Small & Big Sins

Two men came to Imam Ja’fer As-Sadiq (A.S.) and said

that they would like to do Tawba (ask for forgiveness and

put right) for their sins.

The first man said that he had done a lot of small sins

whilst the second said that he had committed two big sins.

Imam told the first man to pick one small pebble for each

small sin that he had committed.

He told the second man to bring a large boulder for each of

his big sins.

After a while both men came back to Imam having brought

what they were asked to bring.

Imam now asked both of them to put back every stone in

it’s place.

The man with the two large boulders found it difficult to

carry them back in their original place but eventually he

managed.

The man with the many small pebbles could not remember

where he had picked all of them so he could not put them

all back in their original place.

It is very difficult to do Tawba for the sins which seem

small because we forget and take them for granted.

Imam Ali (A.S.) has said:

“The biggest sin is that which the doer considers the

smallest.”