A human being progresses from deficiency to perfection. One should therefore consider not the deficiency of his beginning, but the perfection of his end. A person is not faulted for having been a drop of fluid, then a clinging clot, and then a lump of flesh, when Allah thereafter created him in the finest form.

Whoever looks only at what a person once was is akin to Iblīs, who said:

“I am better than he: You created me from fire, while You created him from clay.”

[Surah Sād: 76]

Allah Most High also said:

“I am creating a human being from clay. When I have fashioned him and breathed into him of My spirit, fall down before him in prostration.”

[Surah Sād: 71, 72]

Thus He commanded them to prostrate before him, to honor him for the distinction Allah had bestowed upon him by breathing the spirit into him—even though he had been created from clay, while the angels were created from light and Iblīs was created from fire. This is established in Sahīh Muslim in the report of Ā’isha—may Allah be pleased with her—that the Prophet—peace and blessings of Allah be upon him—said:

“Allah created the angels from light, created Iblīs from a flame of fire, and created Adam from what He described to you.” (1)

The same holds true of repentance following evil deeds. Allah Most High said:

“Indeed, Allah loves those who continually repent and loves those who purify themselves.”

[Surah al-Baqara: 222]

It is reported through several routes in the two Sahīh collections that the Prophet—peace and blessings of Allah be upon him—said:

“Allah rejoices more over His servant’s repentance than does a man who lost his riding mount in a desolate, deadly land, with his food and drink upon it, and then lay down beneath a tree awaiting death. When he awoke, there was his mount with his food and drink upon it. How great do you think his joy at finding it would be?”

They replied, “Immense, O Messenger of Allah.”

He said, “Allah rejoices more over His servant’s repentance than this man rejoices over his mount.” (2)