Mishkat al-Masabih

Among the B. Isra’il there was a man who killed ninety-nine people and then went out to make enquiry. He went to a monk and asked him whether repentance would be accepted for what he had done, and when he replied that it would not, he killed him. He then began to make enquiry, and a man told him to go to such and such a village. When he was upon the point of death he arose to go towards it, and the angels of mercy and the angels of punishment disputed over him. God then told the one village to come near and the other to remove to a distance, and told the angels to measure the distance between them. He was found to be the distance of a span nearer to the one towards which he was going, and so he was forgiven. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, "By Him in whose hand my soul is, if you had not sinned God would have removed you and brought a people who sin, then ask God’s pardon and are forgiven." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Musa reported God’s messenger as saying, "God stretches out His hand at night that those who have done evil during the day may repent and stretches out His hand in the day-time that those who have done evil during the night may repent, until the sun rises in the west." Muslim transmitted it.

'A’isha reported God’s messenger as saying, "When a servant acknowledges his sin and repents, God forgives him.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, "If anyone repents before the sun rises in the west, God will forgive him." Muslim transmitted it.

Anas reported God’s messenger as saying, "God is more pleased with the repentance of His servant when he turns penitently towards Him than one of you would be if his riding-beast which was carrying his food and drink escaped from him in a waterless desert and he, despairing of recovering it, went and lay down in the shade of a tree, then suddenly saw it standing beside him and, seizing its halter, said from excess of joy, ‘O God, Thou art my servant and I am Thy lord’, making a mistake from excess of joy.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira said that God’s messenger told of a man who committed a sin and said, "My Lord, I have sinned, so forgive me.” His Lord replied, “Does my servant know that he has a Lord who pardons sin and punishes for it? I have pardoned my servant." After remaining such time as God willed he committed a sin and said, “My Lord, I have committed another sin, so forgive me.” He replied, “Does my servant know that he has a Lord who pardons sin and punishes for it? I have pardoned my servant, so let him do what he likes.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jundub said that God’s messenger told of a man saying, “I swear by God that God will not forgive so and so,” whereupon God most high said, “Who is this who swears that I will not forgive so and so? For I have forgiven so and so and have made your deeds to come to nothing”, or words to that effect. Muslim transmitted it.

Shaddad b. Aus reported God’s messenger as saying that the best manner of asking pardon is to say, “O God, Thou art my Lord. There is no god but Thee. Thou hast created me, and I am Thy servant and hold to Thy covenant and promise as much as I can. I seek refuge in Thee from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge Thy favour to me, and I acknowledge my sin. Pardon me, for none but Thee pardons sins.” He said that if anyone says it during the day-time with firm belief in it and dies that day before evening, he will be one of those who go to paradise; and if anyone says it during the night with firm belief in it and dies before morning, he will be one of those who go to paradise. Bukhari transmitted it.

Anas reported God’s messenger as stating that God has said, “Son of Adam, as long as you supplicate me and hope in me I will pardon you in spite of what you have done, and I do not care. Son of Adam, if your sins were so numerous as to reach the lofty regions of the sky, then you asked my forgiveness, I would forgive you, and I do not care. Son of Adam, if you were to meet me with enough sins to fill the earth, then met me not associating anything with me, I would bring you as much pardon as would fill the earth.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Ahmad and Darimi transmitted it from Abu Dharr. Tirmidhi said this is a hasan gharib tradition.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as stating that God has said, “If anyone knows that I have power to forgive sins I will pardon him and not care, so long as he associatesi nothing with me.” It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone continually asks pardon, God will appoint for him a way out of every distress and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide for him from where he did not reckon.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Bakr as-Siddiq reported God's messenger as saying, “He who asks pardon is not a confirmed sinner, even if he returns to his sin seventy times a day.” Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Anas reported God’s messenger as saying, "All the sons of Adam are sinners, but the best of sinners are those who are given to repentance." Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “When a believer sins there is black spot in his heart, and if he repents and asks pardon his heart is polished; but if he does more it increases till it gains the ascendancy over his heart. That is the rust mentioned by God most high, 'Nay, but what they were committing has spread like rust over their hearts'.” 1 1. Qur’an, lxxxiii, 14. Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a hasan sahih tradition.

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s messenger as saying, “God accepts a servant’s repentance till he gives up his spirit in death.”* *The Arabic is ma lam yugharghir, which might, be translated literally "as long as he has not died with the death rattle in his throat." Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id reported God’s messenger as saying that the devil said, “By Thy might, my Lord, I shall continue to lead Thy servants astray as long as their spirits are in their bodies” The Lord who is great and glorious replied, “By my might, glory and exalted station, I shall con­ tinue to pardon them as long as they ask my forgiveness.” Ahmad transmitted it.

Safwan b. ‘Assal reported God’s messenger as saying, “God most high has placed in the west for repentance a gate with a breadth of seventy years’ journey, and it will not be locked as long the sun does not rise in its direction. That agrees with God’s words, ‘On the day that certain of the signs of your Lord come, a soul which has not believed before will not be benefited by believing in them ’.”* *Qur’an, vi, 158 Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Mu'awiya reported God’s messenger as saying, "Emigration will not come to an end* till repentance comes to an end and repentance will not come to an end till the sun rises in-the place where it sets.” *This probably means that people will continue to leave districts in which it is difficult for them to observe their religion. Ahmad Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “There were two men among the B. Israil who loved one another, 'one of whom engaged ardently in worship while the other called himself a sinner. The former began to say, "Refrain from what you are doing," and the other would reply, “Let me alone with my Lord.” One day he found him committing a sin which he considered serious and said, “Refrain;" to which he replied, “Let me alone with my Lord. Were you sent to watch over me?” He then said, "I swear by God that God will never pardon you, nor will He bring you into paradise." God then sent to them an angel who took their spirits, and they came together into His presence To the sinner He said, “Enter paradise by my mercy;” and to the other He said, “Can you forbid my mercy to my servant?” He replied, “No, my Lord.” Then He said, “Take him away to hell.” Ahmad transmitted it.

Asma’ daughter of Yazid said she heard God’s messenger reciting, “My servants who have transgressed against their souls, do not despair of God’s mercy, for God pardons all sins,”* “and He does not care.” *Qur’an, xxxix, 53. Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it, the latter saying this is a hasan gharib tradition. Sharh as-sunna has “saying” instead of “reciting.”

With reference to God’s words, “Except for slight faults ”* Ibn ‘Abbas reported God's messenger as saying, “If Thou forgivest, O God, Thou wilt forgive much sin, for which of Thy servants has not committed slight faults?” *Qur'an, liii, 32. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a hasan sahih gharib tradition.

Abu Dharr reported God’s messenger as stating that God most high says, “My servants, all of you are astray except him whom I have guided, but if you ask me for guidance I will guide you; all of you are poor except him whom I have enriched, but if you ask of me I will give you provision; all of you are sinners except him whom I have preserved 3. i.e., young and old. Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Anas reported that after the Prophet had recited, “He is entitled to be feared and He is entitled to grant pardon,” 2 he stated that their Lord has said, “I am entitled to be feared, and to him who fears me I am entitled to grant pardon.” 2. Qur’an, lxxiv, 56. Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

We counted that God’s messenger would say a hundred times during a meeting, “My Lord, forgive me and pardon me; Thou art the Pardoning and Forgiving One.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Bilal b. Yasar b. Zaid, the Prophet’s client,1 told on his father’s authority that his grandfather said he had heard God's messenger state that if anyone says, “I ask pardon of God than whom there is no god, the Living, the Eternal, and I turn to Him in repentance,” he will be pardoned, even if he has fled in time of battle. 1. The client was Zaid, Bilal’s grandfather. Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it; but Abu Dawud has Hilal b. Yasar, and Tirmidhi calls this a gharib tradition.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “God who is great and glorious will raise a righteous servant’s degree in paradise, and when he asks his Lord how this has been granted him, He will reply that it is because his son has asked pardon for him.” Ahmad transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying, “A dead man in his grave is just like a drowning man calling for help, for he hopes that a supplication from a father, a mother, a brother, or a friend may reach him, and when it does it is dearer to him than the world and what it contains. God most high brings to those who are in the graves blessings several times as great as the size of the mountains because of the supplication of those who are on the earth. The gift of the living to the dead is to ask pardon for them.” Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman.

‘Abdallah b. Busr reported God's messenger as saying, “Blessed is he who finds a great amount of asking for pardon in his record.” Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Nasa'i transmitted in 'Amal yaum walaila. 1 1. Mirqat, iii, 78 gives this as the title of a book by Nasa’i. The only reference to this tradition in the Concordance is Ibn Majah, Adab, 57.

‘A’isha said that the Prophet used to say, “O God, put me among those who, when they do good are glad, and when they do evil ask pardon.” Ibn Majah and Baihaqi, in ad-Da'awat al-kabir, transmitted it.

Al-Harith b. Suwaid said that ‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud told him two traditions, one of them from God’s messenger and the other from him­ self. He said, “The believer sees in his sins as though he were sitting under a mountain which he fears may fall on him, but the profligate sees his sins like a fly which has passed over his nose and which he has brushed away with his hand.” Then he said that he heard God’s mes­ senger say, “God rejoices more over the repentance of a believer than a man who goes down to a desert and dangerous district with his riding- beast which carries his food and drink, who lays down his head and sleeps for a time, then awakening and finding that his riding-beast has gone, looks for it, and when distressed by heat and thirst or what God wills, says he will return to the place where he was and sleep till he dies, lays his head on his arm to die, then awakens and sees his riding-beast beside him with his food and drink on it. God rejoices more intensely over the repentance of a believing servant than this man does over his riding-beast and his provisions.” Muslim transmitted only the tradition which is traced back to God’s messenger from him, but Bukhari transmitted also the one which goes no farther back than Ibn Mas'ud.

‘Ali reported God’s messenger as saying, “God loves the believing servant who is severely tried and is penitent.”

Thauban said that he heard God’s messenger say, "I would not give this verse for the whole world, 'My servants who have transgressed against their souls, do not despair . . .’ ”1 A man asked whether that included those who had associated partners with God, and after remaining silent for a time the Prophet said three times, “Yes, it includes even those who have associated partners with God.” 1 . Qur'an, xxxix, 53

Abu Dharr reported God’s messenger as saying, “God most high forgives His servant as long as the veil has not fallen.” He was asked what the veil meant and replied, “That a soul should die while associating partners with God.” Ahmad transmitted the three traditions and Baihaqi transmitted the last in Kitab al-ba'th wan-nushur.

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone meets God, not having treated anything as equal to Him in the world, and has committed sins equal in quantity to the mountains, God will forgive him.” Baihaqi transmitted it in Kitab al-ba'th wan-nushur.

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying, “He who repents of a sin is like him who has committed no sin.” In Majah and Baihaqi, in Shu'ab al-iman, transmitted it, the latter saying its only transmitter was an-Nahrani who is unknown. In Sharh as-sunna a tradition traced no farther back than him is transmitted in which he said, “Nadam is repentance, and he who repents is like him who has committed no sin.”

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “When God completed the creation He wrote the following which is with Him above His Throne, ‘My mercy has taken precedence over my anger’.” A version says, “Has prevailed over my anger.” (Bukhari and Muslim).

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “God has a hundred, mercies of which He has sent down one among jinn and men, animals and creeping things. By it they are kind to one another, by it they show mercy to one another, and by it the wild beast is kind to its young. But God has kept back ninety-nine mercies by which He will show mercy to His servants on the day of resurrection.” (Bukhari and Muslim). A version by Muslim from Salman has something similar, at the end of which he said, “When the day of resurrection comes He will complete them with this one.”

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “If the believer knew the punishment God has prepared, no one would hope for His paradise; and if the infidel knew the extent of His mercy, no one would despair of attaining His paradise.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying, “Paradise is nearer to each of you than the thong of his sandal, and the same applies to hell.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying that a man declared he had never done any good to his family. (A version says that a man had committed an excessive amount of sin), and when he was about to die gave instruction to his sons to burn him when he died and scatter half his ashes on the land and half in the sea, swearing by God that if God had him in His power He would give him such a punishment as He would give to no other in the universe. When he died they did what he had commanded them, but God gave command to the sea and it gathered what was in it, and He gave command to the land and it gathered what was in it. He then asked him, "Why did you do this?" and he replied, “From fear of Thee, my Lord, but Thou knowest best.” Then He pardoned him. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Umar b. al-Khattab said that captives came to the Prophet among whom was a woman whose breast was oozing with milk. She was running, and when she found a boy among the captives she took him, put him to her breast and suckled him. Then the Prophet said to us, “Do you think this woman will cast her child into the fire?” We replied, “No, so long as is she in a position not to do so.” He said, “God is more merciful to His servants than this woman is to her child.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “None of you will be rescued by his works.” He was asked if not even he would, and replied, “Not even I unless God covers me with His mercy; but if you keep to the straight path, are moderate, pray morning and evening and part of the night, and earnestly practise moderation, you will reach .” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jabir reported God’s messenger as saying, “What you do will not bring any of you into paradise or protect you from hell, including myself, except by God’s mercy.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id reported God’s messenger as saying, “When a man accepts Islam sincerely God removes from him every sin he has previously committed. After that there will be requital, a good deed getting ten to seven hundred times as much and many times more, and an evil deed getting a punishment equivalent to it, unless God overlooks it.” Bukhari transmitted it.

and if he intends to do a good deed and does it, God enters it for him in His record as ten to seven hundred and many more times as much. If anyone intends to do an evil deed and does not do it, God enters it for him in His record as a complete good deed; but if he intends to do it and does it, God records it for him as one evil deed.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Uqba b. ‘Amir reported God’s messenger as saying, “One who does evil deeds and afterwards does good deeds is like a man who was wearing a tight coat of mail which choked him, then did a good deed and a ring was loosened, then did another and another was loosened, so that it fell at last to the ground.” It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

Abud Darda’ told of his hearing the Prophet delivering a discourse on the pulpit and saying, “He who fears standing before his Lord will have two paradises.” He asked, “Even if he commits fornication and even if he steals, messenger of God?” but he said a second time, “He who fears standing before his Lord will have two paradises.” He asked a second time, “Even if he commits fornication and even if he steals, messenger of God?” and he said a third time, “He who fears standing before his Lord will have two paradises.” He asked a third time, “Even if he commits fornication and even if he steals, messenger of God?” to which he replied, “Even in spite of Abud Darda’.” Ahmad transmitted it.

While we were with him, meaning with the Prophet, a man came forward wearing a garment and carrying something wrapped up in his hand. He said, “Messenger of God, I passed by a thicket of trees in which I heard the chirping of young birds, so I took them and put them in my garment. Their mother came and flew round over my head, so I uncovered them to let her see them, and when she alighted on them I wrapped them all up in my garment, and these are what I have with me.” He gave command to put them down, and I did so,* but their mother would not leave them, whereupon God’s messenger said, “Do you wonder at the pity of the young birds’ mother for her young? By Him who sent me with the truth, God shows more pity towards His servants than the mother of young birds shows to her young. Take them back and put them where you got them, their mother being with them.” So he took them back. *The use of the first person seems strange here. The command was given to the man who was holding the bundle, and so one would have expected "and he did so." This is not the kind of sentence in which the change of person frequently used in Arabic style seems natural. As the text stands it would seem that ‘Amir took the bundle from the man and laid it down. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

When we were with the Prophet on one of his expeditions he came upon some people and asked who they were, to which they replied that they were Muslims. A woman who had a son of hers with her was kindling a fire under her pot, and when the heat increased she moved him away. She then went to the Prophet and asked, “Are you God’s messenger?” On his replying that he was, she said, “You for whom I would give my father and mother as ransom, tell me if God is not the most merciful of those who are merciful.” He replied that He certainly is, and she asked, “Is God not more merciful to His servants than a mother to her child?” and when he assured her that He certainly is, she replied that a mother does not cast her child into the fire. God’s messenger then bowed his head and wept, and afterwards raised it, looked at her and said, “God punishes only those of His servants who act audaciously towards Him and refuse to say that there is no god but God.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.