Stories of repentant people(5)

Repentance of two brothers at the last hours of Ashura

Repentance in Islam is returning the high standing to a sinful one near Allah when repenting. Returning this high standing is achieved when a sinful person himself repents with sincere intention and the others have nothing to do in this concern. This way is always open before the sinful because the Divine religion is the religion of hope, the source of love and the spring of mercy. Imam Husayn (s) was the mirror of the wide mercy of Allah, mercy on people, mercy to lovers and mercy to enemies. The very existence of Imam Husayn (s) flowed with love; his speech was full of love and his conduct was full of love. Since he had faced his enemies, the army of Yazeed, on his way, he tried to guide them and bring them to the straight path of Allah. He did everything he could to guide and reform them.

He tried that before the war and during the war too by saying and doing. He could save those, who were ready to be guided, from Hell and made them among the people of Paradise. The last call of Imam Husayn (s) to guide those who were ready to be guided was when he became alone with no supporter when all his supporters had been martyred. He said,

‘Is there any one to support us…is there anyone to protect the women of the messenger of Allah?’

This call was heard by Sa’d bin Harth al-Ansari and his brother Abul Hutoof bin Harth. They waked up from their inadvertence. These two brothers were from al-Ansar and from the tribe of al-Khazraj but they had no good relation with Ahlul Bayt (s). In fact they were among the enemies of Imam Ali (s) and from the Kharijites of al-Nahrawan whose motto was “judgment is only to Allah” and a sinful had no right of the rule and government. Was Imam Husayn (s) sinful and Yazeed was not?!!

These two brothers left Kufa under the leadership of Umar bin Sa’d in order to fight Imam Husayn (s) and kill him. They arrived at Kerbala. When the day of Ashura came, they were with the army of Yazeed. The war broke out and bloods were shed and they were still with the army of Yazeed. When Imam Husayn (s) remained alone and aidless, they were still with the army of Yazeed. But when Imam Husayn (s) called out this call, they waked up and said to themselves: “Al-Husayn is the son of the messenger of Allah and we look forward to the intercession of his grandfather on the Day of Resurrection.” They left the army of Yazeed and joined Imam Husayn (s). They defended Imam Husayn (s) and fought against the army of Kufa bravely. They killed several enemy warriors and they were wounded with many wounds until they were martyred.[1]

Allama Kamraei in his book “the element of courage”[2] says, ‘When the women and children heard the voice of al-Husayn calling for help: “Is there any supporter to support us” they began crying and weeping loudly. When Sa’d and his brother heard this painful call and the crying of the women and children of Ahlul Bayt (s), they turned their horses and hastened towards al-Husayn (s). Then they came to the field of fighting and attacked the enemy army. They fought near Imam Husayn (s) and killed some enemy warriors. They were wounded with many wounds and were martyred in the same place.’

Every one should hear the wonderful story of these two brothers which arouse in the soul expectation and hope of unexpected successes as it has been with the prophets.

Because of the speciality of the light of hope, every prophet has got some certain qualities that has connected him with the unseen and breathed in him a new spirit that he has not been desperate until the last breath. They did not consider the mere approaching a sin as a sin and disobedience and they did not consider such a person as a sinful or criminal unless he committed that sin. They hoped that the Divine mercy would appear on everyone to save him from keeping on sins because the Divine mercy is hidden from the all.

Prophet Ya’qoob (Jacob) (s) had suffered a bitter separation for many years until his eyes became white because of sorrow. He did not find his son Yousuf (Joseph) nor did he get any news about him. In fact the news came opposite to what he wished but he faced that news with quietness and patience and at the same time he hoped his son to be live. He expected his coming back and he always prayed Allah for that.

The spiritual change happened to these two brothers was a response to the call of Imam Husayn (s) who hoped to guide those people even at the last moment of his honorable life. And at last it became clear that the light of guidance, which was hidden from people, could penetrate deeply into the enemy army while their swords were still dripping with the innocent bloods.

This change of these two brothers was one of the rarest things in the world of existence on the one hand and on the other hand it was Imam Husayn’s high spirit of hoping which made that wonderful change after the enemies had tighten their control for twenty years and after deviation, injustice and oppression had ruled during all that period. But at last the light of guidance appeared as Joseph (s) had appeared from behind the unseen.

There is a wonderful secret that Allah has confided to the human soul and made it hidden from people. It is this very unknown secret that arouses hope in the preachers and people of the truth and says to them: do not despair of having an influence on people because the secret of guidance hidden inside the souls of people is something hidden from all the preachers and reformers for in every moment it is possible that a change in the selves may take place and from behind the unseen a ray from the light of guidance may appear.

“O my Lord, the changing of Your arrangements and the promptness of Your accountings have prevented those, who know You, from trusting in a gift (to be continuous) or feeling safe from misfortunes (to afflict them at any time).”[3]

The body is a shadow for the soul and a screen hiding the intellect and the intellect in its turn is a screen on the power of mind in man. This power of mind is also a screen on the soul that it covers and hides it. And the most hidden thing is the secret hidden inside man which lies behind one’s motives and tendencies. No any scientific power could reach that site or discover that secret place. All the secret powers are uncovered by one of the powers available in man. The first secret power is intuition and intelligence. Intelligent people can read the intellect and know what ideas there are in the minds of the others according to their deportments, dialects, handwritings and miens.

The hidden mind is uncovered by the power of faith with the light of physiognomy which is higher than the first uncovering power. As for the hidden soul it can be uncovered by the light of prophethood which is higher and more powerful than all the uncovering powers but no one is able to discover the secret of the soul and to know what happens in this secret place. There is a special divine ray connected with the Sacred Existence (Allah) and hidden by the “Position of Pride” and there is no means between the mercy of Allah and His people. Every human being has a special connection with his Creator and this connection is uncovered to anyone so that preaching should be required continuously and reformers and preachers remain expecting the continuous influence of their speeches and preaches on the other side.

Saints and guiding people live with continuous hope and expectation renewing one time after another. Their care leads them to guide people and show them the right path. Therefore, the reasons of the spiritual change are hidden to people and thus the high position of knowing Allah is related to the state of depending (on Allah), hoping and expecting. Whenever knowing Allah is deeper inside man’s heart, the spirit of hoping becomes stronger and firmer in him and whenever the spirit of hoping is strong, one becomes more knowing of the secrets of the existence and expects new and delightful news day after another.

The higher souls are those which delve more into the secrets of the existence and discover them little by little and get out of it new news.

Now the Muslim preachers should not be deprived of the spirit of hoping and the difficulties and distresses should not make them despair because the circumstances of this age are not more difficult than those of the first age of the mission.

It is said that Sheikh Muhammad Abdu[4] has said in one of his meetings, ‘I feel desperate of reforming the state of the Islamic nation.’ A foreigner woman, who was present there, said to him, ‘I wonder at hearing this inauspicious word of “despair” from the mouth of one like this sheikh!’ Sheikh Muhammad Abdu felt his mistake immediately and acknowledged the right saying of that woman.

Imam Husayn (s) had the spirit of hoping more than all the other guiding people and all the prophets except his grandfather Prophet Muhammad (s). He was like a falcon that flew to the highest tops and highest places to discover the most distant secrets of the existence. We have to listen to the call of hoping from the tongue of Imam Husayn (s) to get the spirit of hoping which refreshes our souls.

Let the selves be sacrificed for you O Husayn! It is you whom we ask for help in every distress! It is you who teach us the criterion of truthfulness and the invitation to the truth so that we need neither the sheikh of Egypt nor the chief of Egypt! It is you who teach people lessons of sacrifice and redemption! All the others have learnt from you and we have to learn from you the secrets of monotheism and Divine knowledge. Your high soul has reached a rank that no one has reached even the prophets! In your courtyard we smell the fragrance of the hope of goodness and the light of guidance even if the swords eat from our fleshes and drink from our bloods!

Your great intrepidity at those dark ages and in those dreary lands and your coming to Kufa in that way and your great hope appearing in your words…are brimful springs from which we water our thirsty souls with hope and expectation. You have said,

‘The command comes down from the Heaven. Every day He is in (some fresh) business! If the fate has come, so praise be to Allah and if the fate prevents hope…’

‘O my Lord, the changing of Your arrangements and the promptness of Your accountings have prevented those, who know You, from trusting in a gift (to be continuous) or feeling safe from misfortunes.’

And at last you closed your eyes away from this world hoping that those of the longing hearts when passing by your tomb might wake up and the breeze of life might blow over them and enliven their hearts to set about preaching and carrying out their duty to guide the people[5] and by that they might be able to attract the sinful and disobedient people to the field of repentance and turning and lead those who have deserved the torment of Hell to the bliss of Paradise.

Repentance of Yousuf’s brothers

When Yousuf’s (Prophet Joseph’s) brothers had traveled their third travel to Yousuf (s), they said to him, ‘O chief, the aridness has afflicted us and reigned in our lands. We have been in straits. We have become unable to arrange the affairs of our livings. We have brought scanty money to buy some wheat and you are more generous than to give us (wheat) as much as our scanty money. Give us full measure and be charitable to us; surely Allah rewards the charitable.’

When Yousuf (s) heard their speech, he became upset and knew that his brothers and family were weak and distressed. He said to them something they did not expect at all. He asked them first,

(Do you know how you treated Yousuf and his brother when you were ignorant?” Qur'an, 12:89

His brothers became astonished at this question and they wondered how the ruler of Egypt had known this matter, wherefrom he had known Yousuf and his fate and how he had known that they had a brother whereas their behavior did not show anything of that and no one knew their doing to Yousuf except them only!

They were confused to reply and were pondering for sometime. The memories of the previous travels crowded in their minds and they remembered the sayings of the chief of Egypt before and his saying now and they immediately said,

“Are you indeed Yousuf?” Qur'an, 12:90

The chief of Egypt answered them,

“I am Yousuf and this is my brother; Allah has indeed been gracious to us; surely he who guards (against evil) and is patient (is rewarded) for surely Allah does not waste the reward of those who do good.” Qur'an, 12:90

Fright overcame the brothers and they expected that Yousuf (s) would revenge himself on them severely. Yousuf (s) was so powerful in Egypt in opposite to the weakness of his brothers away from their country. His powerfulness and their weakness were incomparable with each other and the result was clear to the brothers.

The brothers, according to the religion of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) (s), had deserved to be punished and according to the sentimental account they were to be revenged on. As if the sky had fallen over them; they became so upset and frightened. Fright had extorted from them every power. They had nothing to do save to announce their last defense, save to acknowledge their sin and to ask for pardon and forgiveness. They said to him,

“By Allah! now has Allah certainly preferred you over us, and we were certainly sinners.” Qur'an, 12:91

They sat waiting for the reply to hear what Yousuf (s) would say or do to them. They heard from Yousuf (s) what they had not expected at all. He said to them,

“(There shall be) no reproof against you this day; Allah may forgive you, and He is the most Merciful of the merciful.” Qur'an, 12:92

Thus are the people of Allah! They have the spirit of pardoning and forgiving. They do not think of revenge. They do not bear grudge against anyone. They ask Allah to have mercy even on the enemies of Allah. Their hearts are full of love to the people of Allah.

Yousuf (s) said to his brothers after he had assured them not to be punished or revenged, ‘Get up now and go back to your country. Take this shirt of mine with you and cast it on your father’s face so that he will recover his eyesight. Then you all come with him to live near me here in Egypt.’

This was the second time when they went to their father with the shirt of Yousuf (s). In the first time, the shirt was an evil portent and a black sign involving death and separation. It was a disastrous letter to the father Jacob (s). But in this time the shirt had the sign of life, hope and meeting after separation. It had a letter of happiness and delight for the father Ya’coob (Jacob).

The shirt of Yousuf (s), before, caused Ya’coob (s) to lose his eyesight and caused Yousuf (s) to be slave after been taken out of the well but in this time the shirt caused the father to recover his eyesight and to be happy and delighted.

That shirt had false blood but this shirt had a true miracle. What difference between truthfulness and falseness there is!

For the third time the caravan of the brothers set out from Egypt towards the land of Kan’an (Sham)[6] but the hope reached the father Ya’qoob faster than the caravan. Ya’qoob (s) said to the present ones of his family,

“I do indeed scent the breath of Yousuf: Nay, think me not a dotard.” Qur'an, 12:94

The present ones mocked at him and said,

“By Allah! truly you are in your old wandering mind.” Qur'an, 12:95

This knowing old man did not answer them because he knew that the intellectual level of his addressees was not able to perceive the facts.

Before no long the signs of the truthfulness of this old man appeared and the caravan arrived with the good news of finding Yousuf (s). They cast Yousuf’s shirt on the face of the father and he recovered his eyesight. Then he turned to his children and said,

“Did I not say to you that I know from Allah what you do not know?” Qur'an, 12:96

The children of Ya’qoob asked their father to pardon them and to forgive them and they asked him to pray Allah to forgive their sins. Ya’qoob pardoned his sons and promised them to pray Allah for them.

The sons of Prophet Ya’qoob (s) acknowledged their sins and repented of them and turned to Allah. They apologized to their brother and father. Yousuf (s) pardoned them and so did his father Ya’qoob (s) and they both prayed Allah to forgive them and to have mercy on them.

Repentance of the island dweller

It is related that Imam Zaynol Aabideen (s) has said, ‘Once a man has traveled with his family by sea. The ship was broken and no one escaped death except the man’s wife who floated on a piece of wood until she reached an island in the sea. In the island, there was a bandit who had not left a sin unless he committed it. In a moment, he saw a woman in front of him. He raised his head and said to her, ‘Are you a human being or a jinnee?’ She said, ‘I am a human being.’ He did not talk to her any word more. He tried to make love with her. She became very upset and frightened. He asked her, ‘Why are you upset?’ She said, ‘I am afraid of this’ and she pointed at the Heaven. He said to her, ‘Have you committed something like this before?’ She said, ‘No, by His glory.’ He said, ‘You fear Him so much while you have not committed such a sin. I have forced you to do it. By Allah, it is me who should fear so much.’ He left her without committing anything and went back to his family thinking of nothing except repentance and turning to Allah. While he was walking, he met a monk in his way. The sun became hot. The monk said to him, ‘Pray Allah to shade us with a cloud! The sun has become hot.’ The young man said, ‘I do not think that I have had a good deed near my Lord. I do not dare to ask Him for anything.’ The monk said, ‘I pray Allah and you say amen.’ The young man said, ‘Yes, I do.’ The monk began praying Allah and the young man said amen. In a short time a cloud came and shaded them. They walked under the cloud for a period of the day and then the way was divided into two. The young man walked in his way and the monk took the other. The cloud moved above the young man. The monk said to the young man, ‘You are better than me. It has been responded to you and not to me. Tell me what your story is!’ he told him about his story with the woman. The monk said to him, ‘Allah has forgiven you when you felt afraid of him. Be careful to what you do in the future.’

Al-Asmaei and the repentant Bedouin

Al-Asmaei says, ‘One day I left Basra after I have offered Friday Prayer. I met a Bedouin on a she-camel with a bayonet in his hand. When he saw me he said, ‘Who are you and where have you come from?’ I said to him, ‘I am from the tribe of Asma’.’ He said, ‘Are you the one who is known as al-Asmaei?’ I said, ‘Yes, I am.’ He asked, ‘Where have you come from?’ I said, ‘From the House of Allah.’ He said, ‘Does Allah have a house?’

I said, ‘It is the Kaaba; the inviolable House of Allah.’ He said, ‘What were you doing there?’ I said, ‘I was reciting the speech of Allah.’ He said, ‘Does Allah have speech?’ I said, ‘Yes. It is wonderful speech.’ He said, ‘Recite something of it to me!’ I recited something from the sura of ath-Thaariyat until I reached this verse,

“And in the heaven is your sustenance and that which you are promised.” Qur'an, 51:22

He said, ‘Is this the speech of Allah?’ I said, ‘Yes, it is His speech that He has revealed to His slave Muhammad (s).’ When he heard this, as if he was struck with a thunderbolt from the unseen. His state terribly changed and he was affected by this speech from the bottom of his inners. He threw his bayonet and sword on the ground. He slaughtered his she-camel and distributed its meat among the poor and needy people. He put off his suspicious cloths and said, ‘Do you think that Allah accepts from one who has not served Him during his youth?’ I said, ‘If He does not accept, then why did He sent the prophets with missions? They are responsible for returning the fugitive and guiding the shunner.’ He said, ‘Treat me with your medicine and cure my wound with your drugs.’ I recited to him the rest of the sura of ath-Thaariyat,

“And by the Lord of the heavens and the earth! it is most surely the truth, just as you do speak.” Qur'an, 51:23

When he heard that, he threw himself to the ground, cried with a very great cry and ran towards the desert confusedly. I did not see him after that until the season of the hajj. I saw him cling to the curtains of the Kaaba while saying, ‘Who is like me while You are my Lord?! Who is like me while You are my Lord?!’

I said to him, ‘You, with this speech and this doing, have prevented the people of Allah from circumambulating (around the Kaaba).’ He said, ‘O Asmaei, the House is His House and the slave is His slave. Let me pray and call on Him.’ Then he recited some verses of poetry and disappeared in the crowd. I looked for him but I could not find him. I worried for that and lost my patience and began crying.’[7]