The man who asked to be scattered so he could not be found
He thought so badly of his own record that he tried to disappear.
يَا رَبِّ مَا فَعَلْتُ إِلاَّ مِنْ مَخَافَتِكَ . فَغَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ
Yā rabbi mā faʿaltu illā min makhāfatik. Fa-ghafara-Llāhu lah
“My Lord, I did it only out of fear of You. So Allah forgave him.”
His theology was wrong. His fear was real. He was forgiven for the fear.
Where this comes from
He told his family to burn him when he died, grind the bones, scatter him in the sea, because if Allah ever got hold of him He would never forgive him. Allah ordered the sea to give him back and asked him why. He answered with one sentence. And that sentence was enough.
The full narration
It was narrated from Hudhaifah that the Messenger of Allah said:"There was a man among those who came before you who thought badly of his deeds, so when death was approaching he said to his family: 'When I am dead, burn my body and grind up my bones, then scatter me in the sea, for if Allah gets hold of me, He will never forgive me.' But Allah commanded the angles to seize his soul. He said to him: 'What made you do what you did?' He said:: 'O Lord, I only did it because I feared You.' So Allah forgave him
Source
Sunan an-Nasā'ī · 2080
- Abu Ghuddah: Sahih
- Al-Albani: Sahih
- Zubair Ali Zai: Sahih Bukhari