A man had committed many sins. On the verge of his death, he bequeathed his sons that after his death his body should be burnt to ashes and half the ashes be thrown over the land and the other half over the sea. When asked why he wanted something so strange done, he said
"If Allah overpowers me and He restores me to life, then He will give me the worst and severest punishment ever given to anyone."

When he died, his sons did as they were told. Thereafter Allah Almighty asked the sea to collect all the particles of his body and the sea obeyed Allah's order. Allah Almighty then asked the land to collect all the particles of his body and the land also obeyed Allah's command.

After all the particles of the man's body had been gathered together Allah Ta'alah revived the disobedient man. Then Allah Ta'alah asked him why he did such a thing.

"Oh Lord, I did so out out of your fear." he replied.

Thereupon Allah Almighty forgave him.

There are numerous lessons that we can learn from this story. The first is that no matter how we die and are buried Allah Almighty will revive us and call on us to give account for our deeds. And secondly, that Allah Almighty is Most Forgiving. Almighty Allah so liked the man's fear for His punishment that he forgave him.

There is another story of a prostitute that was walking home one day when she saw a dog who was panting with thirst. The dog was near a well, but was unable to reach any of the cool water to quench it's raging thirst.

The prostitute took pity on the dog and using lowered her shoe into the well to get some water for the thirsty dog. Allah Ta'alah liked this act of kindness so much that he forgave her all her for her immoral lifestyle.

The books of Hadith are filled with examples of people who have been forgiven by Allah and granted entry into Paradise by virtue of one act that Allah liked. Therefore we should not consider any act too small to be worthy of reward and strive to do all the good we can before death overtakes us. We should also refrain from judging others because we don't know what act of theirs Allah may have liked, and for this reason He may forgive them and grant them entry into Paradise.