The Book of Repentance

كتاب التوبة

Chapter 1: Exhortation To Repent And Rejoicing Therein

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira through another chain of transmitters.

Chapter 2: Sins Are Erased By Praying For Forgiveness And Repenting

Abu Sirma reported that when the time of the death of Abu Ayyub Ansari drew near, he said

I used to conceal from you a thing which I heard from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Had you not committed sins, Allah would have brought into existence a creation that would have committed sin (and Allah) would have forgiven them.

Chapter 4: The Vastaess Of Allah's Mercy, Which Prevails Over His Wrath

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Mu'tamir, reported on the authority of his father.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying that a person who had never done any good deed asked the members of his family to burn his dead body when he would die and to scatter half of its ashes over the land and half in the ocean. By Allah, if Allah finds him in His grip, He would torment him with a torment with which He did not afflict anyone amongst the people of the world; and when the person died, it was done to him as he had commanded (his family) to do. Allah commanded the land to collect (the ashes scattered on it) and He commanded the ocean and that collected (ashes) contained in it. Allah questioned him why he had done. that He said

My Lord, it is out of Thine fear that I have done it and Thou art well aware of it, and Allah granted him pardon:.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying that a person committed sin beyond measure and when he was going to die, he left this will

(When I die), bum my dead body and then cast them (the ashes) to the wind and in the ocean. By Allah, if my Lord takes hold of me, He would torment me as He has not tormented anyone else. They did as he had asked them to do. He (the Lord) said to the earth: Return what you have taken. And he was thus restored to his (original form). He (Allah) said to him: What prompted you to do this? He said: My Lord, it was Thine fear or Thine awe, and Allah pardoned him because of this. Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying that a woman was thrown into Hell-Fire because of a cat whom she had tied and did not provide it with food. nor did she set it free to eat vermin of the earth until it died emaciated. Az-Zuhri said: (These two ahadith) show that a person should neither feel confident (of getting into Paradise) because of his deeds, nor should he lose (all hopes) of getting into Paradise.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying that a servant transgressed the litnit in committing sins. The rest of the hadith is the same but there is no mention of the story of the cat in it and in the hadith transmitted on the authority of Ziibaidl (the words are)

" Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said to everything which had taken a part of lies ashes to return what it had taken."

Chapter 1: Exhortation To Repent And Rejoicing Therein

Harith b. Suwaid said

I went to see 'Abdullah to inquire about his health as he was sick and he narrated to us a hadith of Allahs Messenger (ﷺ). He heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His believing servant than a person who loses his riding beast carrying food and drink. He sleeps (being disappointed of its recovery) and then gets up and goes in search for that, until he is stricken with thirst. then comes back to the place where he had been before and goes to sleep completely exhausted placing his head upon his hands waiting for death. And when he gets up, lot there is before him his riding beast and his provisions of food and drink. Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than the recovery of this riding beast along with the provisions (of food and drink).

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of A'mash through another chain of transmitters.

'Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Allah is more pleased with the repentance of a believing man. The rest of the hadith is the same.

Nu'man b. Bashir reported

Allah is more pleased with the repentance of a believing servant than of a person who set out on a journey with a provision of food and drink on the back of his camel. He went on until he came to a waterless desert and he felt like sleeping. So he got down under the shade of a tree and was overcome by sleep and his camel ran away. As he got up he tried to see (the camel) standing upon a mound. but did not find it. He then got upon the other mound, but could not see anything. He then climbed upon the third mound but did not see anything until he came back to the place where he had been previously. And as he was sitting (in utter disappointment) there came to him the camel, till that (camel) placed its nosestring in his hand. Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than the person who found (his lost camel) in this very state. Simak reported that Sha'bi was of the opinion that Nu'min traced it to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ). Simak, however, did not hear that himself.

Anas b. Malik reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said

Allah is more pleased with the repentance of a servant as he turns towards Him for repentance than this that one amongst you is upon the camel in a waterless desert and there is upon (that camel) his provision of food and drink also and it is lost by him, and he having lost all hope (to get tbat) lies down in the shadow and is disappointed about his camel and there he finds that camel standing before him. He takes hold of his nosestring and then out of boundless joy says: 0 Lord, Thou art my servant and I am Thine Lord. He commits this mistake out of extreme delight.

Anas b. Malik reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said

Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than if one of you gets up and he finds his camel missing in a waterless desert (and then he accidentally finds it). This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik through another chain of transmitters.

Chapter 2: Sins Are Erased By Praying For Forgiveness And Repenting

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) having said

By Him in Whose Hand is my life, if you were not to commit sin, Allah would sweep you out of existence and He would replace (you by) those people who would commit sin and seek forgiveness from Allah, and He would have pardoned them.

Chapter 4: The Vastaess Of Allah's Mercy, Which Prevails Over His Wrath

Abu Huraira reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said

When Allah created the creation as He was upon the Throne, He put down in His Book: Verily, My mercy predominates My wrath.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said: My mercy excels My wrath.

Salman Farisi reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Verily, there are one hundred (parts of) mercy for Allah, and it is one part of this mercy by virtue of which there is mutual love between the people and ninety-nine reserved for the Day of Resurrection.

Salman reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said

Verily, Allah created, on the same very day when He created the heavens and the earth, one hundred parts of mercy. Every part of mercy is coextensive with the space between the heavens. and the earth and He out of this mercy endowed one part to the earth and it is because of this that the mother shows affection to her child and even the beasts and birds show kindness to one another and when there would be the Day of Resurrection, Allah would make full (use of Mercy).

Chapter 5: Acceptance Of Repentance From Sin, Even If The Sin And Repentance Happen Repeatedly

Abu Huraira reported from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) that his Lord, the Exalted and Glorious, thus said. A servant committed a sin and he said

O Allah, forgive me my sins, and Allah (the Exalted and Glorious) said: My servant commited a sin and then he came to realise that he has a Lord Who forgives the sins and takes to account (the sinner) for the sin. He then again committed a sin and said: My Lord, forgive me my sin, and Allah, the Exalted and High, said: My servant committed a sin and then came to realise that he has a Lord Who would forgive his sin or would take (him) to account for the sin. He again committed a sin and said: My Lord, forgive me for my sin, and Allah (the Exalted and High) said: My servant sas committed a sin and then came to realise that he has a Lord Who forgives the sins or takes (him) to account for sin. O servant, do what you like. I have granted you forgiveness. 'Abd al-A'la said: I do not know whether he said thrice or four times to do" what you desire".

The hadlth has been narrated on the authority of 'Abd al-A'la b. Hammad with the same chain of transmitters.