Chapter II: Patience and Gratefulness
The Prophet said: When a man commits a sin, it is recorded in his name. One desert Arab said: If he repents for that? The Prophet said: It is then wiped out from him. He again asked: If he commits sin again: The Prophet said: it is then recorded in his name. The desert Arab asked: If he repents? The Prophet said: It is then wiped out from his record of deeds. He asked: How far is it done? The Prophet said: So long he asks forgiveness and repents to God. God does not become tired of forgiveness till a . man does not become tired of seeking forgiveness. When a man wishes to do a virtuous act, the right hand angel records a virtue in his name before he does a good work. If he translates his wish into action, he records ten merits for him. Then the Mereiful increases it up 700 merits. When he wishes to commit a sin, one sin is recorded for him and behind it God's for giveness is recorded for him.
One day a man came to the Prophet and said to him: O Apostle of God, I fast during Ramzan, I will not keep fast beyond it. I pray five a times a day, I will not pray more. No Zakat is due on me. Pilgrimage is not compulsory on me. I will not do it even willingly. If I die in this state, where shall I remain? The Prophet smiled and said: Yes, if you can save your mind from treachery and hatred, control your tongue from back-biting and false speaking, protect your eye from seeing God's unlawful things and seeing with hatred any Muslim, you will be able to remain in paradise with me and I will place you upon my two palms.
A desert Arab once came to the Prophet and asked him: O Prophet of God, who will judge among men on the Resurrection Day? He replied: The Almightly Merciful God. He asked: Will He judge himself? The Prophet replied: He will himself judge. At this, the desert Arab smiled. The Prophet asked him: O desert Arab, why have you smiled? He said: If an honorable man gets power, he pardons; and if he judges, he shows compassion. The Prophet said: This dessert Arab has spoken the truth. Beware, there is nobody more compassionate than God. He is the greatest of the compassionate. Then he said: This desert Arab is a wise man.
There is in Hadis that God made the Ka'ba an object of veneration. If a man takes out a stone therefrom and destroys it and then burns it, he commits more sin than hating a friend of God. A desert Arab asked: Who is the friend of God? The Prophet
Vol-IV THE BOOK OF CONSTRUCTIVE VIRTUES 1 1 9