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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Ethical Discourses: Volume 1 Discourse 30: Six Things Which Lead to Success عَنْ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ قَالَ: خَطَبَنَا رَسُولَ اللٌّهِ يَوْمَ جُمْعَةِ، فَقَالَ: أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، تُوبُوا إِلـى اللٌّهِِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَمُوتُوا وَ بَادِرُوا بِالأََعْمَالِ الصَّالِحَةِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَشْتَغِْلُوا وَ أَصْلِحُوا الَّذِي بَيْنَكُمْ وَ بَيْنَ رَبِّكُمْ تَسْعَدُوا وَ أَكْثِرُوا مِنَ الصَّدَقَةِ تُرْزَقُوا وَ أْمُرُوا بِالْمَعْرُوفِ تُحصَـنُوا وَ انْتَهُوا عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ تُنْصَرُوا.

It has been narrated from Abil Darda' that: “The Messenger of Allah (S) spoke to us on Jumu'ah and said, “O' People!

Turn back to Allah (in repentance) before you die; and before you get too busy (in your life) perform righteous deeds; correct the relationship between yourselves and your Lord so that you may gain felicity; and give a lot of charity (sadaqah) so that you are given (by Allah) sustenance; and enjoin goodness upon others so that you may be protected (from the hell fire) and forbid others from evil so that you may be assisted (by Allah).” [^1] In this tradition, the Noble Prophet (S) gave us six commandments to follow: Tawbah - Turning Back towards Allah (SwT) Tawbah is one of the blessings from Allah, the Most High, to His servants.

How beautifully has Imam 'Ali b. al-Husain as-Sajjad (as) put it in his Munajat of the Taibin (Whispered Prayer of Those who Turn in Repentance to Allah) where he calls out: إِلٌهي، أَنْتَ الَّذِي فَتَحْتَ لِعِبَادِكَ بَاباً إِلـى عَفْوِكَ سَمَّيْتَهُ التَّوْبَةَ، فَقُــلْتَ: تُوبُوا إِلـى اللٌّهِ تَوْبَةً نَصُوحاً فَمَا عُذْرُ مَنْ أَغْفَلَ دُخُولَ الْبَابِ بَعْدَ فَتْحِهِ؟ “O' my Lord!

You are the One who has opened up for Your servants the door towards Your forgiveness and You named it Tawbah when You said, { Turn back in repentance towards Allah - a sincere repentance } - so what then is the excuse for a person who is negligent in entering into the door after it has been opened?”[^2] The meaning of the sentence of the Prophet (S) in the tradition under discussion where he states, “Ask repentance before you die” is that immediately after we have committed a sin, we must turn back to Allah (SwT) - and this is because no one knows when death will come upon them.

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