Before Last Breath

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Allah accepts the repentance of His slave, but only before the slave has breathed his last.” [Tirmidhi]

Some people passed by a man who was fervently engaged with some people. They asked him what he was doing. “I’m trying to get people to befriend Allah.” “How’s it going?” they asked. “Allah is willing but they are not willing” he replied. Some time later they passed by the same man in a graveyard. They asked him again what he was doing. He replied, “I’m still trying to make people befriend Allah.” “How’s it going now?” they asked. “Now the people are willing, but Allah is not willing” he said.

“Say: O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, for Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Turn to your Lord (in repentance) and bow to His (Will), before the suffering [of death and resurrection] comes on you: after that you shall not be helped.” [Quran 39:53-54]

If you feel remorse at any stage of your life, consider this feeling and realisation a special favour of Allah’s. You should know that the doors of repentance are always open and Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) accepts the repentance of His slaves as long as they are alive. However, when they are at the threshold of death and are about to pass over to the next world, the time for offering repentance expires.