He was sitting in a hollow-cave like construction in a graveyard, feeling sad and sorry. Happy memories of delightful youth crowded his mind. He could not stop his tears rolling down his wrinkled face.
He imagined a young handsome man playing a musical instrument dexterously, singing in a beautiful voice. The onlookers seem to enjoy. Soon a big crowd gathers around to listen to the melody. Money pours in abundance. He pockets the money and walks away. The money is good and makes life wonderful.
The joy, the pleasure and the money, however, do not let him realize the pace of time passing by. Now it is not the same as before. The strength matures into weakness. The beautiful voice has turned into a cacophony - unable to please the crowd. At times, he is sure to have lost his touch. A lot less people are interested in listening to his songs and the crowd is not as big as it was before. Soon a time comes when he is unable to attract people to listen to his songs. When this happens more often, he gets a signal that it would be a waste to try to sing to those who aren't interested. And, he leaves the crowd.
Today in this dilapidated broken grave he is crying hard and feeling sad for he is deserted and alone. He wonders in his solitude, "Whom should I ask for help in this moment of hunger, misery and despair?"
Suddenly his mind gets light - may be an answer to all those storming queries. Is it Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala)?
Yes, but the carefree and wasteful life he has lived might not buy him the forgiveness he hoped for. More despair breaks him into tears of shame and regret.
Hazrat Omar (Radhi Allah Anhu) comes to know about him and goes to see the old man himself sitting alone in the graveyard.
Hazrat Omar (Radhi Allah Anhu) asks him what was he doing in that cave?
He gets scared for he knows that it was Hazrat Omar - the terror for all evil and wrong.
He trembles and prepares for an excuse. Hazrat Omar seems to read his feelings before he begins, and says, "Don't be afraid, for you will be forgiven by Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) and I have come to take you with me to give shelter and peace."
The incident shows, no matter how worse a life is lived; a tear-full begging for forgiveness is never turned down by Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala). Allah is our lord and is our only hope for salvation.
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