So is HE going to abandon me now after I have come to know Him?

Ibn Qudaama mentioned in his book At-Tawwabeen, from the authority of Abdul-Waahid Bin Zayd that he said: We were on a ship and the wind dragged us to an Island, so we went out and found in it a man worshipping an idol. We approached him and said: "O man who do you worship?" He pointed out to an idol. We said: "We have on the ship someone who can make something like that (an idol), so this is not a Lord to worship." 

He said: "Who do you worship?" 

We replied: "We worship Allah."

He asked: "What is Allah?"

We answered: "The One Whose Throne is above the heavens, His authority on earth and in the dead and the living His decree."

He asked: "And how did you come to know about him?"

We said: "This Great King, praiseworthy Creator sent to us a noble messenger who informed us of this."

He said: "What did the messenger do?"

We said: "He conveyed the message , then Allah caused him to die."

He said: "Did he not leave a sign amongst you?"

We replied: "Yes."

He said: "What did he leave?"

We said: "He left a Book from The King (Allah)."

He said: "Show me the book of The King, for the books of kings are supposed to be good."

We brought the Quran to him, and he said: "I do not know it."

We recited upon him a Surah from the Quran, and as we were reciting he was crying, he kept crying until we finished the Surah."

Then He said: "The One whom these words belong to is not supposed to be disobeyed."

Then he became Muslim, so we taught him the legislation of Islam, some Surah's and we took him with us to the ship. When we left, it became dark so each of us headed towards his bed,

The man said: "O people, this God whom you guided me to, when it becomes dark does he sleep?" 

We said: "No, slave of Allah, He is The Great ever living, He does not sleep.Upon hearing that he said: "Woe to you, what kind of slaves are you?! You sleep while your Lord does not?!! And he left us and stayed up worshiping Allah."

When we reached our land, I said to my companions: This man is new to Islam and a stranger in this land, so we gathered for him some money and gave it to him.

He said: "What is this?"

We replied: "To use it to get your necessities."

He said: "La Ilaha Illa Allah!!! I was in an Island in the middle of the sea worshipping an idol apart from Him (Allah) and He did not leave me / abandon me, so is he going to abandon me now after I have come to know Him?!!!”

Then he left seeking provisions on his own, and was from the great righteous people until he died...

[At-Tawwabeen:179, Ibn Qudaamah).

Translated By: Abu Al 'Ula Hekmat Al Ansary.