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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Greater Sins Volume 3 Tawba (Part Two): Ten Incidents to enlighten our minds Since the stories of the pious are very useful in awaking sleeping souls we present herewith some incidents regarding those who did Tawba, and quote some incidents that support some of the issues raised in this book. We sincerely hope that our respected readers shall benefit from these. 1.

Wine changed into Vinegar Sabzewari writes in his book Misbahul Qulūb that when the order prohibiting wine-drinking was revealed a caller was sent by the Messenger of Allah (S) who announced that henceforth no one shall consume liquor. By chance, one day the Holy Prophet (S) was passing through a bylane when a Muslim man also entered it carrying a bottle of wine in his hand.

He was terrified on seeing the Holy Prophet (S) and he said ferverently to the Almighty Allah, “I repent for this and I shall never drink again. Please save me from disgrace.” When the Messenger of Allah (S) came near he asked, “What is there in the bottle?” “It contains Vinegar,” replied the man. The Holy Prophet (S) put forward his hand and asked the man to put a little bit on his palm. When the Prophet (S) examined it, it was indeed vinegar.

The person was overwhelmed with emotions and he began to weep and say, “By Allah! It was wine!” “But before this I had repented and begged Allah not to disgrace me,” He added. The Messenger of Allah (S) said that it was true, “Allah changes the sins of repenters into good deeds. “They are the ones whose sins are changed into good deeds by Allah.” 2. Repentance is accepted till the last breath A tradition is recorded from Muawiyah bin Wahab in the chapter of the time for Tawba in al-Kāfi.

He says, ‘We were travelling towards Makkah and accompanying us was a religious old man who did not follow the Jafariyya school of thought. Throughout the journey he recited full prayer (as is the practice among Ahle sunnat). The nephew of this old man was also with him and he was a Shia. The old man fell sick during the journey and he told his nephew to explain to him the Shia faith that Allah Almighty make it a way of salvation for him.

All his friends were of the opinion that he should be left to die on his previous belief. The nephew was not able to accept this and he began to say, “O Uncle! After the passing away of the Holy Prophet (S), except for a few people, everyone turned back from Islam.