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.
Exposition of the Hadith
This noble tradition from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), transmitted by the companion Abu Dharr al-Ghifari and recorded in Mishkat al-Masabih 2361, addresses the vastness of divine mercy while delineating its ultimate boundary. The metaphor of "the veil" (al-hijab) signifies the spiritual barrier that prevents forgiveness when crossed.
The Continuity of Divine Forgiveness
The phrase "God most high forgives His servant as long as the veil has not fallen" indicates that Allah's mercy encompasses all sins except shirk (associating partners with God) when one dies upon it. This aligns with the Quranic verse: "Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills" (Quran 4:48).
Scholars explain that this continuous forgiveness applies to believers who repent before death. The "veil" represents the state of unrepentant shirk at the moment of death—the point where divine forgiveness ceases for that particular sin if not preceded by sincere tawbah (repentance).
The Nature of the Veil
When the companions asked about the veil's meaning, the Prophet clarified it as dying while in a state of shirk. Classical commentators elaborate that this includes both major shirk (open idolatry) and subtle shirk (such as riya' - showing off in worship). The "falling of the veil" signifies the soul's departure from the body while maintaining disbelief or polytheism.
Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali notes that this hadith doesn't contradict the possibility of deathbed repentance, but rather warns against delaying tawbah and risking death upon disobedience.
Practical Implications
This teaching emphasizes the urgency of maintaining correct belief and seeking forgiveness throughout life. Scholars derive from this that Muslims should frequently renew their faith, avoid all forms of shirk, and constantly seek Allah's mercy through sincere repentance.
The transmission through Ahmad and Baihaqi in Kitab al-ba'th wan-nushur underscores the authenticity and importance of this spiritual warning about the finality of death's encounter with one's spiritual state.