Zuhri, one of the judges and close associates of the Umayyad Caliphate, once unintentionally and accidentally committed a murder. This incident deeply unsettled him, leaving him consumed with anxiety and distress. So overwhelmed by grief and sorrow, Zuhri said to himself, “I no longer wish for even the roof of a house to cast its shadow over me.” He thus abandoned his home and companions, choosing instead to live in a tent in isolation.
This state of despair persisted until one day, when Ali ibn al-Husayn, Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him), passed by him. The Imam saw Zuhri in a state of hopelessness and despair.
Addressing Zuhri, Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) said:
“O Ibn Shihab, know that the sin of your despair and hopelessness is far greater than the sin you have committed. Adopt piety, repent to God, and seek His forgiveness. Pay the blood money to the heirs of the victim and return to your home.”
The words of the Imam descended upon Zuhri like a breeze of divine mercy, lifting his burden of grief and worry.
Zuhri would later often say:
“Indeed, Ali ibn al-Husayn (peace be upon him) is a truly great figure among people, and he has bestowed a favor upon me.”
In another statement, Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) teaches us about the significance of hope in God and the prohibition of despair:
“If it were not for my hope in Your grace and mercy, and Your prohibition against despair, I would have certainly lost all hope of forgiveness whenever I recalled my past deeds.” [1]
(Adapted from the book “A’yan al-Shia,” authored by Allama Sayyid Mohsin Amin Amili, with additional content.)[2]
Footnotes:
[1] Excerpt from Dua Abu Hamza Thumali
[2] This text utilizes the translation of A’yan al-Shia by Hussein Vejdani.