There was once a butcher who fell in love with a slave girl belonging to one of his neighbours. One day, the neighbour sent her to another village on an errand. (Realizing that she would be travelling alone, he saw an opportunity to meet her,) so he followed her and tried to seduce her.
She said to him, “Do not do this! I actually love you even more than you even love me – but I am afraid of Allah Ta‘ala (so I am not prepared to commit this sin with you)!” (Hearing these words, the butcher was instantly affected and) he exclaimed, “You fear Allah Ta‘ala whereas I am unafraid of Him!” So he returned while repenting to Allah Ta‘ala.
On his return journey, the butcher grew extremely thirsty, until it seemed as though he would die from thirst. In this condition, he suddenly saw a messenger of one of the Ambiyaa from the Banu Israaeel who asked him what the matter was. He replied that he was suffering from extreme thirst. The messenger said, “Come! Let us make du‘aa and beg Allah Ta‘ala to send a cloud to shade us until we reach the village.” The butcher replied, “I do not have any good actions to my credit whereby I can make du‘aa (through the blessing of these actions).”
The messenger responded, “I will make du‘aa, and you can say ‘aameen’ to the du‘aa.” The man agreed, and the messenger made du‘aa, and the butcher said “aameen”. Shortly thereafter, Allah Ta‘ala sent a cloud which shaded them until they arrived in the village whereupon they parted ways. As the butcher proceeded to his home, the cloud continued to follow him!
Seeing this, the messenger remarked, “You claim that you have no good action to your credit. Hence, I made the du‘aa while you said ‘aameen’. The cloud then shaded us both, but it has now followed you to shade you! You must inform me of the reason behind this (and the good action which you must have carried out)!”
The butcher thus informed the messenger of his encounter with the slave girl, and his abstention from committing sin and his repentance to Allah Ta‘ala. After hearing his incident, the messenger replied, “Indeed a person who sincerely repents to Allah Ta‘ala, enjoys such a special position in the sight of Allah Ta‘ala that no other person enjoys.”
(Shu‘abul Imaan #6763)
Lessons:
1. We must constantly remind ourselves and ponder over the fact that Allah Ta‘ala is watching us. When the awareness of Allah Ta‘ala settles into the heart, a person will find it practically impossible to disobey Allah Ta‘ala.
2. Sometimes, when a person is on the verge of committing a sin, they feel a discomfort in their conscience. This is a reminder from Allah Ta‘ala, urging him to pull back while he can. If he heeds this reminder and abstains from the sin, Allah Ta‘ala will bless him further, in future, to abstain from sins.
3. No matter how sinful we may be, we must never lose hope in the mercy of Allah Ta‘ala. The doors of Allah Ta‘ala’s mercy are open so wide that even if the greatest sinner raises his hands and sincerely cries in remorse and repents, he will find space to enter into Allah Ta‘ala’s mercy.