Pleading for Forgiveness

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Abu Ali al-Ash’ari and Muhammad ibn Yahya all from al-Husayn ibn Ishaq from Ali ibn Mahziyar from Fadalah ibn Ayyub from ‘Abd al-Samad ibn Bashir from Abu ‘Abdillah عليه السلام who has said the following: “When a believing servant (of Allah) commits a sin Allah gives him seven hours respite. If he pleads for forgiveness from Allah within such time nothing will be written against him. If the hours pass and he did not plead for forgiveness one sin will be written against him. A believer remembers his sin even after twenty years so that he may plead to his Lord for forgiveness and He forgives him. An unbeliever forgets his sin within the same hour.”’