What Was Said About These Three Matters Should Give Us Pause

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

It used to be said that whoever perpetrates these three acts  will be haunted by them:

Rebellion Against Allah’s Commandments 

Allah, The Most High, said:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا بَغْيُكُمْ عَلَىٰ أَنْفُسِكُمْ

O mankind! Your rebellion (disobedience to Allah) is only against your ownselves. [Yunus: 23]

Evil Plotting

Allah, The Most High, said:

وَلَا يَحِيقُ الْمَكْرُ السَّيِّئُ إِلَّا بِأَهْلِهِ

But the evil plot encompasses only him who makes it. [Fatir 43]

Breaking Pledges

Allah, The Most High, said:

فَمَنْ نَكَثَ فَإِنَّمَا يَنْكُثُ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ

Then whosoever breaks his pledge only breaks it to his own harm. [Al-Fath 10] [1]

The Man Who Came to Imam Ibraaheem Bin Ad’ham, rahimahullah to Seek Advice 

Imam Abdul Ghani Al-Maqdisi, may Allah have mercy upon him, stated:

A man once came to Ibraaheem Bin Ad’ham and said: “O Abu Ishaaq! Indeed, I have transgressed against my Nafs [through evil deeds], so present to me that which will be a deterrent for my nafs and will save [or rescue] my heart”. So, Ibraaheem said to him: “If you accept five things and fulfil them, neither will you be harmed nor will the enjoyment bring you destruction. The man said, “Mention them to me O Abu Ishaaq”.

Ibraaheem said:

“The first is that when you want to disobey Allaah – The Mighty and Majestic- do not eat His provision”. The man said, “Where would I eat from when it is case that all that is in the earth is from His provision?” He said, “O you! Is it right that you eat His provision and disobey him?” The man said, “No; mention the second to me”.

Ibraaheem said, “If you want to disobey Allah, do not live anywhere in Allaah’s earth”. The man said, “This is greater than the first affair! When it is the case that the east, the west and whatever is between them belongs to Him, then where would I live?” Ibraaheem said to him, “O you! Is it right that you eat His provision and live on his earth, yet you disobey him?” The man said, “No; mention the third”.

Ibraaheem said:

“If you want to disobey Him whilst you are being provided from His provision and living on his earth, then do so in a place where He cannot see you”. The man said, “How can that be when it is the case that He knows everything that is hidden”. Ibraaheem said, “O you! Is it right that you eat his provision, live on his earth and you disobey him whilst he sees you and what you do?” The man said, “No; mention the fourth”.

Ibraaheem said:

“When the angel of death comes to take your soul, tell him, ‘Delay its departure until I perform sincere repentance and perform righteous deeds for the sake of Allaah’”. The man said, “He (the angel) will not accept that from me”. Ibraaheem said, “O you! When it is the case that you cannot repel death until you repent and you know that there is no delay when it comes to you, then how do you hope to escape?” The man said, “Mention the fifth affair”.

Ibraaheem said:

“When the Zabaniyah [i.e. guardians of hell] come to you on yawmul qiyaamah to take you to the fire, do not go with them”. The man said, “Neither will they leave me nor accept that from me”. Ibraaheem said to him, “So, how do you hope for safety then?”

The man said:

“O Ibraaheem! This is enough! This is enough! I seek Allah’s forgiveness and repent to Him.” [2]

[1]Kitab Uyun Al-Akhbar /149 by Al-Allamah Ibn bn Qutaybah, rahimahullah

[2] at-Tawwaabeen 285