What is the story of the man who killed a hundred people, and what does it teach about repentance?

The Prophet told of a man who had killed ninety-nine people and then asked who on earth was the most knowledgeable, wanting to know if repentance was even possible for him. He was directed to a monk, who told him there was no repentance for him — so the man killed him too, completing one hundred. Still searching, he asked again and was directed to a scholar, who told him nothing stands between him and repentance, but instructed him to leave his corrupt town for a land where people worshipped Allah rightly, and to worship there with them. On the journey, death overtook him partway. Angels of mercy and angels of punishment disputed over him; a mediating angel measured the distance between the two lands, and he was found to be even a hand-span closer to the righteous land — so the angels of mercy took his soul (Sahih Muslim 2766). This story teaches that no number of sins closes the door of repentance, that sincere intention combined with real effort to change one's surroundings counts enormously with Allah, and that His mercy searches for the smallest reason to forgive.

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