There was a person before you who had killed ninety-nine persons and then made an inquiry about the learned persons of the world (who could show him the way to salvation). He was directed to a monk. He came to him and told him that he had killed ninety-nine persons and asked him whether there was any scope for his repentance to be accepted. He said: No. He killed him also and thus completed one hundred. He then asked about the learned persons of the earth and he was directed to a scholar, and he told him that he had killed one hundred persons and asked him whether there was any scope for his repentance to be accepted. He said: Yes; what stands between you and the repentance? You better go to such and such land; there are people devoted to prayer and worship and you also worship along with them and do not come to the land of yours since it was an evil land (for you). So he went away and he had hardly covered half the distance when death came to him and there was a dispute between the angels of mercy and the angels of punishment. The angels of mercy said: This man has come as a penitant and remorseful to Allah and the angels of punishment said: He has done no good at all. Then there came another angel in the form of a human being in order to decide between them. He said: You measure the land to which he has drawn near. They measured it and found him nearer to the land where he intended to go (the land of piety), and so the angels of mercy took possession of it. Qatada said that Hasan told him that it was said to them that as death approached him, he crawled upon his chest (and managed) to slip in the land of mercy.
The Book of Repentance - Sahih Muslim 2766a
This profound narration from Sahih Muslim demonstrates the vastness of Allah's mercy and the comprehensive nature of Islamic repentance (tawbah). The killer of one hundred souls represents the ultimate test case for divine forgiveness.
Scholarly Commentary on the Monk's Error
The monk's declaration that repentance was impossible constitutes a grave error in Islamic theology. No scholar has the authority to limit Allah's mercy or close the door of repentance to any sinner, regardless of the magnitude of their crimes.
This highlights the danger of speaking about religion without proper knowledge and the importance of consulting qualified scholars who understand the comprehensive nature of divine forgiveness in Islam.
The True Scholar's Guidance
The correct scholar demonstrated proper Islamic knowledge by immediately affirming the possibility of repentance and providing practical guidance. His instruction to migrate to a righteous community reflects the Islamic principle that environmental change often facilitates spiritual transformation.
The emphasis on leaving the evil environment shows the wisdom of removing oneself from circumstances that may lead back to sin, demonstrating that repentance involves both internal resolve and external action.
Divine Mercy in Final Moments
The man's acceptance despite dying en route teaches that Allah judges by intentions and efforts. His sincere determination to reach the land of worship was sufficient for divine acceptance.
The measurement of distance symbolizes how Allah evaluates the spiritual direction and intention of His servants. The final crawling movement demonstrates that even minimal physical effort, when coupled with sincere intention, can secure divine mercy.
Key Theological Principles
Allah's mercy encompasses all sins when accompanied by sincere repentance. No human has authority to declare any sinner beyond redemption. Sincere intention coupled with effort is accepted by Allah, even if the intended action isn't fully realized. Changing one's environment can be essential for successful repentance. Divine judgment considers the spiritual direction and intention at the moment of death.