A tradition is recorded from Muawiyah bin Wahab in the chapter of the time for Tawba in al-Kāfi. He says, ‘We were travelling towards Makkah and accompanying us was a religious old man who did not follow the Jafariyya school of thought. Throughout the journey he recited full prayer (as is the practice among Ahle sunnat). The nephew of this old man was also with him and he was a Shia. The old man fell sick during the journey and he told his nephew to explain to him the Shia faith that Allah Almighty make it a way of salvation for him. All his friends were of the opinion that he should be left to die on his previous belief.
The nephew was not able to accept this and he began to say, “O Uncle! After the passing away of the Holy Prophet (S), except for a few people, everyone turned back from Islam. After the Holy Prophet (S), ‘Ali (a.s.) deserved to be obeyed and it was obligatory on the people to follow him.” The old man sighed deeply and said, “I also have faith in this.”
The next moment he was dead. After this we went to meet Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.). ‘Ali bin Sarā related this incident to Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.). He said, that the old man was among the people of Paradise.
“How is it possible, Maula?” asked ‘Ali bin Sarā. “He accepted the true faith only in his last moments?”
Imam (a.s.) said,
“What more do you want from him? By Allah! He has entered Paradise.”
This shows that there is time for returning to the truth and repenting for sins even till the last breath.