Fudhail bin ‘Iyaadh (rahimahullah) was a great saint and scholar of his time. His initial years were spent in highway robbing. The incident of his repentance is as follows:
One night, as he was climbing a wall to meet a girl that he was infatuated with, he heard someone reciting the verse:
أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَن تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ
“Has not the time come for the people of imaan that their hearts surrender to the remembrance of Allah Ta‘ala”
When he heard this, he immediately replied: “Undoubtedly O my Lord, the time has come,” and he returned. On his way back he took shelter for the night at a certain place where there were other travellers as well. He overheard their conversation where in someone had suggested: “Let us continue with our journey.” Upon this somebody replied: “Not before the morning, because Fudhail will rob us on the road.”
He says: “This left me thinking. How bad are you? You are spending your night in vice, whilst other Muslims are fearing you? It seems like Allah Ta‘ala has sent them for me to take heed. O Allah! I repent to You, and as part of my repentance, I would pass the rest of my life in the precincts of the Ka’bah in ‘ibaadat.” (Siyaru Aa’laamin Nubalaa vol. 8, pg. 423)
Lesson: Sometimes there are things that really tug at our heart and make us want to turn to Allah Ta’ala. It may be something we perhaps heard in a talk, or read in a book or just something that was advised by a friend. These moments are special opportunities which we should grab with both our hands and immediately sincerely turn to Allah Ta’ala. That moment may change our lives forever