10/05/2026
THE MAN WHO COULD NOT STOP SINNING
A man came to Ibrahim b. Adham رحمه الله, one of the great scholars and ascetics of the Salaf and said:
“Abu Ishaq, I am unable to control myself from disobeying Allah. Please give me something to help me.”
Ibrahim said: “If you accept five conditions and are able to put them into practice, your disobedience will not cause you any problem.”
“Just tell me what they are!” the man said.
Ibrahim said: “The first: when you want to disobey Allah, do not eat anything He provides.”
The man was stunned. “But everything on earth is from Him! How will I eat?”
Ibrahim replied: “So is it right to eat His provision and disobey Him at the same time?”
“No,” said the man. “Tell me the second.”
Ibrahim said: “When you want to disobey Him, move off His land.”
The man exclaimed: “That is even harder! Where else can I live?”
Ibrahim replied: “Is it right to eat His provision, live on His land, and then disobey Him?”
“No,” the man admitted. “Tell me the third.”
Ibrahim said: “When you want to disobey Him while you eat His provision and live on His land, find a place where He cannot see you and disobey Him there.”
The man said: “How? He knows everything, even what is hidden in my heart!”
Ibrahim replied: “So is it right to disobey Him when you eat His provision, live on His land, and know He sees everything you do?”
“Certainly not!” said the man. “Tell me the fourth.”
Ibrahim said: “When the Angel of Death arrives to take your soul, say to him: ‘Give me more time so I can repent and act righteously for Allah.’”
“But he will not listen to me!”
Ibrahim replied: “Then if you cannot ward off death long enough to repent, and you know when it comes there will be no delay, how can you hope to be saved?”
“Tell me the fifth,” the man said.
Ibrahim said: “When the angels of the Fire come to take you to the Fire, do not go with them.”
The man said: “They will take me whether I like it or not!”
Ibrahim replied: “So how can you hope to be saved?”
The man broke down and wept.
“Enough, enough, Ibrahim! I ask Allah’s forgiveness and I turn to Him!”
From that day he devoted himself to worship and avoided disobedience until the day he died.
[Narrated from Ibrahim b. Adham رحمه الله, recorded in the classical books of the Salaf including references in Hilyat Al-Awliya of Abu Nu’aym Al-Isfahani.]
