I felt jealous, so I killed her.

A man came to Ibn Abbas (ra) and said, “I asked for a women’s hand in marriage, and she refused me. Someone else asked for her hand and she accepted and married him. I felt jealous so I killed her. Will my repentance be accepted?”

Ibn Abbas (ra) asked, “Is your mother still alive?”

He said, “No.”

So Ibn Abbas (ra) told him, “Repent to Allah and do your best to draw close to Him.”
Then Ataa’ ibn Yasaar (ra) who over heard their conversation asked, “why did you ask him if his mother was still alive?”

Ibn Abbas (ra) said, “Because I know of no other deed that brings people closer to Allah than kind treatment and respect towards one’s mother.”

[ Bukhari, Al-Adab al-Mufrad, 1/45 baab birr al-umm [kindness to the mother].


During the funeral of his mother, Al-Harith Al-Akli (radiAllahu anhu) weeped. When asked for the reason of his tears he said, “Why should I not cry when one of my doors to Paradise has now closed?