Effective Advice

One day a man came to Ibrahim ibn Adham and said: "O Abu Ishaq! I have indulged myself in sins and disobedience, so please advice me what i can do to deliver myself from the dilemma." To that Ibrahim responded, "If you meet five conditions and commit yourself to them you will save yourself from the evils of disobedience and sins."

The man: "Go ahead, tell me what they are, O Abu Ishaq."
Ibrahim: "The first one is to reject Allaah's provision when you intend to disobey Him."

The man: "How could I do that since all which is on the earth is part of Allaah's provision?"
Ibrahim: "O man! Does it make sense that you eat from Allaah's provision and disobey Him?!"

The man: "No. Tell me about the next condition."
Ibrahim: "Do not stay in Allaah's land when you want to disobey Him."

The man: "But this is even tougher! Where do you want me to stay?"
Ibrahim: "O man! Do you think that it is acceptable to eat from Allaah's provision, live in His land and still disobey Him?!"

The man: "No. Tell me about the third."
Ibrahim: "If you choose to disobey Allaah, eat from His provision and saty in His land, then you would better seek a place where you can disobey Him without Him seeing you."

The man: "Whatare you talking about? No secret can be kept from Allaah."
Ibrahim: "O man! You want to eat from Allaah's provision, stay in His land, and yet disobey Him right before His sight?!"

The man: "No, I do not. Tell me the fourth."
Ibrahim: "If the Angel of Death comes to you to take your life, say to him, "please wait until I make a true Tawbah (repentance)."

The man: "The Angel will never grant me that."
Ibrahim: "O man! If you know that you cannot avoid death, and you know that when death comes, no respite or delay will be granted, then how on earth would you delay Tawbah?!"

The man: "Tell me the fifth."
Ibrahim: "If the Guardians of Hellfire come on the Day of Judgement to take you to Hellfire, do no go with them."

The man: "How is this possible? They would not let go of me."
Ibrahim: "Then how on earth do you expect to be rescued on the Day of Judgement?!"

The man: "That is enough, O Ibrahim! That is enough for me; I hereby repent to Allaah and plead for His forgivenss."