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).
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.
Al-Bara' b. 'Azib reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:
What is your opinion about the delight of a person whose camel loaded with the provisions of food and drink is lost and that moves about with its nosestring trailing upon the waterless desert in which there is neither food nor drink, and lie wanders about in search of that until he is completely exhausted and then accidentally it happens to pass by the trunk of a tree and its nosestring gets entangled in that and he finds it entangled therein? He (in response to the question of the Holy Prophet) said: Allah's Messenger, he would feel highly delighted. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said. By Allah, Allah is more delighted at the repentance of His servant than that person (as he finds his lost) camel.
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.
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 37, Hadith 6618
Hadith 2748
Chapter 50: The Book of Repentance - كتاب التوبة
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ، - قَاصِّ عُمَرَ بْنِ عَبْدِ
الْعَزِيزِ - عَنْ أَبِي صِرْمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ حِينَ حَضَرَتْهُ الْوَفَاةُ كُنْتُ كَتَمْتُ عَنْكُمْ
شَيْئًا سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم
يَقُولُ
" لَوْلاَ أَنَّكُمْ تُذْنِبُونَ لَخَلَقَ اللَّهُ خَلْقًا يُذْنِبُونَ يَغْفِرُ لَهُمْ " .
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.
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.
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 37, Hadith 6622
Hadith 2750
Chapter 50: The Book of Repentance - كتاب التوبة
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى التَّمِيمِيُّ، وَقَطَنُ بْنُ نُسَيْرٍ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لِيَحْيَى - أَخْبَرَنَا جَعْفَرُ،
بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ إِيَاسٍ الْجُرَيْرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ النَّهْدِيِّ، عَنْ حَنْظَلَةَ الأُسَيِّدِيِّ،
قَالَ - وَكَانَ مِنْ كُتَّابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ - لَقِيَنِي أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَقَالَ كَيْفَ
أَنْتَ يَا حَنْظَلَةُ قَالَ قُلْتُ نَافَقَ حَنْظَلَةُ قَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ مَا تَقُولُ قَالَ قُلْتُ نَكُونُ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ
اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُذَكِّرُنَا بِالنَّارِ وَالْجَنَّةِ حَتَّى كَأَنَّا رَأْىَ عَيْنٍ فَإِذَا خَرَجْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِ
رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَافَسْنَا الأَزْوَاجَ وَالأَوْلاَدَ وَالضَّيْعَاتِ فَنَسِينَا كَثِيرًا قَالَ
أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّا لَنَلْقَى مِثْلَ هَذَا . فَانْطَلَقْتُ أَنَا وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ حَتَّى دَخَلْنَا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ
صلى الله عليه وسلم قُلْتُ نَافَقَ حَنْظَلَةُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه
وسلم " وَمَا ذَاكَ " . قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ نَكُونُ عِنْدَكَ تُذَكِّرُنَا بِالنَّارِ وَالْجَنَّةِ حَتَّى كَأَنَّا
رَأْىَ عَيْنٍ فَإِذَا خَرَجْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِكَ عَافَسْنَا الأَزْوَاجَ وَالأَوْلاَدَ وَالضَّيْعَاتِ نَسِينَا كَثِيرًا .
فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنْ لَوْ تَدُومُونَ عَلَى مَا تَكُونُونَ
عِنْدِي وَفِي الذِّكْرِ لَصَافَحَتْكُمُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ عَلَى فُرُشِكُمْ وَفِي طُرُقِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يَا حَنْظَلَةُ سَاعَةً
وَسَاعَةً " . ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ .
Hanzala Usayyidi, who was amongst the scribes of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). reported:
I met Abu Bakr. He said: Who are you? He (Hanzala) said: Hanzala has turned to be a hypocrite. He (Abu Bakr) said: Hallowed be Allah, what are you saying? Thereupon he said: I say that when we are in the company of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) we ponder over Hell-Fire and Paradise as if we are seeing them with our very eyes and when we are away from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) we attend to our wives, our children, our business; most of these things (pertaining to After-life) slip out of our minds. Abu Bakr said: By Allah, I also experience the same. So I and Abu Bakr went to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said to him: Allah's Messenger, Hanzala has turned to be a hypocrite. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: What has happened to you? I said: Allah's Messenger, when we are in your company, we are reminded of Hell-Fire and Paradise as if we are seeing them with our own eyes, but whenever we go away from you and attend to our wives, children and business, much of these things go out of our minds. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: By Him in Whose Hand is my life, if your state of mind remains the same as it is in my presence and you are always busy in remembrance (of Allah), the Angels will shake hands with you in your beds and in your paths but, Hanzala, time should be devoted (to the worldly affairs) and time (should be devoted to prayer and meditation). He (the Holy Prophet) said this thrice.
I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Allah created mercy in one hundred parts and He retained with Him ninety-nine parts, and He has sent down upon the earth one part, and it is because of this one part that there is mutual love among the creation so much so that the animal lifts up its hoof from its young one, fearing that it might harm it.
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.
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 37, Hadith 6632
Hadith 2754
Chapter 4: The Vastaess Of Allah's Mercy, Which Prevails Over His Wrath - كتاب التوبة
حَدَّثَنِي الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْحُلْوَانِيُّ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَهْلٍ التَّمِيمِيُّ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لِحَسَنٍ -
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو غَسَّانَ، حَدَّثَنِي زَيْدُ بْنُ أَسْلَمَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ،
أَنَّهُ قَالَ قَدِمَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِسَبْىٍ فَإِذَا امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ السَّبْىِ تَبْتَغِي
إِذَا وَجَدَتْ صَبِيًّا فِي السَّبْىِ أَخَذَتْهُ فَأَلْصَقَتْهُ بِبَطْنِهَا وَأَرْضَعَتْهُ فَقَالَ لَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى
الله عليه وسلم " أَتَرَوْنَ هَذِهِ الْمَرْأَةَ طَارِحَةً وَلَدَهَا فِي النَّارِ " . قُلْنَا لاَ وَاللَّهِ وَهِيَ تَقْدِرُ
عَلَى أَنْ لاَ تَطْرَحَهُ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لَلَّهُ أَرْحَمُ بِعِبَادِهِ مِنْ هَذِهِ
بِوَلَدِهَا " .
'Umar b. Khattab reported that there were brought some prisoners to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) amongst whom there was also a woman, who was searching (for someone) and when she found a child amongst the prisoners, she took hold of it, pressed it against her chest and provided it suck. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:
Do you think this woman would ever afford to throw her child in the Fire? We said: By Allah, so far as it lies in her power, she would never throw the child in Fire. ' Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Allah is more kind to His servants than this woman is to her child.
'Ala' reported on the authority of his father who reported on the authority of Abu Huraira that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:
If a believer were to know the punishment (in Hell) none would have the audacity to aspire for Paradise (but he would earnestly desire to be rescued from Hell), and if a non-believer were to know what is there with Allah as a mercy. none would have been disappointed in regard to Paradise.
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 Sa'id Khudri reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said that a person amongst the earlier nations before you was conferred property and children by Allah, He said to his children:
'You must do as I command you to do, otherwise I will make others besides you as my inheritors. As I die, burn my body and blow my ashes in the wind as I do not find any merit of mine which would please Allah, and if Allah were to take hold of me, He would punish me. He took a pledge from them and they did as he commanded thein to do. Allah said: What prompted you to do this? He said: My Lord. Thine fear, and Allah did not punish him at all.
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".
Abu Musa reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, Stretches out His Hand during the night so that the people may repent for the fault committed from dawn till dusk and He stretches out His Hand during the day so that the people may repent for the fault committed from dusk to dawn. (He would accept repentance) before the sun rises in the west (before the Day of Resurrection).
A hadith like this has been narrated on the authority of Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters.
'Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
Nothing is more loveable to Allah than His praise as He has praised Himself and no one is more self-respecting than Allah Himself and it As because of this that He has prohibited abominable acts.
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
Allah is self-respecting and a believer is also self-respecting and the respect of Allah is injured if a believer does what He has forbidden him to do.
'Abdullah b. Mas'ud reported that a person kissed a woman and he came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and made a mention of that to him. It was (on this occasion) that this verse was revealed:
" And observe prayer at the (two) ends of the day and in the first hours of the night. Surely, good deeds take away evil deeds. That is a reminder for the mindful" (xi. 115). That person said: Allah's Messenger, does it concern me only? He (the Holy Prophet) said: It concerns every one of my Unimah, who acts according to it.
Anas reported that a person came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said:
Allah's Messenger, I have committed an offence which deserves imposition of haad, so impose it upon me according to the Book of Allah. Thereupon he said: Were you not present with us at the time of prayer? He said: Yes. Thereupon he said: You have been granted pardon.
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 37, Hadith 6660
Hadith 2765
Chapter 7: The Words Of Allah The Most High: "Verily, The Good Deeds Remove The Evil Deeds" - كتاب التوبة
حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْجَهْضَمِيُّ، وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لِزُهَيْرٍ - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا
عُمَرُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا عِكْرِمَةُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شَدَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُمَامَةَ، قَالَ بَيْنَمَا رَسُولُ
اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي الْمَسْجِدِ وَنَحْنُ قُعُودٌ مَعَهُ إِذْ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ
إِنِّي أَصَبْتُ حَدًّا فَأَقِمْهُ عَلَىَّ . فَسَكَتَ عَنْهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ أَعَادَ فَقَالَ
يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أَصَبْتُ حَدًّا فَأَقِمْهُ عَلَىَّ . فَسَكَتَ عَنْهُ وَأُقِيمَتِ الصَّلاَةُ فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ
نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ أَبُو أُمَامَةَ فَاتَّبَعَ الرَّجُلُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم
حِينَ انْصَرَفَ وَاتَّبَعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْظُرُ مَا يَرُدُّ عَلَى الرَّجُلِ فَلَحِقَ
الرَّجُلُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أَصَبْتُ حَدًّا فَأَقِمْهُ عَلَىَّ
- قَالَ أَبُو أُمَامَةَ - فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَرَأَيْتَ حِينَ خَرَجْتَ مِنْ
بَيْتِكَ أَلَيْسَ قَدْ تَوَضَّأْتَ فَأَحْسَنْتَ الْوُضُوءَ " . قَالَ بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ . قَالَ " ثُمَّ شَهِدْتَ
الصَّلاَةَ مَعَنَا " . فَقَالَ نَعَمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ . قَالَ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم
" فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ غَفَرَ لَكَ حَدَّكَ - أَوْ قَالَ - ذَنْبَكَ " .
Abu Umama reported:
We were sitting in the mosque in the company of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). A person came there and said: Allah's Messenger, I have committed an offence which deserves the imposition of hadd upon me, so impose it upon me. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) kept silent. He repeated it and said: Allah's Messenger, I have committed an offence which deserves the imposition of hadd upon me, so impose it upon me. He (the Holy Prophet) kept silent, and it was at this time that Iqama was pronounced for prayer (and the prayer was observed). And when Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) had concluded the payer that person followed Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). Abu Umama said: I too followed Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) after he had concluded the prayer, so that I should know what answer he would give to that person. That person remained attached to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said: Allah's Messenger, I have committed an offence which deserves imposition of hadd upon me, so impose it upon me. Abu Umama reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to him: Didn't you see that as you got out of the house, you performed ablution perfectly well. He said: Allah's Messenger, of course. I did it. He again said to him: Then you observed prayer along with us. He said: Allah's Messenger, yes, it is so. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to him: Verily, Allah has exempted you from the imposition of hadd, or he said. From your sin.
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
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.
Safwan b. Muhriz reported that a person said to Ibn 'Umar:
How did you hear Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying something about intimate conversation? He said: I heard him say: A believer will be brought to his Lord, the Exalted and Glorious, on the Day of Resurrection and He would place upon him His veil (of Light) and make him confess his faults and say: Do you recognise (your faults)? He would say: My Lord, I do recognise (them). He (the Lord) would say: I concealed them for you in the world. And today I forgive them. And he would then be given the Book containing (the account of his) good deeds. And so far as the non-believers and hypocrites are concerned, there would be general announcement about them before all creation telling them that these (people, i. e. non-believers and hypocrites) told a lie about Allah.