Aslam

REGARDING PROPERTY: If the owner is known. It is incumbent on him to return it to him. If the owner is not known it should be given in charity. If you have given trouble to the mind of anybody. Seek pardon from him. The Prophet said "One of your predecessors killed 99 persons and asked: Who is the wisest man in the world? When a saint was mentioned to him, he came to the saint and said "O saint, I have killed 99 persons. Will my Tauba be accepted?" The saint said "Your Tauba will not be accepted." Hearing this, he killed the saint and filled up his number of murders to one hundred. Then he enquired of the greatest learned man in the world. When his name was mentioned, he came to him and asked him: I have killed one hundred persons. Will my Tauba be accepted? He said "Yes, your Tauba will be accepted. What is the reason of its not being accepted? There you will find some persons engaged in divine service. Do divine service along with them and don't come to your native place as the land is not good." When the man was half way to that land he breathed his last.

The angel of mercy and the angel of punishment quarreled with each other regarding his case. The angel of mercy said "He has repented and turned his face towards God". The angel of punishment said "He did never do any good deed." When

Vol-IV THE BOOK OF CONSTRUCTIVE VIRTUES 41

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another angel in the form of a man came there, they took him as an umpire to settle the matter. He said "Fix the distance between the two paths and he will get the path which is nearest to him."
They measured the two paths and found that he crossed the path of repentance more than the other path. Then the angel of mercy took him with him and he was forgiven.

DETERMINATION IN FUTURE

Firm determination shall have to be taken, so that sins are not committed in future. Hold firm connection with God, take such firm determination/that no such sin is committed in future. Be like such a patient who knows in his illness that the eating of fruits will do his harm and for that he takes such firm resolve that till he is cured he will not take fruits again. Till such firm resolve is made, there will be no Tauba. Your Tauba will not be perfect till you keep separate from your greed, keep silence, eat less and sleep less and take firm precautions in eating lawful things, as eating of unlawful things is the root of all sins. He who can not give up greed in foods and drinks, his eating of lawful things and ' giving up of doubtful things are not sufficient. A certain sage said "If a man repents for his sins and keeps patience for seven years, he will not again come to that sin."

Question : What is your opinion regarding (1) a person who forgets his sins and does not think of it and (2) a person who remembers his sin and does not forget it?