Narrated Anas Radi Allahu anhu: The Prophet SalAllahu alaihe was sallam was asked about the great sins. He said, “They are: (1) To join others in worship with Allah. (2) To be undutiful to one's parents. (3) To kill a person (which Allah has forbidden to be killed, i.e., to commit the crime of murdering).
| A servant [of Allâh's] committed a sin and said: O Allâh, forgive me my sin. And He (glorified and exalted be He) said: My servant has committed a sin and has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for them. Then he sinned again and said: O Lord, forgive me my sin. And He (glorified and exalted be He) said: My servant has committed a sin and has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for them. Then he sinned again and said: O Lord, forgive me my sin. And He (glorified and exalted be He) said: My servant has committed a sin and has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for sins. Do what you wish, for I have forgiven you. [Hadîth Qudsi] |
| O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great at it. [Hadîth Qudsi] |
Abû Bakr radhiAllâhu `anhu reported:
| "I heard the Prophet sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam saying: 'Allâh forgives the man who commits a sin (then feels ashamed), purifies himself, offers a prayer and seeks His forgiveness.' Then he recited the 'ayyah: 'And those who, when they do an evil thing or wrong themselves, remember Allâh and implore forgiveness for their sins - and who can forgive sins except Allâh? - and will not knowingly repeat (the wrong) they did. The reward of such will be forgiveness from their Lord, and gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever- a bountiful reward for workers."' [al-'lmrân: 135-136]. [Abû Dawûd, an-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, al-Baihaqi, and at-Tirmidhî who calls it hasan.] |
| When a bondsman - a Muslim or a believer - washes his face (in course of ablution), every sin he contemplated with his eyes will be washed away from his face along with water, or with the last drop of water ; when he washes his hands, every sin they wrought will be effaced from his hands with the water, or with the last drop of water; and when he washes his feet, every sin towards which his feet have walked will be washed away with the water, or with the last drop of water, with the result that he comes out pure from all sins. [Sahîh Muslim] |
Narrated Uthmân ibn AffânradhiAllâhu `anhu:
| The Messenger of Allâh sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said: He who performed ablution well, his sins would come out from his body, even coming out from under his nails. [Sahîh Muslim] |
| When the time for a prescribed prayer comes, if any Muslim performs ablution well and offers his prayer) with humility and bowing, it will be an expiation for his past sins, so long as he has not committed a major sin; and this applies to for all times. [Sahîh Muslim] |
Narrated Abû Huraira radhiAllâhu `anhu: "Allâh's Apostle said,
| "The congregational prayer of anyone amongst you is more than twenty (five or twenty seven) times in reward than his prayer in the market or in his house, for if he performs ablution completely and then goes to the mosque with the sole intention of performing the prayer, and nothing urges him to proceed to the mosque except the prayer, then, on every step which he takes towards the mosque, he will be raised one degree or one of his sins will be forgiven. The angels will keep on asking Allâh's forgiveness and blessings for everyone of you so long as he keeps sitting at his praying place. The angels will say, 'O Allâh, bless him! O Allâh, be merciful to him!' as long as he does not do Hadath or a thing which gives trouble to the other." The Prophet further said, "One is regarded in prayer so long as one is waiting for the prayer." [Sahîh Al-Bukhari] |
Narrated Abû Hurayrah radhiAllâhu `anhu:
| "The Messenger of Allâh sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said: He who purified himself in his house, and then he walked to one of the houses of Allâh for the sake of performing a fard (obligatory act) out of the Fara'id (obligatory acts) of Allâh, both his steps (would be significant) as one of them would obliterate his sin and the second one would raise his status. [Sahîh Muslim] |
| Five prayers and from one Friday prayer to (the next) Friday prayer is an expiation (of the sins committed in between their intervals) if major sins are not committed. [Sahîh Muslim] |
Narrated by Salman Al Farsi radhiAllâhu `anhu: The Prophet sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said,
| "Whoever takes a bath on Friday, purifies himself as much as he can, then uses his (hair) oil or perfumes himself with the scent of his house, then proceeds (for the Jumua prayer) and does not separate two persons sitting together (in the mosque), then prays as much as (Allâh has) written for him and then remains silent while the Imam is delivering the Khutba, his sins in-between the present and the last Friday would be forgiven." [Sahîh Al-Bukhari] |
| "And offer Prayers perfectly at the two ends of the day, and in some hours of the night; (i.e. (five) compulsory prayers). Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (small sins). That is a reminder for the mindful." (Qur'aan : 11.114) The man said, Is this instruction for me only?" The Prophet said, "It is for all those of my followers who encounter a similar situation." [Sahîh Al-Bukhari] |
| "Whoever performs Hajj for Allâh's pleasure and does not have sexual relations with his wife, and does not do evil or sins then he will return (after Hajj free from all sins) as if he were born anew." [Sahîh Al-Bukhari] |
Abdullah ibn Mas'ud radhiAllâhu `anhu narrated that the Prophet sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said:
| "Alternate between Hajj and 'Umrah (regularly), for these two remove poverty and sins just as the blacksmith's bellows removes all impurities from metals like iron, gold and silver. The reward for Hajj Mabrur is nothing short of Paradise." [Nasa'i and Tirmidhi, who regards it a sound hadîth ] |
Narrated Abû Huraira radhiAllâhu `anhu: Allâh's Apostle sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said,
| "(The performance of) 'Umra is an expiation for the sins committed (between it and the previous one). And the reward of Hajj Mabrur (the one accepted by Allâh) is nothing except Paradise." [Sahîh Al-Bukhari] |
| "When the Imâm says 'Aamîn', then you should all say ‘Aamîn’, for the angels say ‘آmîn’ at that time, and he whose ‘آmîn’ coincides with the ‘آmîn’ of the angels, all his past sins will be forgiven." [Sahîh Al-Bukhari] |
| "Whoever fasted the month of Ramadân out of sincere Faith (i.e. belief) and hoping for a reward from Allâh, then all his past sins will be forgiven, and whoever stood for the prayers in the night of Qadr out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allâh, then all his previous sins will be forgiven ." [Sahîh Al-Bukhari] |
| 'Yes! A messenger of Allâh, the Mighty and the Glorified, came to me and said, "If anyone from your ummah sends you a salutation, Allâh will record for him ten good deeds, wipe off ten of his sins, and raise him thereby ten degrees in rank, and He will return his salutation with a similar salutation".' [Ahmad] Ibn Kathîr considers this a sound hadîth ] |
| "While a man was walking he felt thirsty and went down a well and drank water from it. On coming out of it, he saw a dog panting and eating mud because of excessive thirst. The man said, 'This (dog) is suffering from the same problem as that of mine. So he (went down the well), filled his shoe with water, caught hold of it with his teeth and climbed up and watered the dog. Allâh thanked him for his (good) deed and forgave him." The people asked, "O Allâh's Apostle! Is there a reward for us in serving (the) animals?" He replied, "Yes, there is a reward for serving any animate." [Sahîh Al-Bukhari] |
Narrated Abû Huraira radhiAllâhu `anhu: Allâh's Apostle sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said,
| "A prostitute was forgiven by Allâh, because, passing by a panting dog near a well and seeing that the dog was about to die of thirst, she took off her shoe, and tying it with her head-cover she drew out some water for it. So, Allâh forgave her because of that." [Sahîh Al-Bukhari] |
| "Do not pluck the grey hairs as they are a Muslim's light. Never a Muslim grows grey in Islam except that Allâh writes for him, due to that, a good deed. And he raises him a degree. And he erases for him, due to that, one of his sins." [Related by Ahmad, Abû Dawûd, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah] And Anas said, "We used to hate that a man should pluck out his white hairs from his head or beard." [Sahîh Muslim] |
| "Whoever says, 'Subhan Allâh wa bihamdihi,' one hundred times a day, will be forgiven all his sins even if they were as much as the foam of the sea." [Sahîh Al-Bukhari] |
Narrated Abû Huraira radhiAllâhu `anhu: Allâh's Apostle sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said,
| "Whoever says: 'La ilaha illal-lah wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahu-l-mulk wa lahu-l-hamd wa huwa 'ala kulli shai'in qadir,' one hundred times will get the same reward as given for manumitting ten slaves; and one hundred good deeds will be written in his accounts, and one hundred sins will be deducted from his accounts, and it (his saying) will be a shield for him from Satan on that day till night, and nobody will be able to do a better deed except the one who does more than he." [Sahîh Al-Bukhari] |
Narrated Abû Hurayrah radhiAllâhu `anhu: Allâh's Apostle sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said:
| If anyone extols Allâh after every prayer thirty-three times [SubhanAllâh], and praises Allâh thirty-three times [Alhamdulillah], and declares His Greatness thirty-three times [Allâh hu Akbar], ninety-nine times in all, and say to complete a hundred: "There is no god but Allâh, having no partner with Him, to Him belongs sovereignty and to Him to praise due, and He is Potent over everything," his sins will be forgiven even if these are as Abûndant as the foam of the sea. [Sahîh Muslim] |
Abû Hurairah radhiAllâhu `anhu reported that the Prophet, sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam, said,
| "If anyone sits in an assembly where there is much clamor and says before getting up to leave, "Subhanaka Allâhumma wa bihamdika, ashadu an-la illaha illa-anta, astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayka" (Glory be to You, O Allâh, and I begin with declaring all praise is due to You, I testify that there is no god but You; I ask Your pardon and turn to You in repentance), he will be forgiven any sin that he might have committed while in that assembly. [Tirmidhi and Al-Baihaqi, (Kitab ad-D'wat Al-kabir)] |
Mu'adh b. Anas radhiAllâhu `anhu reported that the Prophet, sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam, said,
| "If anyone wears a new garment and says, "Alhamdu lillahillazi kasaabi hazaa wa razakabehi min ghairi hawlin minna walaa kuwwata" 'All praise be to Allâh, Who clothed me with this garment and provided it for me, with no power or strength from myself' Allâh will forgive all his previous sins." [Abû Dawûd, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Maajah] |
By Imaam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah [1]
It is essential to know that sins and acts of disobedience are, necessarily, very harmful. Their harm effects upon the heart are akin to the harmful effects of poison upon the body, though the effects vary in their levels and intensities.
So is there any evil or harm in this world, or in the Hereafter, except that it is due to sins and disobedience?
So what was it that expelled the two parents [i.e. Adam and Eve] from Paradise; the home of delight, bliss, splendor and joy; to the home of pain, sorrow and misfortune?
What was it that expelled Iblees [i.e. Satan] from the heavenly realms, causing him to be rejected and cursed; transforming him both inwardly and outwardly, so that his form became ugly and hideous - his inner form more hideous than his outer - replacing his nearness with remoteness, mercy with curse, his beauty with ugliness, from being in Paradise to being in the blazing Fire, from having faith to being an unbeliever, from having the patronage and friendship of Allaah, the Praiseworthy Guardian, to being the greatest enemy and opponent, from glorifying and praising Him to committing acts of unbelief, shirk, lies, deception and shamelessness, from being adorned with faith to being clothed in the garment of unbelief, sinfulness and disobedience, causing him to reach the deepest depths of despicability, plunging down in the sight of Allaah as far as it is possible to plunge; causing the anger of Allaah the Exalted to be upon him, making him an outcast - despised and humiliated - so that he became a leader for every sinner and criminal, becoming pleased with leadership for himself, after having reached the station of worship and nobility?
O Allaah, we seek refuge in You from opposing Your command and falling into what You have forbidden.
What was it that caused the people of the earth to drown, to the extent that the water rose above even the mountaintops?
What was it that caused the violent winds to overcome the people of ‘Aad, such that it flung them down dead upon the face of the earth - as if they were lopped-off palm trunks - and it destroyed whatever dwellings and crops it came across, thus making them an example for nations until the Day of Resurrection?
What was it that caused the piercing shrieks to be set loose upon the Thamood people, such that their hearts were severed within their very bodies, by which they all perished?
What was it that caused the town of the homosexuals to be raised up and turned upside down, such that they were all destroyed? Then stones from the sky pelted down upon them so that they suffered a combined punishment, the like of which was not given to any other nation! And for their brothers will be its like; and it is not far off from the transgressors!
What was it that caused the clouds of punishment to overcome the people of Shu’ayb, such that when these clouds were above their heads it rained scorching fire upon them?
What was it that caused the Pharaoh and his people to be drowned in the ocean, and caused their souls to be transported to the Hellfire, so their bodies drowned and their souls burned?
What was it that caused Qaaroon, his dwelling, wealth and family to sink down into the earth?
What was it that caused the destruction of those generations after Noah, and how they were afflicted with various punishments that caused their annihilation?
What was it that caused the destruction of the companions of Yaa Seen, with the clamorous shout, which destroyed them?
What caused there to be sent against the Children of Israa’eel enemies of great strength and might, plundering their homes, killing their men, enslaving their women and children, burning their dwellings, seizing their wealth, and then returning again a second time, destroying what was rebuilt after the first onslaught?
What was it that caused the various types of punishments to be set loose upon the Children of Israa’eel? Killing them, enslaving them, destroying their land and at times causing them to be oppressed by kings, whilst at another time causing them to be transformed into apes and swines - and finally the Lord took an oath that: “He would certainly keep on sending against them, until the Day of Resurrection, those who will inflict them with a humiliating torment.” [Soorah al-A’raaf 7:167]
Imam Ahmad said: al-Waleed ibn Muslim related to us; that Safwaan ibn ’Amr related to us; that ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Jubayr ibn Nufayr related; from his father, who said:
“When Cyprus was conquered and its people were dispersed and they started weeping to each other, I saw Abud-Dardaa sitting alone and weeping. So I said to him: O Abud-Dardaa! What makes you weep on this day that Allaah has granted strength and honor to Islaam and its people? So he said: Woe be to you O Jubayr! How insignificant the creation becomes to Allaah when they turn away from His command. In front of us is a nation who were evidently powerful and who had dominion, yet they abandoned Allaah’s command, so look what has become of them.”
[2] ‘Alee ibn al-Ja’d said: Shu’bah ibn ‘Amr ibn Murrah informed us; I heard Abul-Bukhtaree say:I was informed by someone, who heard the Prophet (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam) saying:
“The people will not perish, until they have no excuse left for themselves.”
[3] Imaam Ahmad reports in his Musnad, from the hadeeth of Umm Salamah, who said: I heard Allaah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) saying:
“When acts of disobedience become widespread in my ummah, then Allaah may send punishment upon them all from Himself” So I said: 0 Allaah’s Messenger! Even if there are righteous people amongst them that day? So he replied: “Indeed!” So I said: How will that be? He replied: “They will be afflicted with what afflicts the people, then they will move on to the forgiveness of Allaah and His good pleasure.” [4]
FOOTNOTES
[1] Ad-Daa’ wad-Dawaa’ (pp.65-67).
[2] Reported by Imaam Ahmad in az-Zuhd (i/86) with an authentic (saheeh) chain of narration
[3] Reported by Ahmad (4/260) and Abu Daawood (no.4347) with an authentic chain of narration.
[4] Reported by Ahmad (6/304) and one of its narrators is Layth ibn Abee Sulaym, who is weak. However the hadeeth is established due to further supporting narrations. Consult Silsilatul-Ahaadeethus-Saheehah (no.1372) of Shaykh al-Albaanee
By Imaam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah [1]
It is essential to know that sins and acts of disobedience are, necessarily, very harmful. Their harm effects upon the heart are akin to the harmful effects of poison upon the body, though the effects vary in their levels and intensities.
So is there any evil or harm in this world, or in the Hereafter, except that it is due to sins and disobedience?
So what was it that expelled the two parents [i.e. Adam and Eve] from Paradise; the home of delight, bliss, splendor and joy; to the home of pain, sorrow and misfortune?
What was it that expelled Iblees [i.e. Satan] from the heavenly realms, causing him to be rejected and cursed; transforming him both inwardly and outwardly, so that his form became ugly and hideous - his inner form more hideous than his outer - replacing his nearness with remoteness, mercy with curse, his beauty with ugliness, from being in Paradise to being in the blazing Fire, from having faith to being an unbeliever, from having the patronage and friendship of Allaah, the Praiseworthy Guardian, to being the greatest enemy and opponent, from glorifying and praising Him to committing acts of unbelief, shirk, lies, deception and shamelessness, from being adorned with faith to being clothed in the garment of unbelief, sinfulness and disobedience, causing him to reach the deepest depths of despicability, plunging down in the sight of Allaah as far as it is possible to plunge; causing the anger of Allaah the Exalted to be upon him, making him an outcast - despised and humiliated - so that he became a leader for every sinner and criminal, becoming pleased with leadership for himself, after having reached the station of worship and nobility?
O Allaah, we seek refuge in You from opposing Your command and falling into what You have forbidden.
What was it that caused the people of the earth to drown, to the extent that the water rose above even the mountaintops?
What was it that caused the violent winds to overcome the people of ‘Aad, such that it flung them down dead upon the face of the earth - as if they were lopped-off palm trunks - and it destroyed whatever dwellings and crops it came across, thus making them an example for nations until the Day of Resurrection?
What was it that caused the piercing shrieks to be set loose upon the Thamood people, such that their hearts were severed within their very bodies, by which they all perished?
What was it that caused the town of the homosexuals to be raised up and turned upside down, such that they were all destroyed? Then stones from the sky pelted down upon them so that they suffered a combined punishment, the like of which was not given to any other nation! And for their brothers will be its like; and it is not far off from the transgressors!
What was it that caused the clouds of punishment to overcome the people of Shu’ayb, such that when these clouds were above their heads it rained scorching fire upon them?
What was it that caused the Pharaoh and his people to be drowned in the ocean, and caused their souls to be transported to the Hellfire, so their bodies drowned and their souls burned?
What was it that caused Qaaroon, his dwelling, wealth and family to sink down into the earth?
What was it that caused the destruction of those generations after Noah, and how they were afflicted with various punishments that caused their annihilation?
What was it that caused the destruction of the companions of Yaa Seen, with the clamorous shout, which destroyed them?
What caused there to be sent against the Children of Israa’eel enemies of great strength and might, plundering their homes, killing their men, enslaving their women and children, burning their dwellings, seizing their wealth, and then returning again a second time, destroying what was rebuilt after the first onslaught?
What was it that caused the various types of punishments to be set loose upon the Children of Israa’eel? Killing them, enslaving them, destroying their land and at times causing them to be oppressed by kings, whilst at another time causing them to be transformed into apes and swines - and finally the Lord took an oath that: “He would certainly keep on sending against them, until the Day of Resurrection, those who will inflict them with a humiliating torment.” [Soorah al-A’raaf 7:167]
Imam Ahmad said: al-Waleed ibn Muslim related to us; that Safwaan ibn ’Amr related to us; that ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Jubayr ibn Nufayr related; from his father, who said:
“When Cyprus was conquered and its people were dispersed and they started weeping to each other, I saw Abud-Dardaa sitting alone and weeping. So I said to him: O Abud-Dardaa! What makes you weep on this day that Allaah has granted strength and honor to Islaam and its people? So he said: Woe be to you O Jubayr! How insignificant the creation becomes to Allaah when they turn away from His command. In front of us is a nation who were evidently powerful and who had dominion, yet they abandoned Allaah’s command, so look what has become of them.”
[2] ‘Alee ibn al-Ja’d said: Shu’bah ibn ‘Amr ibn Murrah informed us; I heard Abul-Bukhtaree say:I was informed by someone, who heard the Prophet (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam) saying:
“The people will not perish, until they have no excuse left for themselves.”
[3] Imaam Ahmad reports in his Musnad, from the hadeeth of Umm Salamah, who said: I heard Allaah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) saying:
“When acts of disobedience become widespread in my ummah, then Allaah may send punishment upon them all from Himself” So I said: 0 Allaah’s Messenger! Even if there are righteous people amongst them that day? So he replied: “Indeed!” So I said: How will that be? He replied: “They will be afflicted with what afflicts the people, then they will move on to the forgiveness of Allaah and His good pleasure.” [4]
FOOTNOTES
[1] Ad-Daa’ wad-Dawaa’ (pp.65-67).
[2] Reported by Imaam Ahmad in az-Zuhd (i/86) with an authentic (saheeh) chain of narration
[3] Reported by Ahmad (4/260) and Abu Daawood (no.4347) with an authentic chain of narration.
[4] Reported by Ahmad (6/304) and one of its narrators is Layth ibn Abee Sulaym, who is weak. However the hadeeth is established due to further supporting narrations. Consult Silsilatul-Ahaadeethus-Saheehah (no.1372) of Shaykh al-Albaanee
The Noble Shaykh Saalih Al-Fawzaan (may Allah preserve him) was asked, "Which one has the greater punishment: The sinners or the innovators?"
Thus the Noble Shaykh answered:
The innovators have a greater punishment, for verily innovation is more severe than mutiny. Hence, innovation is more beloved to the Shaytaan than mutiny. For surely the sinner repents.
Sufyaan Ath-Thawree may Allah bestow mercy upon him said: "Innovation is more beloved to Iblees (Shaytaan) than mutiny; for verily mutiny is repented from and innovation is not repented from." [Majmoo Fatawaa vol.11 pg.472]
As for the innovator, then it is rare that he repents. Because he (the innovator) thinks that he is upon truth opposed to the sinner who knows that he is a sinner and commits mutiny. As for the innovator, he sees himself as being a follower, and that he is upon obedience. Thus, for that reason innovation - and the protection is with Allah - is more evil than mutiny. Hence for that reason the Salaf used to warn against sitting with the innovator.
Al-Hassan Al-Basree may Allah bestow mercy upon him said: "Do not sit with the companion of innovation; for verily he will sicken your heart." [Al-Bi'dah wan Nahee 'Anhaa pg.54]
Because they have an affect on those who sit with them and their danger is severe. Without a doubt innovation is more evil than mutiny, and the danger of the innovator is greater upon the people than the sinner and for this reason the Salaf said: "Thriftiness with the sunnah is better than perseverance upon innovation."[Al Ajwibah Al-Mufeedah q.5 pg.26]
