What is the authenticity of the story of Muhammad ibn Harun al-Balkhi, who burned his mother, then worshipped Allah for 40 years, and was not forgiven until Malik ibn Dinar came to him, relating a dream that Allah had forgiven him?

The circulated story about Muhammad ibn Harun al-Balkhi, narrated by Ibn Rajab and others, which includes details about him burning his mother while drunk, then repenting, and a vision indicating that Allah forgave all pilgrims except him, has an unproven chain of narration and a disturbed text.

The story contains strange and implausible matters such as the mother not being rescued and the man cutting off his hand. It also contradicts explicit Quranic texts, such as His (Allah's) saying: "Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous deeds. For them Allah will change their evil deeds into good ones," and "Say, 'O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins.'"

Moreover, the story has been narrated in another version with differing details, which confirms its disturbance. Therefore, a Muslim should disregard this story and suffice with what is established from the texts of the Quran and Sunnah (definition).