كِتَـٰبٌ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَـٰرَكٌۭ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوٓا۟ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ
“This is a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they might deeply reflect (tadabbur) upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded”(38.29).
There lived a man, Imam al Haram-Rabbani, Shaykh al Hijaz, who was considered by all accounts to be of the highest caliber from knowledge, spiritual, and practical standpoints. However, as the famous Oscar Wilde quote goes, “Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future.” Thus, before his illustrious rise, he spent many years as a shaatir, a highway robber, one of the most dangerous ones at that, between Sarakhas and Abyrd in Samarqand in the second century! His name was synonymous with evil. Born to a father who had traveled to Iraq and died when he was very young, he was part of a gang that ambushed caravans crossing his territory. His name and reputation as their terrorizing leader had spread far and wide. This young man was named Fudayl Ibn Iyad At Tamimi. He was also in love with a young woman. One night, he decided to scale the high walls of her dwelling and see her at midnight when suddenly he heard a verse of Surah al Hadid being recited.
أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَن تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ وَلَا يَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِن قَبْلُ فَطَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْأَمَدُ فَقَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ ۖ وَكَثِيرٌۭ مِّنْهُمْ فَـٰسِقُون
"Has the time not yet come for believers’ hearts to be humbled at the remembrance of Allah and what has been revealed of the truth, and not be like those given the Scripture before—˹those˺ who were spoiled for so long that their hearts became hardened. And many of them are still rebellious"(57.16).
A man who had negatively affected so many was suddenly paralyzed and in awe of what he had just heard. Something within him caused immediate and deep reflection. Muhasabah, an act Imam Ghazali (rah) mentions one should engage in daily, prompted him to start climbing down the wall and say, “قد انا" - "Yes, my Lord." He began looking for a dark place to sit and ponder. While in seclusion, he overheard people nearby mentioning the danger of staying in the area longer, as it was Fudayl's notorious domain. Fudayl ibn Iyad was deeply moved. He made his tawbah and, in his repentance, promised to live in the House of Allah in Makkah. It is mentioned that when he emerged, he reassured the people of the caravan not to fear and, in some traditions, even fed them.
After his tawbah, he immediately changed his location and embarked on his journey for 'ilm. Having newly returned to Islam, he learned from the greatest Tabi'een, including A’mash (rah), Muhammad Ibn Ishaq (rah), and Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (rah). He became a renowned 'alim, and his knowledge was sought by figures like Sufyan Ibn ‘Uyaynah (rah), Abdullah Ibn Mubarak (rah), Bishar Al Hafi (rah), and Imam Shafi (rah). His hadith can be found in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim. Known for his balanced gatherings, Abdullah ibn Mubarak called him a teacher of goodness. Reflecting on the numerous accounts of transformation and redemption seen in the lives of believers throughout Islamic history is not only unsurprising but also greatly astounding and motivating.
The redemption of Fudayl (rah) was sparked by a few moments of deep reflection over a single verse. When will such a moment arrive for us? I pray it is before the appointed time of meeting our Lord arrives. Ameen.