wills good for a servant upon his committing a sin He causes it to be followed by a misfortune to remind him of the need to plead for forgiveness. When Allah wills evil for a servant upon his committing a sin He causes it to be followed by his gaining bounties that make him forget the need to plead for forgiveness and continue in sin. This is indicated in the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘We gradually lead those who have called Our revelations mere lies, to destruction. Their destruction will be such that they will not even notice how it seized them.’ (7:182) This happens to them by means of His granting them bounties when they commit sins.’”

Learn a few things from me. You will never find anything like these even if you get on your vehicles and ride them around the world. You should not have hopes in anyone but your Lord. You should not fear anything but your sins. You should never feel ashamed of learning what you do not know about. You should never feel ashamed of not knowing something you are questioned about. You should just say, ‘God knows best!’ You should know that the relationship of patience to faith is like that of the head to the body. There is no faith when there is no patience.”

I repent to God for the following three actions:1- Fleeing from the army of Usamah whom God’s Prophet (MGB) had appointed as the Chief of the Army;2- Freeing the atheist slaves from Yemen captured by the Muslims; and3- I repent to God for what is in our hearts - may God protect us from its harm; and pledging allegiance to Abu Bakr since it was not done with consultation.’”

Whoever repents to Allah seventy times after `Asr, Allah forgives seven hundred sins that day from him. If he does not have any [sins], then those of his father. If his father does not have any, then those of his mother. If his mother does not any, then those of his brother. If his brother does not have any, then those of his sister. If his sister does not have any, then those of his nearest relatives, then his [next] nearest relatives [and so on].

I saw in one of the books of Allah: Surely, Yusuf (as) went with his caravan to the wife of al-`Aziz, and she was sitting on a wastebasket. So, she said: “Praise be to Allah who made kings into slaves due to their sin and made the slaves into kings due to their obedience. We have become poor, so give us charity.” So, Yusuf (as) said: “Neglecting blessings ceases their continuance. So, review what clears you from the filthiness of wrongdoing, for the granting [of your prayer and sustenance] is in sanctifying the hearts and purifying the actions. So, she said: “I have not put myself in a sinful position, for I am too ashamed that Allah sees me in a compromising position, with tears flowing from the eyes, and the body affected by regret.” So, Yusuf said to her: “So, persevere, for the goal is what motivates the will, before our time runs out and our period ceases.” She said: “That is my belief, and you will hear about it, should you remain after me.” So, he ordered that one hundred pounds of gold be given to her, and she said: “This will suffice – I won’t return to desperation, while I am now in indignation.” So, one of the sons of Yusuf said to Yusuf: “O my father! Who is this that my heart breaks for and my liver has been undone for?” He said: “This is a distraught creature, who is on the ropes of destruction.” So, Yusuf (as) married her, and he found that she was a virgin. So, he said: “But I saw that you had a husband before!” So, she said: “He was disabled and impotent.”

“Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.), has said that a man once asked my father after returning from al- Mawqaf, ‘Do you think Allah will leave all these creatures in hopeless condition?’ My father said, ‘Whoever stays in this station, Allah forgives them, regardless of their being believers or unbelievers. However, forgiveness for them is of three kinds. There is forgiveness in favor of a believer of his past and future sins and his freedom from fire as is mentioned in the words of Allah, the Most Majestic and Most Glorious, “Lord, grant us goodness in this word, grant us goodness in the next life and protect us against the torment of the fire. These will have a share of what they have done and Allah is quick in accounting.” (2:200-201) There are those of them whose past sins Allah forgives. He has said, “Do good in the rest of your life.” Allah, the Most Majestic and Most Glorious, has said, “Those of them who leave earlier during the two days have not committed any sins. Those who leave after the two days also have not committed any sins,” (2:203) meaning those who die before leaving have not committed any sins and those who leave later have not committed any sins if they maintain piety in the matters of major sins.
Muslims in general (non-Shias) say, “Those who leave during the two days have not committed any sins, meaning leaving Mina’ with the first departing people, and those who leave later have not committed any sins, meaning they have not committed any sins if they maintain piety in the matter of hunting.” Do you think Allah prohibits hunting after making it lawful as is mentioned in the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, “When you are free of the restrictions of Ihram you may hunt.” (5:3) It is in the interpretations of non-Shia Muslims that when you are free of the restrictions of Ihram you must not hunt. “There is the unbeliever who has attended al-Mawqaf (station of the pilgrims) for worldly reasons. Allah forgives his past sins, if he repents from the sin of paganism for his future. He will receive his reward and he will not be left hopeless of the reward of his staying at this station if he does not commit any sins. This is said in the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, “Those who want the worldly life and its ornaments We recompense them for their deeds in this world and will not suffer any loss therein. They will not have anything in the next life except fire. Their deeds will become void and their deeds will turn into falsehood.’”” (11:15-16)

We were sitting in a gathering in the Mosque of the Messenger of Allah (s), and we mentioned the deeds of the people of Badr and the Allegiance of Ridwan. So, Abu’l Darda’ said: O people! Shall I not inform you of him who has the least wealth and the most piety, who strives hardest in worship? They said: Who? He said: `Ali b. Abi Talib (as). He said: By Allah, among the people of the gathering, all of them had disagreement written on their faces. Then, a man from the Ansar was chosen [to speak on their behalf], and he said to him: O `Uwaymir! You have said something that not one person agreed with. So, Abu’l Darda’ said: O people! I am saying what I have seen, and every people among you will say what they saw. By the scalps of carpenters! I have witnessed `Ali b. Abi Talib (as) – when he left his followers and disappeared from them and concealed himself by the streams of the palm trees – I lost him, and he became far from me. I said [to myself]: “He went to his house.” Then, I came across a sorrowful voice and a mellow tone saying: “My God! How many perils have you alleviated from me and repelled by Your blessing? How many offenses have You concealed by Your kindness? My God! If I persist in disobeying You over the course of my life, and my sins become great in the books, then I have no hope without Your forgiveness, nor will I hope for anything except Your pleasure.” The voice concerned me, so, I sought it out, and I came across `Ali b. Abi Talib (as). So, I concealed him, and I eased my movement. He bowed in the dead of night, then he broke into prayers, tears, calling out and lamenting. Among what he whispered to Allah, he said: “My God! I think about Your forgiveness, and my errors become trivial. Then, I think abut the greatness of Your chastisement, and my distress weighs over on me.” Then, he said: “Oh, if I read about a sin in my record, I forget about it, whilst You tally it. So, it is said, ‘take him [into punishment].’ He who is taken will not be saved by his kinsmen, nor will he be helped by his tribe; but the Master will have mercy on him if He permits.” Then, he said: “Oh, [save me] from a Fire that dries out the livers and kidneys; oh, from a Fire that scalps the heads; oh, from submersion into a fiery blaze.” He said: Then, he prolonged his weeping. Then, I did not hear any movement coming from him, so, I said: “He has been overcome by sleep due to his long vigil. He will awake for Fajr prayer.” Abu’l Darda’ said: So, I came to him, and he was like an abandoned log. I tried to move him, but he would not move. I held him in a grip, but he did not respond thusly. So, I said: “We belong to Allah, and to Him we will return. By Allah, `Ali b. Abi Talib has died.” He said: So, I went to his house and I immediately called out to them. So, Fatima (sa) said: “O Aba’l Darda’! What is his story?” So, I informed her about what had happened, then, she said: “By Allah, Aba’l Darda’, this is a trance that overtakes him from his humility before Allah.” Then, I took water to him, and I sprinkled it onto his face. He awoke, and he looked at me whilst I was weeping. So, he said: “What has caused you to weep, O Aba’l Darda’?” So, I said: “What I have seen you do to yourself.” So, he said: “O Aba’l Darda’! So how would you be if you had seen my Lord call me to Judgment, and the criminals have been sent to punishment, and I am left by the tormenting, ruthless angels, and I stand before the angel of the Powerful – I receive peace from my lovers, and the people of this world have mercy on me – yet, the best mercy for me will be before Him who does not hide it from me!” So, Abu’l Darda’ said: So, by Allah, I did not see that in any of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (s).