Fazil Naraqi writes in Merājus Sadāt that a wanton lady named Shauna lived in Basra. She did not miss a single sinful gathering in the town. One day she was passing through the streets of Basra with her maids. She passed by a house from where there was a lot of weeping and wailing. The wanton said, “Subhan Allah, what a commotion!”
Then she sent one of her maids to find the reason behind the commotion. The maid went inside but did not return. The second maidservant was dispatched but she too did not return. Finally a third one was deputed inside with express orders to return soon. The third maid went inside as in compliance to the order returned soon. She said, “O Lady! The weeping and wailing is not for the dead. It is for the living ones. It is the mourning of the evil-doers, the oppressors and the wretched sinners.”
Shauna became more interested. She said, “I am going to see for myself.” When she entered the house she saw a speaker delivering a sermon. People had gathered around him. He was warning them of divine retribution and they all were weeping. Shauna had entered when the speaker was explaining the tafsīr of the following ayat.
When it shall come into their sight from a distant place, they shall hear its vehement raging and roaring. And when they are cast into a narrow place in it, bound, they shall there call out for destruction. (Surah al-Furqān 25: 12-13)
The ayats had profound effect on Shauna. She said to the speaker, “I am one of the evil doers and sinners. Would my Lord forgive me if I repent for my deeds?” “Certainly!” said the speaker, “Even if your deeds equal that of Shauna”. “I am Shauna, myself,” said Shauna, “and I promise that I shall never commit a sin again.’ The speaker said, “Allah is beneficent and Merciful, if you do good, He shall certainly forgive you.” Shauna did Tawba, released all her slaves and started worshipping. She kept trying to compensate for her sins.
At last her flesh sagged and she became extremely weak and thin. One day she noticed her melting flesh and said, “O how much my flesh has melted. If this is the condition in this life, what would happen in the hereafter?” A voice from the unseen said, “Be patient! And keep serving Us like this till you are rewarded on the day of Qiyāma.”