Chapter on Recognizing the Major Sins for Which Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Almighty, Has Threatened with Hellfire

Hisham ibn al-Hakam and Abu Basir narrated from Abu Abdillah عليه السلام who said: "There was a man in earlier times who sought worldly gains through lawful means but could not attain them. Then he sought them through unlawful means, yet still could not attain them. So, Satan came to him and said: 'O man, you have sought the world through lawful means and could not obtain it, and you sought it through unlawful means and still could not obtain it. Shall I guide you to something that will increase your worldly gains and followers?' The man replied: 'Yes.' Satan said: 'Invent a new religion and call people to it.' So, the man did so, and the people responded to him and obeyed him, and he gained from the world. Then he reflected and said: 'What have I done? I invented a religion and called people to it. I see no repentance for me except that I go to those I invited and turn them away from it.' So, he began approaching his followers, saying: 'What I invited you to was false, and I only invented it.' But they responded, 'You are lying! It is the truth, but you have doubted your religion and abandoned it.' When he saw this, he took a chain, fixed it to a peg, placed it around his neck, and said: 'I will not release it until Allah سبحانه وتعالى accepts my repentance.' Then Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Majestic, revealed to a prophet from among the prophets: 'Say to so-and-so: By My سبحانه وتعالى Might and My سبحانه وتعالى Majesty, even if you call upon Me سبحانه وتعالى until your limbs fall apart, I سبحانه وتعالى will not respond to you until you return those who died upon what you called them to and turn them away from it.'"