A Message to the youth of the Ummah who are desperate and think it’s too late for salvation. To those who believe there is no hope, no redemption, and no escape from their sins and misdeeds: have you not heard the words of Allah in the Quran: “Say, ‘O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful. And return [in repentance] to your Lord and submit to Him.” (Az-Zumar: 53-54)?

Do you not know that Allah, the Almighty, accepts His servant, draws them near, and guides them out of His mercy, generosity, and grace?

We have the best examples in our righteous Salaf. How many of them were lost, and Allah guided them? How many were far from Him, and He brought them near? And how many were wandering aimlessly, and Allah directed them?

Al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyad, the hadith scholar and devout worshipper of the Two Holy Sanctuaries, was once a highway robber who would steal from pilgrims, till Allah guided him!

Al-Fadl ibn Musa narrates: Al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyad was an infamous bandit who robbed travelers between Abyward and Sarakhs. The reason for his repentance was his love for a maid. One night, while he was climbing a wall to meet her, he heard someone reciting: “Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah?” (Al-Hadid: 16)

When Al-Fudayl heard this, he said, “Indeed, O Lord, the time has come.” He repented sincerely to Allah, becoming Al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyad, about whom Ibrahim ibn Al-Ash'ath said: “I have never seen anyone who held Allah in greater reverence in his heart than Al-Fudayl. Whenever Allah was mentioned or he heard the Quran, his fear and sadness were evident, and his eyes overflowed with tears. He would weep until those around him would feel pity for him. He was always sorrowful, deeply contemplative, and I never saw anyone more earnest in seeking Allah than him. When we accompanied him for a funeral, he would continue to preach, remind, and weep as though he was bidding his companions farewell. At the graveyard, he would sit among the dead, weeping, and when he stood, it was as though he had just returned from the Hereafter to warn us of it.”

Malik ibn Dinar, the great imam and hadith scholar, was once a drunkard, harsh, and cruel, feared by people for his tyranny. One day, he saw a beautiful slave girl in the market, purchased her, and later had a daughter with her. This daughter became the delight of his soul and the apple of his eye. He would pamper her whenever he returned home. But then, suddenly, she passed away. Malik said, “I slept fully drunk that day.” He dreamt that the judgment day had arrived, and saw a fierce serpent chasing him, and fled in terror. He encountered an old, frail man and sought his help, but he replied, “I am weak and cannot assist you. Run quickly toward this direction; perhaps you will find safety.”

He ran and reached a mountain where he found young children. Among them was his daughter, who had died at the age of three. One of the children called out to her, “Oh Fatimah, save your father!” She came to Malik, held him with her right hand, and repelled the serpent with her left. Then she sat in his lap as she used to in life and told him: “Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah?” Malik asked her about the serpent, and she replied, “That is your bad deeds, which have grown strong against you. As for the old man, he represents your weak good deeds, which could not save you.” He woke up to the sound of the Fajr adhan, hurried to pray, and repented sincerely to Allah. Allah saved me from the depths of sin and elevated me to the heights of righteousness.

Abdullah ibn Mas'ud once narrated that he was walking in Kufa and heard a beautiful voice singing. The singer was Zadhan Al-Kindi. Ibn Mas'ud remarked, “How beautiful this voice would be if it were used to recite the Book of Allah!” He then covered his head with his garment and walked away. Zadhan, upon learning that it was Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, the companion of the Prophet ﷺ, who had spoken about him, broke his instrument and ran after Ibn Mas'ud. He caught up with him, placed his turban around his own neck, and wept before him.

Ibn Mas'ud embraced him, and both of them wept. He then said to Zadhan, “How can I not love the one whom Allah loves?” Zadhan repented and accompanied Ibn Mas'ud, dedicating himself to learning the Quran and gaining knowledge until he became an imam and scholar.

Bishr Al-Hafi, who once said of himself, “I was a frivolous man, full of arrogance,” was one day walking, as he found a piece of paper on the ground with the words “In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful” written on it. He picked it up, wiped it clean, and perfumed it with a scent he had purchased for the only dirham he had.

That night upon sleeping, he dreamt of someone saying, “O Bishr ibn Al-Harith! You have honored My name; therefore, I shall elevate your name in this world and the Hereafter!”

He became the renowned scholar Bishr Al-Hafi, about whom Ibrahim Al-Harbi said, “Baghdad has never produced anyone more intelligent or more mindful of his tongue than Bishr.” When asked why he always walked barefoot, Bishr replied, “My Lord reconciled with me while I was barefoot, and I will remain in this state until I meet Him.”

Yusuf ibn Al-Husayn once narrated that he was with Dhu Al-Nun Al-Misri by a lake when they saw a scorpion riding on a frog. The frog swam across the water and brought the scorpion to the shore. Dhu Al-Nun followed the scorpion and found a man lying intoxicated. A snake had emerged from the side of the man’s navel and was heading toward his ear. The scorpion struck and killed the snake, then returned to where it had come from. Dhu Al-Nun woke the man and said, “Young man, look at how Allah has saved you! This scorpion killed a snake that was about to harm you.” The young man woke up and said, “If this is how Allah treats those who disobey Him, then how compassionate would He be for those who obey Him?”

This is Allah’s mercy toward sinners. So, what about those who repent sincerely and turn to Him? Would He turn them away? Never!

Be truthful in your repentance, resolve to return to Allah, and you will find Him the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful. Never despair of His mercy, for He is as His servant expects Him to be.

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• “Uluw Al-Himmah” by Muhammad Ismail Al-Muqaddam
• “At-Tawwabeen” by Ibn Qudamah
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• Sheikh Sameer Mustafa: The Repentance of Malik ibn Dinar