The Muslim's Light 💡

Chapter 3: THE BAD END

The Bad End Now I will explain things that cause the bad stop (of one's life): First - Delaying Repentance: Turning in repentance unto Allah from all sins is an enjoined duty on every mature Muslim at any moment as is stated in the words of Allah:

"And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful." [Qur'an 24:31].

The Prophet used to ask Allah's forgiveness one hundred times every day said: although Allah had already forgiven him his sins.

Al-'Aghar Al-Muzni said to the Prophet "O people! Turn in repentance to Allah. Verily! I turn in repentance to Him one hundred times every day." [Muslim 2702].

The Prophet stated that the one who turns in repentance to Allah (sincerely) from sin is the one who has (committed) no sin. [Ibn Majah (4250) and this (hadith) have a sound chain of narrators].

One of the Satan's tricks by which he beguiles people is delaying repentance. He (Satan) insinuates to the sinner to delay his repentance for he has enough times to do that and if he wants to repent now and commits the same sin afterwards then his repentance will never be accepted again, and he will be of those who are admitted in Hell. Or he (Satan) insinuates to him (the sinner) that when he (the sinner) reaches the age of fifty or sixty he may then turn into repentance - sincere repentance - and may retire in the mosque (for optional prayers) and may do many optional good deeds, but now he is in his youth hood and his golden age.

So, he should entertain himself and not exhaust it with obedience. These are some of Satan's tricks by which he induces people to delay their repentance. Some of the righteous predecessors (reverend Companions and their followers) said:

"I warn you of 'I will' (i.e. do not say I will repent later) for they are (i.e. these words) one of Satan's most atrocious forces.

The similitude of the firm believer who turns in repentance to Allah from every sin and at any time out of fear of the bad end (of his life) and out of love to Allah, and the careless one who delays his repentance as the similitude of a group of people who are on a journey and entered a village; the firm believer bought whatever helps him to complete...
His journey and waited ready for the day to leave (the village) and the careless one would always say:

"I will get ready tomorrow."

Then the leader of the journey announced the departure and this careless one has nothing (to help him continue his journey). This similitude is for the people of this world; the firm believer never regrets anything when death comes to him but the careless sinner will say when he is resurrected from death:

"O my Rabb (Lord), send me back (to the world) so that I may do good deeds in that world (which I left behind)." Second - Hope is a long life: It is the reason behind the misery of many people when Satan beguiles them and makes them think that they have a long time to live and successive years in which they can dream of things and achieve them, so Satan induces them to spend these years achieving their hopes and making real their dreams and forgetting all about the Hereafter and making no mention of death and if one makes mention of death they feel annoyed because it makes their lives distressed and spoils their desires.

The Prophet thinks this is a great warning saying: warned us of these two...

"I mostly fear for you two things: Following desires, and the long hope (in life); following desires hinder you from (accepting) the Truth (i.e. Islamic Monotheism, etc.), and long hope is (going to lead you towards) loving this world to an extent that you will stop thinking in the Hereafter and the Islamic obligations enjoined on you." [Ibn Abu Ad-Dunya narration with a weak chain of narrators. AI-Iraqi (commentary) on AI-Ihya (4/433)].

If a man loves this world more than the Hereafter, he will prefer it (this world) and strive hard to gain its delights, enjoyments, and pleasures and forget all about the Hereafter and all about building his 'house' in Paradise near his Rabb with those whom Allah has favored of the Prophets, truthful, martyrs, and the righteous ones, and best are those as a company.

Having short hope in life will appear (in one's deeds) as stepping towards doing good deeds and making good use of one's life for the days of one's life are preordained and one's breath is counted already and what passes away (of one's life) will never come back or restored, and on the way (of one's life).