On Repentance

باب فی التوبۃ

بَابٌ فِي التَّوْبَةِ — On Repentance (tawba)

قَالَ اللهُ تَعَالٰى: يٰٓأَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا تُوْبُوْٓا إِلَى اللهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوْحًا عَسٰى رَبُّكُمْ أَنْ يُّكَفِّرَ عَنْكُمْ سَيِّاٰتِكُمْ وَيُدْخِلَكُمْ جَنّٰتٍ تَجْرِيْ مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهٰرُ ـ

(al-Taḥrīm 66:8)

Vocabulary: yā ayyuha'lladhīna āmanū — O Muslims! O you people who have believed; tūbū ila'llāhi — turn back to Allah, repent — and what kind of repentance?; tawbatan naṣūḥan — sincere repentance: repent with full sincerity (ikhlāṣ) and a clean heart; ʿasā rabbukum — it is hoped that your Lord — what wonder is it, it is possible, soon your Lord will give you the fruit of your repentance; what will He give?; an yukaffira ʿankum sayyiʾātikum — that He will pardon your evil deeds, make expiation for your sins, remove your misdeeds; wa yudkhilakum — and He will admit you; jannātin tajrī min taḥtiha'l-anhāru — gardens beneath which rivers flow, streams will keep running.

Translation: Allah Most High says: "O Muslims! Turn to Allah in repentance with a clean heart. It is hoped that your Lord will forgive your sins and admit you to such gardens beneath which rivers flow" (that is, those gardens will remain ever green).

وَقَالَ اللهُ تَعَالٰى: وَهُوَ الَّذِيْ يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهٖ وَيَعْفُوْا عَنِ السَّيِّاٰتِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُوْنَ ـ

(al-Shūrā 42:25)

Vocabulary: wa huwa'lladhī yaqbalu'l-tawbata — and He it is who accepts repentance; ʿan ʿibādihi — from His servants — He accepts the repentance of His servants; wa yaʿfū ʿani'l-sayyiʾāti — and He erases their evil deeds; wa yaʿlamu mā tafʿalūna — and He also knows whatever you do.

Translation: Allah Most High says: "And He it is who accepts the repentance of His servants and pardons evil deeds (errors) (forgives sins), and He knows well whatever you do."

وَقَالَ اللهُ تَعَالٰى: فَأُولٰٓئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللهُ سَيِّاٰتِهِمْ حَسَنٰتٍ ـ

(al-Furqān 25:70)

Vocabulary: fa-ulāʾika — then these people; yubaddilu'llāhu — Allah will change; sayyiʾātihim ḥasanātin — their sins into good deeds.

Translation: Allah Most High says: "These are the people whose sins Allah changes into good deeds."

وَقَالَ اللهُ تَعَالٰى: وَاٰخَرُوْنَ اعْتَرَفُوْا بِذُنُوْبِهِمْ خَلَطُوْا عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَّاٰخَرَ سَيِّئًا عَسَى اللهُ أَنْ يَّتُوْبَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ اللهَ غَفُوْرٌ رَّحِيْمٌ ـ

(al-Tawba 9:102)

Vocabulary: wa ākharūna — and there are some other people besides them, and there are also some people who; iʿtarafū bi-dhunūbihim — confessed their sins, repented and sought forgiveness; khalaṭū ʿamalan ṣāliḥan — they mixed righteous action — mixed in good deeds; wa ākhara sayyiʾan — and other, bad deeds; ʿasa'llāhu — perhaps Allah, it is near that Allah; an yatūba ʿalayhim — will turn to them with mercy, accept their repentance, pass over their faults; inna'llāha ghafūrun raḥīmun — Allah is indeed Forgiving, Merciful: He is the One who forgives, He is the One who shows mercy, He is the Pardoner of sins, He is the One who honours [people] with His mercy and generosity.

Translation: Allah Most High says: "There are some other people who have confessed their sins (have acknowledged them); they mixed bad deeds in with good deeds. Soon Allah will accept their repentance, and Allah is indeed Forgiving, Merciful."

وَقَالَ اللهُ تَعَالٰى: وَالَّذِيْنَ إِذَا فَعَلُوْا فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوْٓا أَنْفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا اللهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوْا لِذُنُوْبِهِمْ وَمَنْ يَّغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوْا عَلٰى مَا فَعَلُوْا وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُوْنَ ۝ أُولٰٓئِكَ جَزَآؤُهُمْ مَّغْفِرَةٌ مِّنْ رَّبِّهِمْ وَجَنّٰتٌ تَجْرِيْ مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهٰرُ خٰلِدِيْنَ فِيْهَا وَنِعْمَ أَجْرُ الْعٰمِلِيْنَ ـ

(Āl ʿImrān 3:135–136)

Vocabulary: wa'lladhīna — and those people who; idhā faʿalū — when they do; fāḥishatan — an open wrong, a shameless deed; aw ẓalamū anfusahum — or wrong their own selves, their own souls — they bring harm upon them, they do not render their due; dhakaru'llāha — they remember Allah Most High, Allah comes to their mind, they make mention of God; fa'staghfarū li-dhunūbihim — then they seek forgiveness for their sins: when God comes to their mind they ask pardon for their faults; wa man yaghfiru'l-dhunūba illa'llāhu — and who forgives sins except God?; wa lam yuṣirrū — and they did not persist, did not stubbornly hold on; ʿalā mā faʿalū — in what they did: they do not persist in their evil deeds; wa hum yaʿlamūna — while they know, knowingly.

ulāʾika — these people; jazāʾuhum — their recompense, their reward; maghfiratun — pardon of faults, forgiveness, remission; min rabbihim — from their Lord, from their Sustainer; wa jannātun — and gardens, paradises — gardens of dense trees; tajrī min taḥtiha'l-anhāru — beneath which rivers and streams flow, that is, these gardens remain ever green; khālidīna fīhā — and these people will remain in these gardens for ever, that is, these blessings have no decline; wa niʿma ajru'l-ʿāmilīna — and how excellent is the wage of those who act, the recompense of those who do [good] work.

Translation: Allah Most High says: "And those people who, when they commit some shameless wrong or wrong their own selves, and God comes to their mind, (at once) ask forgiveness for their sins — and who besides Allah is there who covers faults? — and (these people) do not knowingly persist in their sins (in their wrongdoing): these are the people whose recompense (and reward) is forgiveness (and the covering of faults) from their Lord, and gardens beneath which rivers flow. These people will remain in them for ever. And (see) how excellent is the (reward and) wage (given) to those who do good works!"

وَقَالَ اللهُ تَعَالٰى: وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذْ ظَّلَمُوْٓا أَنْفُسَهُمْ جَآءُوْكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُوْلُ لَوَجَدُوا اللهَ تَوَّابًا رَّحِيْمًا ـ

(al-Nisāʾ 4:64)

Vocabulary: wa law annahum — and if those people; idh ẓalamū anfusahum — when they had wronged themselves, had done themselves harm with their own hands; jāʾūka — had come to you; fa'staghfaru'llāha — then sought forgiveness from Allah, asked pardon; wa'staghfara lahumu'l-rasūlu — and the Messenger too had asked forgiveness for them. Now that the Messenger of God ﷺ has veiled himself from the world, forgiveness should be sought from his successors (qāʾim maqām, those who stand in his place). If someone has seen the Holy Prophet ﷺ, he should seek a prayer for forgiveness from him [the Prophet ﷺ] himself; la-wajadu'llāha — they would have found Allah; tawwāban raḥīman — Accepter of repentance, Merciful: the One who turns [to the servant] with forgiveness, the One who inclines with love.

Translation: Allah Most High says: "And if they, when they had wronged themselves (had brought ruin and destruction on themselves), had come to you and sought forgiveness from Allah, and the Messenger too had sought forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Accepting of repentance (Tawwāb) and Merciful."

Friends! Nowadays a wind of turning away and averting one's face from the elders (buzurgs, the saintly guides) is blowing. Some people say: "What need is there for a spiritual guide (murshid)? Allah is enough. Ask forgiveness from Him alone." Let someone just reflect a little on this verse and understand "wa'staghfara lahumu'l-rasūlu" — what need was there for the Prophet too to make a prayer of forgiveness? "Fa'staghfaru'llāha" was already there — so why this "wa'staghfara lahumu'l-rasūlu"? The brothers of Yūsuf (peace be upon him) also asked Yaʿqūb (peace be upon him) for a prayer of forgiveness. Why all this? This is tawassul (seeking a means of approach); this is istimdād (seeking help); this is obedience to the command "wa'btaghū ilayhi'l-wasīlata" ["and seek the means of approach to Him"]. First make your face fit to go into the court of Allah Most High, then dare to go as far as that court.

Turning your face away from the Beloved of God — what face would you show to Allah?

In reality, in the hearts of these people there is neither reverence for the Prophet nor love for him — the result of which is: "Driven away from this side, and left behind from that side."

These people are deprived of the intercession of prophethood and rejected from the mercy of Lordship. "Dhālika huwa'l-khusrānu'l-mubīn" — "That is the manifest loss."

عَنْ أَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ ـ قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ ﷺ ـ وَاللهِ إِنِّيْ لَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ وَأَتُوْبُ إِلَيْهِ فِي الْيَوْمِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ سَبْعِيْنَ مَرَّةً ـ

(Reported by al-Bukhārī.)

Vocabulary: la-astaghfiru — I most certainly seek forgiveness; atūbu ilayhi — I turn back to Him; fi'l-yawmi — in one day; sabʿīna marratan — seventy (70) times.

Translation: It is related from Ḥaḍrat Abū Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "By God, in a single day I seek forgiveness from Allah and turn back to Him (repent) more than seventy times."

عَنِ الْأَغَرِّ الْمُزَنِيِّ قَالَ ـ قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ ﷺ ـ "إِنَّهُ لَيُغَانُ عَلٰى قَلْبِيْ وَإِنِّيْ لَأَسْتَغْفِرُ فِي الْيَوْمِ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ ـ"

(Reported by Muslim.)

Vocabulary: la-yughānu — a dimness [lit. a clouding] comes over; miʾata marratin — one hundred times.

Translation: It is related from Ḥaḍrat al-Agharr al-Muzanī (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Indeed a dimness comes over my heart, and I seek forgiveness a hundred times in a day."

عَنْ أَبِيْ سَعِيْدِ الْخُدْرِيِّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ ـ قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ ﷺ كَانَ فِيْ بَنِيْ إِسْرَآئِيْلَ رَجُلٌ قَتَلَ تِسْعَةً وَّتِسْعِيْنَ إِنْسَانًا ـ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ يَسْأَلُ فَأَتٰى رَاهِبًا فَسَأَلَهُ ـ فَقَالَ أَلَهُ تَوْبَةٌ قَالَ لَا ـ فَقَتَلَهُ وَجَعَلَ يَسْأَلُ ـ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ إِئْتِ قَرْيَةَ كَذَا وَكَذَا ـ فَأَدْرَكَهُ الْمَوْتُ ـ فَنَآءَ بِصَدْرِهٖ نَحْوَهَا ـ فَاخْتَصَمَتْ فِيْهِ مَلٰٓئِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ وَمَلٰٓئِكَةُ الْعَذَابِ ـ فَأَوْحَى اللهُ إِلٰى هٰذِهٖٓ أَنْ تَقَرَّبِيْ وَإِلٰى هٰذِهٖٓ أَنْ تَبَاعَدِيْ ـ فَقَالَ قِيْسُوْا مَا بَيْنَهُمَا ـ فَوُجِدَ إِلٰى هٰذِهٖٓ أَقْرَبَ بِشِبْرٍ فَغُفِرَ لَهُ ـ

(Agreed upon — al-Bukhārī and Muslim.)

Vocabulary: tisʿatan wa tisʿīna — ninety-nine (99); kharaja yasʾalu — he went out asking; fa-atā rāhiban — so he came to a monk (a Christian holy man); a-lahu tawbatun — is there repentance for him?; jaʿala yasʾalu — he began to ask; iʾti qaryata kadhā wa kadhā — go to such-and-such a village; fa-adrakahu'l-mawtu — death overtook him; fa-nāʾa bi-ṣadrihi — so he moved his chest forward; naḥwahā — towards that village; fa'khtaṣamat — then they began to dispute; ilā hādhihi an taqarrabī — [to] the land on this side: "Come near"; wa ilā hādhihi an tabāʿadī — and [to] the land on that side: "Move away"; qīsū — measure; bi-shibrin — by a hand-span.

Translation: It is related from Ḥaḍrat Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Among the Children of Israel there was a man who had killed ninety-nine (99) people. Then he went out asking [about repentance] and came to a monk. He asked him whether there was any repentance for him. He said, 'No.' So he killed him too, and went on asking. A man

told him: 'Go to such-and-such a village.' Then death came upon him (on the way). He just managed, with difficulty, to turn his chest towards that village. The angels of mercy and the angels of punishment began to dispute about him. Then Allah revealed to the land on this side, 'Come near,' and to the land on that side, 'Move away.' Then He said, 'Measure the distance between the two.' The land on this side turned out to be nearer by one hand-span. So he was forgiven."

عَنْ أَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ ـ قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ ﷺ ـ وَالَّذِيْ نَفْسِيْ بِيَدِهٖ لَوْ لَمْ تُذْنِبُوْا لَذَهَبَ اللهُ بِكُمْ وَلَجَآءَ بِقَوْمٍ يُّذْنِبُوْنَ فَيَسْتَغْفِرُوْنَ اللهَ فَيَغْفِرُ لَهُمْ ـ

(Reported by Muslim.)

Vocabulary: wa'lladhī — by the One; nafsī — my soul, my life; lam tudhnibū — you did not sin; la-dhahaba'llāhu bikum — Allah would wipe you out; la-jāʾa bi-qawmin — He would bring such people; yudhnibūna — who will sin.

Translation: It is related from Ḥaḍrat Abū Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "By the One in whose hand is my life, if you did not sin, Allah would wipe you out and bring such people as would sin; they would seek forgiveness from Allah, and Allah would forgive them."

عَنْ أَبِيْ مُوْسٰى رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ ﷺ إِنَّ اللهَ يَبْسُطُ يَدَهُ بِاللَّيْلِ لِيَتُوْبَ مُسِيْءُ النَّهَارِ وَيَبْسُطُ يَدَهُ بِالنَّهَارِ لِيَتُوْبَ مُسِيْءُ اللَّيْلِ حَتّٰى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا ـ

(Reported by Muslim.)

Vocabulary: yabsuṭu — He stretches out; li-yatūba — so that he may repent; musīʾu — the sinner; ḥattā — until; taṭluʿa'l-shamsu — the sun rises.

Translation: It is related from Ḥaḍrat Abū Mūsā (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Indeed Allah Most High stretches out His hand by night so that the sinner of the day may repent, and stretches out His hand by day so that the sinner of the night may repent — until the sun rises from the west." (Muslim)

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ ﷺ ـ "إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا اعْتَرَفَ ثُمَّ تَابَ تَابَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ" ـ

(Reported by Muslim.) [reading uncertain]

Vocabulary: iʿtarafa — he admitted, acknowledged; tāba — he repented, turned back to Allah; tāba'llāhu ʿalayhi — Allah turned to him, accepted his repentance.

Translation: It is related from Ḥaḍrat ʿĀʾisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Indeed, when the servant admits his fault and then repents, Allah Most High accepts his repentance."

عَنْ أَنَسٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ ﷺ ـ "لَلّٰهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهٖ حِيْنَ يَتُوْبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ

أَحَدِكُمْ كَانَ رَاحِلَتُهُ بِأَرْضِ فَلَاةٍ فَانْفَلَتَتْ مِنْهُ وَعَلَيْهَا طَعَامُهُ وَشَرَابُهُ فَأَيِسَ مِنْهَا فَأَتٰى شَجَرَةً فَاضْطَجَعَ فِيْ ظِلِّهَا قَدْ أَيِسَ مِنْ رَاحِلَتِهٖ فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ كَذٰلِكَ إِذَا هُوَ بِهَا قَآئِمَةً عِنْدَهُ فَأَخَذَ بِخِطَامِهَا ثُمَّ قَالَ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْفَرَحِ ـ اَللّٰهُمَّ أَنْتَ عَبْدِيْ وَأَنَا رَبُّكَ ـ أَخْطَأَ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْفَرَحِ" ـ

(Reported by Muslim.)

Vocabulary: rāḥilatuhu — his mount, his she-camel; arḍi falātin — an open waterless plain; fa'nfalatat — it broke loose and ran off; ayisa — he despaired; fa-atā — then he came; iḍṭajaʿa — he lay down; fa-baynamā — then, during this; huwa ka-dhālika — he was in this same state; bi-khiṭāmihā — its halter; min shiddati'l-faraḥi — out of the intensity of joy; akhṭaʾa — he erred, misspoke.

Translation: It is related from Ḥaḍrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Allah is indeed more pleased with the repentance of His servant, when he repents and turns back to Him, than that person among you whose she-camel broke loose from him in an open plain and ran off, with his food and water on it. He despaired of it, came to a tree and lay down in its shade. He had given up hope of his she-camel. While he was in this state, suddenly the she-camel came and stood beside him. He took hold of its halter, then in the intensity of his joy he said, 'O Allah! You are my servant and I am Your Lord.' He misspoke out of joy."