Stories of Repentance #1
Hazrat Fudayl ibn ‘Iyaad رحمة لله علیھ was famous for his piety and worship, but he was not always a practising Muslim. In his early years, Hazrat Fudayl رحمة لله علیھ was a highway robber; he would prowl in the night for victims on the road. Alongside the cities that he used to rob was a small village in which lived a girl that Hazrat Fudayl رحمة لله علیھ was in love with. One night, out of desperation to be with her, Hazrat Fudayl رحمة لله علیھ climbed the wall of her home. As he was climbing over it, he heard a voice recite:
أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ
"Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah..." (Surah Al-Hadeed 57, Ayah 16.)
At that moment, Hazrat Fudayl رحمة لله علیھ answered, "O my Lord, the time has indeed come." He returned from where he came and sought refuge near a travelling party on the main road. They were busy engaging in a serious discussion. Hazrat Fudayl رحمة لله علیھ heard one of them say, "Let us continue our journey now." Another answered, "No, not until the morning, for Fudayl is lurking on the road somewhere out there, just waiting to rob us."Having heard the entire conversation, Hazrat Fudayl رحمة لله علیھ thought to himself,
"I go around in the night to sin, while a group of Muslims remain here because they fear me. Indeed I feel that Allah has brought me here to them only so that I can reform my character. O Allah, I indeed repent to you!"
If You Really Want To Disobey Allah...
A man came to Hazrat Ibrahim ibn Adham, and said, "Abu Ishaq, I am unable to control myself and I continually wrong my own self, and I turn away from everything that invites me to improve my way of life. Please give me something to help me with it""If you accept five conditions," said Hazrat Ibrahim ibn Adham, "and are able to put them into practice, your disobedience will not cause you any problem and sinning will never harm you, and you can fulfil your desires as much as you want.""Just tell me what they are the man said. "The first is that when you want to disobey Allah you do not eat anything He provides." "Then how will I get anything to eat? Everything on the earth is from Him!" "So is it right to eat His provision and disobey Him at the same time?" replied Hazrat Ibrahim ibn Adham."No, it is not. What is the second condition?" "When you want to disobey Him, move off His land.""That is even more difficult! Exclaimed the man. "In that case where will I live?""Is it right to eat his provision and live on His land and then to disobey Him?" asked Hazrat Ibrahim ibn Adham. "No, it is not.""What is the third condition?" "When you want to disobey Him in spite of eating His provision and living on His land, find a place where He will not see you and disobey Him there.""What do you mean, Ibrahim? He knows everything that happens even in the most hidden places!" "So is it right to disobey Him when you eat His provision and live on His land and when you know that He can see everything you do?" "It certainly is not!" the man replied."Tell me the fourth condition." "That when the Angel of Death arrives to take your soul, you say to him, 'Give me chance so that I can repent and do good deeds.'""But he won't listen to me!" "Then if you cannot ward off death long enough to give yourself time to repent, and you know that when it comes there will be no chance, how can you hope to be saved?""What is the fifth?" "That when the angels of the Fire come to you to take you to the Fire, you do not go with them." "They will take me whether I like it or not!" exclaimed the man."So how can you hope to be saved?"The man replied, "Stop, stop! that is enough for me. I ask Allah to forgive me and I indeed repent to Him."The man then dedicated his life to the worship of Allah Ta’ala from that day.
Moral
This story presents us with conditions that if we fulfil them then we can be free to commit sin. However it soon becomes obvious that every condition is impossible to fulfil and therefore we should avoid sin to the best of our ability.
Man's Share in the Divine Attributes of Al - Rahmaan and Al - Rahim
Imam Al - Ghazali ( ra) states:
"The share of the servant in the name Al - Rahmaan lies in showing mercy to the negligent servants of Allah , by way of dissuading them from the path of disobedience towards Allah , through advice and counseling , by way of gentleness and not harshness , treating the sinners with the eye of mercy, and not with the eye of contempt ; letting every sin perpetrated in the world be as if his own sin , so sparing no effort to remove it to the best of his ability : all out of mercy to the that sinner , lest he be exposed to the wrath of Allah , and so deserve to be removed from closeness to Him."
"The servant's share in the name of Al- Rahim lies in ( not ) turning away any needy person , except by fulfilling his needs , to the extent of his ability, nor abandoning any poor in his neighborhood or city , except by undertaking to relieve their poverty - either from his own wealth or reputation or otherwise by interceding on his behalf with another . If he is unable to do all that , he should assist the poor person by prayer, and by showing grief on account of his need, in sympathy and compassion towards him, as though he was sharing in his misfortune and need. "
( translated from the Arabic text: المقصد الأسنى شرح اسماء الله الحسنى ، للأمام الغزالى )
The History Of Qunoote Naazilah
The Qunoote Naazilah began in the fourth year after Hijrat in the month of Safar. The tribe of Ri’l, Zakwaan, Usayya and Banu Liyaan requested help from Rasulullah Sallaluhu Alayhi Wasalam against the enemies. These tribes claimed to be Muslims.
In response to this request, Rasulullah Sallaluhu Alayhi Wasalam dispatched a contingent of 70 Sahaabah, all of whom were Qaaris (experts in the recitation of the Qur’aan) to assist them.
These Sahaabah used to earn their livelihood by collecting and selling firewood during the day and their nights would be spent in Ibaadat.
When this group reached a place called ‘Bi’r Ma’oonah’, they were ambushed by these very tribes who claimed to be Muslims and had requested assistance. In actual fact, these people were not Muslims.
All these Sahaabah were slain by these people. Before they were so brutally massacred, they made Du’aa unto Allah to inform Rasulullah Sallaluhu Alayhi Wasalam about their plight. Allah did so through Wahi (revelation). When the Prophet Sallaluhu Alayhi Wasalam received this tragic news, with tears in his eyes, he informed the Sahaabah, saying, “Your brethren have been slain.”
Thereafter, for one month Rasulullah Sallaluhu Alayhi Wasalam recited the Qunoote Naazilaah in the Fajr Salaah, cursing these tribes and asking Allah for their destruction. After a month the Qunoot was stopped. Hadhrat Anas Radiallahu anhu says that this was when the Qunoot was first started.
TRANSLATION OF THE QUNOOT
