Story of a Man who did not fulfill the rights of others

[bamalli]

    Story of a Man who did not fulfill the rights of others
   
    THERE IS HOPE UNTIL THE VERY END

    One day, as Ali bin Abi Taalib and al-Hussain bin Ali were walking
    together, they heard a man supplicating to Allah. The man was begging Allah
    to forgive him for his evil crimes. His sincere tone and eloquent words
    aroused the interest of Ali, who turned to his son and said, "Do you not
    hear the man who is so very contrite because of his sins? Go catch up with
    him and call him."

    When al-Hussain caught up with the man, he saw that he was clean-looking,
    clean-smelling, with nice clothes and altogether handsome- except that he
    seemed to be paralyzed on the right side of his body. Al-Hussaid said,
    "Answer the summons of the Leader of the believers, Ali bin Abu Taalib."

    Dragging his right side, the man followed al-Hussain back to where Ali was
    waiting for them.

    "Who are you and what is your story," asked Ali.

    "My story is that of a man who did not fulfill the rights of others and is
    now being punished for that," said the man.

    "And what is your name?" asked Ali.

    "Munaazil bin Laahiq," said the man.

    "And what is your story?" asked Ali.

    "I was famous among the Arabs for my frivolous and sinful exploits.
    Merciful and kind, my father would constantly admonish me and advise me to
    mend my ways. He would remind me of Allah's punishment, saying, 'My son, do
    not go against He who punishes with the Hell-fire!' When he would persist in
    advising me, I felt his voice grating on my nerves. I would get so
    frustrated that I would beat him with harsh blows. In response to my blows,
    he one day said, 'By Allah, I will fast withoug breaking my fast and I will
    pray without stopping to sleep.' He fasted for an entire week, but seeing no
    change in my behavior, he climbed a camel and set off to perform Hajj. His
    parting words were, 'I am going to the House of Allah, and there I will seek
    help from Allah against you.' When he reached Makkah, he embraced the
    curtain of the Kaa'ba and supplicated against me, asking Allah to make me
    paralyzed on one side of my body. By the One Who raised the sky and sends
    down the rain, no sooner did my father finish his supplication than I became
    paralyzed on my right side, which became like a piece of wood. Anyone that
    would then pass by me would point to me and say, 'Allah answered his
    father's supplication against him.'"

    "What did your father do then?" asked Ali.

    "O Leader of the Believers, after he became pleased with me, I asked him to
    go back and invoke Allah on my behalf. He agreed to do so. I walked
    alongside him as he rode on his camel, until we reached a place called the
    Valley of Arak. When we reached there, a group of birds flew away from a
    tree, their sudden movement frightened the camel. As the camel raced off in
    a state of fright, my father fell off it and died."

    It was certainly late for the man, but not too late, and so Ali advised him
    to continue to supplicate and to repent for his past misdeeds. Ali then
    parted from the man, but before leaving him, he taught him the supplication
    that a person in distress should say. [The narration does not specifically
    mention which supplication it was that Ali taught the man.]

    *The above story is taken from "The Stories of repentence" published bu
    dar-us-salam*