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A
man came to Ibrahim ibn Adham (may Allah be pleased with him) and
said, “Abu Ishaq, I am unable to control myself. Please give me
something to help me.”
“If
you accept five conditions,” said Ibrahim, “and are able to
put them into practice, your disobedience will not cause you any
problem.”
“Just
tell me what they are, Abu Ishaq!” 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 Ibrahim.
“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
disobey Him?” asked Ibrahim.
“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 a reprieve so that I can repent and act righteously for
Allah.’”
“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 reprieve,
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?”
“Enough,
enough, Ibrahim! I ask Allah’s forgiveness and I turn to Him!”
The
man’s repentance was sincere and from that time on he was
assiduous in his worship and avoided acts of disobedience until
the day he died.
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