Have you ever seen those posters with one word titles like “SUCCESS, “COURAGE”, “PASSION”, “ACHIEVE” and an awe inspiring image accompanying it? Well this story reminds me a lot of those posters, but rather than a picture or a dictionary definition, it is accompanied by true inspiration.

One morning a man woke up bathed, performed ablution and then walked towards the masjid to pray Salatul Fajr.

On his way there, a mischievous shaytan tripped him and he fell into the mud.

The man walked back home, took another bath, performed ablution and once again headed out to the masjid.

The shaytan was there waiting for him once again, and tripped him a second time.

Undeterred, the man went back home, bathed again, performed wudu and again headed towards the Masjid.

The shaytan tripped him a third time thinking for sure, this time, the man would be frustrated and stay home to pray.

But once more the man went home took a bath, performed his ablution and headed for the masjid.

This time the shaytan tried to do everything he could to ensure that the man didn’t trip and that he in fact made it to the masjid.

Why? Why was the shaytan eager for the man to make it to the masjid this time around?

The first time the man tripped, went home, bathed, performed ablution and headed for the mosque all of his sins were forgiven.

The second time, the sins of everyone in his family were wiped clean.

The third time, the sins of everyone in his town/community were forgiven.

So the shaytan couldn’t afford for the man to fall another time, because if the man continued in his unwavering determination to attend salatul fajr at the masjid then perhaps the sins of everyone in the whole world would be forgiven.

This story is truly inspiring because I know most of us would have been really upset about falling the first time. We would have been angry at falling a second time, if we actually came back the second time. And most of us would probably have ended up praying salatul fajr at home that morning.

When you set out for a good cause of action, be determined to see it through, don’t let a few deterrents get in your way. No one said the path to Jannah would be easy, so be determined, fight for what is good and true, perhaps your actions will cause Allah to forgive you, your family, your community and beyond.