Islam Guidance

9. Do not Consider a Small thing insignificant

9. Do not Consider a Small thing insignificant 

The late Hāj Shaykh Abbas Qummi (a.r.) writes in his book Manazel Ä€khera that a person name Ibn Samad used to take account of himself many times during the day and night. One day when he was calculating the number of days he had lived, he realized that sixty years of his age have passed. He calculated the number of days in sixty years to be 21500. “Woe upon me!” he said, “Even if I have not committed more than one sin everyday, I would still meet Allah with the burden of 21500 sins.” As soon as he realized this he fell down unconscious and died within a short time.

 Narrations state that once the Holy Prophet (S) during a journey camped at a place absolutely bereft of any vegetation. He told the companions to collect sticks. All of them said that they were in such a desolate place that it was not possible to find any sticks. The Messenger of Allah (S) ordered each of them to collect as many twigs as he can. In the due course each companion brought some sticks and put them before the Prophet (S). When all of them had made a pile of sticks, the Holy Prophet (S) said,

 “Sins also accumulate in this way.”

The Messenger of Allah (S) wanted to show by this example that even though we may be unaware of our sins when they accumulate they could make a big heap. If we calculate the sins we commit in our life they shall reach a staggering figure. Thus when Ibn Samad assumed one sin for each day of his life he found 21500 sins in his scroll of deeds.

In the words of Sa’di the Persian Poet,

 “An increase of drop on a drop makes a stream

 An increase of a stream upon a stream makes an ocean.”

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