ভূমিকা

With a continuous chain of transmission reaching the pioneering leader, a proof of the sect and a chief of the ummah, Muhammad ibn Ya’qub al-Kulayni (R) from Muhammad ibn Yahya, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa, from, al-Hasan ibn Mahbub, from Mu’awiyah ibn Wahab, who said, “I heard Abu ‘Abd Allah (A) says: ‘When a servant turns to God with sincere repentance (tawbatan nasuhan), God loves him and covers him (i.e. his sins) in the world and the Hereafter.’ I said, ‘And how does He cover him?

‘The Imam (A) replied, “He makes the two angels (assigned to write his deeds) forget that which they have written of his sins.

Then He inspires his bodily members (saying), “Do conceal his sins,” and He inspires the earth’s places (saying), “Conceal the sins that he used to commit over you.” Then he meets God, at the time that he meets Him, in such a manner that there is nothing to give witness against him regarding any sin.”[^1] Exposition Know that tawbah (repentance) is one of the important as well as difficult stages, which signifies the return from (physical) nature ( tabi’ah ) to the soul’s spirituality after that the light of (primordial) human nature ( fitrah ) and the spirit has been blinded by the darkness of carnal nature through sins and disobedience.

To explain, the soul in its initial natural state ( fitrah ) is devoid of any kind of excellence, beauty, light or delight, in the same way as it is free from their opposites. It is like a blank tablet absolutely without any inscription. Neither it possesses any spiritual merits nor any vices.