How Long Will You Wait Before Repenting?

14/07/2011| IslamWeb

Once, a man asked another, "How many years have passed upon you?" He said, "Sixty years." He said, "Then, you are about to go to Allah." On that he said, "We all are going to Allah, and to Him all we shall return." He further asked, "Do you know what this means?" He said,

"He, who knows that he is a slave of Allah, also knows that he shall inevitably return to Him. No doubt, the slave should necessarily return to his master. He, who knows that he shall return, knows that he will be made to stand (and be asked), ‘Where have you been? What have you done? What have you put forth? What have you done in what I have commanded you and in what I have forbidden you from doing? have you really fulfilled My commands?’ He also knows that he will be questioned, and he, who knows that he will be questioned, should prepare the answer to the question."

He asked him, "Then, what is the way to do so?" He said, "It is to do good in the remaining period, perchance what remains and what has passed will be forgiven for you; otherwise, you will be punished for what remains as well as what has passed."

This short period that the believers live in this world represents the duration of their obedience and journey to Allah The Almighty, therewith they expect what has been prepared by Him for the pious, including acceptance of their deeds and raising them in rank and making them in the company of the Prophets and the steadfast affirmers of truth. So, consider how soon you are going to leave while do not realize it, and how short is your stay in this world! We have seen the predecessors, the Prophets and the righteous (how they passed away). Where are your relatives, youth and beloved ones? They were seized by death. Are you waiting for death without putting forth anything to Allah The Almighty, to be the cause of your salvation?

Let the believers conclude their days with this instruction, perchance Allah The Almighty will look at them with the eye of mercy and forgiveness, seeing them in a state of despair of their deeds, of their own selves, and of anything they may put forth. Perhaps they may weep due to their laziness, indulgence, negligence, procrastination and excessive hope in this world, thereupon Allah The Almighty, seeing their weeping and grief, will forgive them. Looking at them, He will forgive the one who does acts of goodness among them, and pardon the doer of evil among them. Consider then in which state you like to be when the prizes are delivered.

Simply hearing instructions and admonition does not make us one of the people who follow them, otherwise, no one would need to exert any effort. However, in order to realize them to the best of one's ability, one should strive.

One should not strive today before he comes to a state in which he cannot strive or do anything. When Allah The Almighty looks at the lazy, indulgent people who are distant even after all those seasons of mercy and forgiveness have been opened for them, which they reject and rather leave for something else, i.e. the perishable world, it is likely that the next Ramadan will not come upon them. Or if Ramadan comes, the gate will be closed in their faces, leaving the hearts as cruel, harsh, remote and indulgent as they were, as it was sufficient for them to have the gate of repentance opened for them, but since they have not repented, they will be left. This is the opinion of many of the predecessors. Unfortunately, one neither senses nor fears this, as is evident in the manner that he deals with Allah The Almighty.

It is also likely that the gate of repentance will be closed in his face, leaving him unable to repent or even do righteous deeds, as stated by Allah The Almighty who Says (what means): {And spend [in the way of Allah ] from what We have provided you before death approaches one of you and he says, "My Lord, if only You would delay me for a brief term so I would give charity and be among the righteous."} [Quran 63:10]

He will be told that the appointed days and hours have come to an end: {until, when death comes to one of them, he says, "My Lord, send me back that I might do righteousness in that which I left behind." No! It is only a word he is saying.} [Quran 23:99-100]