Say: "O 'Ibadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by
committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah,
verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most
Merciful.
< Surah AzZumar: 53>
The story of the Shaykh from Azhar and the Prostitute
Narrated by Shaykh Ali Tantawi [May Allah have mercy on him] in his
memoir about Shaykh Ahmad Al-Zayaat [May Allah have mercy on him].
Shaykh Ali Tantawi said:
"The Shaykh (Ahmad Al-Zayaat) was a teacher, who did not know anything
of this world except: The Azhar where he used to teach, the house he
used to live in, and the road between them.
As years passed by, and he got older, his health started to deteriorate,
and he needed to rest. So the doctor forced him to take some time of,
and suggested that he goes somewhere away from his place of work and
residence, and advised him to enjoy the quietness and calmness of the
parks next to the Nile.
So one day, the Shaykh went out and stopped a carriage (as cars were not
that available at the time). He told the driver: My son, take me to a
nice place were I can enjoy the view and relax.
The driver of the carriage, however, was a wicked person, and took the
Shaykh to a place in Egypt, which at the time had several prostitution
houses.
After arriving he told the Shaykh: Here [we are].
The Shaykh said: O son, Magrib prayer is drawing near, where can I pray?
Take me first to the Masjid.
The Driver [pointing to one of those houses] said: The Masjid is over
there.
The door [of the place] was open, and the lady running that house was
sitting, in the manner those like her usually sit.
When the Shaykh saw her, he lowered his gaze. He saw a seat, so he
headed there and sat, waiting for the Call for prayer (Adhan).
[The woman in confusion, just] stared at him.
What brought that man here?
He doesn't look like any of her regular customers.
She kept thinking to herself, but did not dare ask him what he was doing
here.
What kept her from asking was the shyness that remained in her heart,
even as a prostitute. However, that shyness only appears in front of
people of Piety.
He, on the other hand, kept doing Tasbeeh (saying Subhan Allah), whilst
looking at his watch, until he heard the Adhan of Maghrib from far away.
He asked her: Where is the Moazin (Person who calls for prayers) here?
Why didn't he call for prayer when the time entered?
Are you his daughter?
She ... kept silent.
He waited for a while, and then said: My daughter, Maghrib time is
short, and it is not permissible to delay it, and I do not see anyone
here, so if you have your Wudu (ablution) then pray behind me Jama'ah.
He gave the call for prayer, and without looking at her, as he was about
to give the Iqamah, he noticed stillness behind him?!
He asked: What is wrong? Don't you have your Wudu?
All of a sudden, as if her Iman (Faith) woke up and she remembered the
old days. The days when she was filled with purity, and was away from
sin, she started to cry loudly, and threw herself at his feet.
The Shaykh surprised, did not know in what way he can calm her.
She then, started narrating her story.
He saw in her words great regret, and felt the truth in her repentance.
He realized the sincerity in what she was saying, so he told her:
Listen, my daughter, to what the Lord of all creation says: {Say, "O My
servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not
despair of the Mercy of Allah. Indeed Allah forgives all sins ..."}
(39:53).
All sins, my daughter, all sins ...
The door of repentance is open to every sinner and it is so wide that it
can encompass them all no matter how heavy their load [of sins] is ...
even Kufr.
So whoever disbelieves in the all Mighty, after he was a believer, but
repents before the hour of his death comes, and he was sincere in his
repentance, and he renewed his Islam, Allah will accept him.
Allah, my dear daughter, is the most Generous of all. Did you ever hear
of anyone generous shutting the door in the face of those who come
seeking him?
Stand up and go wash yourself, and cover yourself. Go and clean your
skin with water and your heart with repentance and regret. Approach your
Lord, and I will wait for you.
But do not delay, so that we do not miss Maghrib prayer.
She did as he asked, and returned to him with a new dress and a new
heart. She stood behind him and prayed. She felt and tasted the
sweetness of that prayer, and felt that this prayer purified her heart.
When the prayer was over, he told her: Come with me, and try to cut
every relation you have with this place and everyone in it. Try to erase
the time you spent here from your memory.
Consistently ask Allah for his forgiveness, and increase in doing
righteous deeds.
Verily, adultery is not as big a sin as Kufr, and Hind [bint 'Utbah -
May Allah be pleased with her], who was a disbeliever and had animosity
in her heart to the Prophet of Allah. After that she became from the
righteous believers, and we started saying: Allah is well-pleased with
her.
The Shaykh then took her to a house of righteous ladies, and then found
her a righteous husband and advised him to take good care of her" 1/252.
[Original writer in Arabic forum said]: Notice [May Allah shower you
with Mercy] the state of this woman, how she was and how she changed. It
was nothing more than simple words from an old man that led her into
changing her life upside down.
So if you only think how many people are just like this woman.
People who are drowning in filth, people who the dust from their sins
gathered around their hearts shedding away its light.
These sins caused them to see the Truth as Falsehood and the Falsehood
as Truth.
How much are they in need of one to take by their hands, and to clear
the dust away from their hearts.
They do not need complicated educational and behavioral philosophical
treatments, or theories in the manners of interaction and persuasion.
Neither are they in need of complicated statements.
What they truly need is for someone to feel sorry for them and for their
state ... Someone to understand their situation and to hope for their
guidance ... Someone who would speak a word that would leave his heart,
[and touch theirs]. A word which he seeks nothing from except the Face
of Allah.
After this the light, that was for so long covered with sins, would
emerge and their souls would return to its Fitrah, and would return to
its harmony with the universe and to the true manner of life.
Original Arabic:
http://www.ahlalhdeeth.com/vb/showthread.php?p=671170
With Kind Regards
Mohammad Usman
Jeddah-SAUDI ARABIA
The sayings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad <http://muhammad.net/>
(peace be upon him) 'Acquiring (religious) knowledge in company for an
hour in the night is better than spending the whole night in prayer.'
< Al-Tirmidhi;Narrated: Abdullah ibn Abbas (r) >
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Nor can Goodness and Evil be equal. Repel (evil) with what is better; then the
enmity between him and you will become as if it were your friend and intimate!
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