Chapter 343: About Seeking Forgiveness and Its Virtue

Translation: [ As it has been clarified, man is an erring creature. He is like the thin tree, wind swin it towards the right and towards the left side.

Translation: There is no harm if man committed a misdeed or a Major one provided he hastens and flees to his Lord and Sustainer Who forgives sins and accepts repentance.

What has happened when Adam, our father, disobeyed his Creator? Out of His mercy, His Creator inspired in him some specific words that he would ask forgiveness therewith. Allah explains this by His statements:

Translation: " And We said: " O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in Paradise and eat both of you freely with pleasure and delight, of things therein as wherever you will, but come not near this tree or you both will be of the wrong-doers * Then Satan made them slip therefrom (Paradise), and got them out from it. We said: " Get you down, all, with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be a dwelling place for you and an enjoyment for a time * Then Adam received from his Lord Words. And his Lord pardoned him (accepted his repentance). Verily, He is the One Who forgives (accepts repentance), the Most Merciful * " S: 2-35-37.

Translation: Sins distances goodness from the sons of Adam whereas seeking forgiveness earns goodness for them. This is a Koranproved fact on the tongue of His Messenger Noah. He said to his people:

Translation: " I said (to them): ' Ask forgiveness from your Lord, verily, He is Oft-Forgiving * He will send rain to you in abundance * And give you increase in wealth and children, and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers * " S: 71-10-12.

Translation: The scholars say that there is no major sin as long as one seeks forgiveness and there is no minor sin as long as one persists in committing them.

Translation: Narrated Abu-Omayya Al-Makhzoomi; ' A thief with whom there was no stolen things was brought to Allah's Messenger after he had confessed (his crime). Allah's Messenger said to him: " I do not think that you have stolen. " The man replied; ' Yes indeed. I have stolen. ' The Messenger of Allah repeated this trice or thrice and the man gave the same reply. So, Allah's Messenger gave command regarding him and his hand was cut off. He was then brought to Allah's Messenger who said to him: " Ask

Translation: Allah's forgiveness and turn to Him in repentance. " The man said: ' I ask Allah's forgiveness and turn to Him in repentance. The Allah's Messenger ﷺ then invoked Allah three times: " O Allah, forgive him. "

Translation: (Compiled by Abu-Dawood, Ahmad and Al-Nasa'i. The version is of Abu-Dawood; and its narrators are reliable.) Al- Hakim compiled the aforesaid Hadith from the narration of Abu-Huraira * meaning something to the same effect. The narration says that the Allah's Messenger said: " Take him away and cut off (his hand), then cauterize him. " (Al-Bazzar compiled it too saying its chain of narrators is not so sound).

For this reason, the Messenger of Allah taught A'isha may Allah be pleased with her when she asked him About the best supplication on Laylatol Qadr, he said:

Translation: Narrated A'isha may Allah be pleased with her; I said; ' O Allah's Messenger! Tell me, if I know which night Laylatol Qadr is, what (invocation) should I say on it? " He said: " Say, O Allah! You forgives sins and love forgiveness, so forgive me. "

Translation: (Compiled by the Al-Khamsa except Abu-Dawood; At- Termizi and Al-Hakim authenticated it).

The Messenger of Allah teaches us one of the best formulas of seeking Allah's forgiveness by his Hadith:

Translation: Narrated Shaddad ibn Aws; The Prophet said: " The most superior formula of asking for forgiveness is: " Allahomma Anta Rabbee La Ilaha Illa Anta, Khalaqtanee Wa Ana Abdoka, Wa Ana Ala Ahdika Wa Wa'adika Mastatat. Auzu Bika Min Sharri Ma Sana'at, Abu'u Laka bi ni'imatika Alayya, Wa Abu'u Bizanbee Faghfirlee Fa Innaho la Yaghfiroth-Thonooba Illa Anta, O Allah! You are my Sustainer and there is none worthy of worship besides You. You have created me and I am Your servant. I will be adhering to Your covenant and promise as possible as I can. I seek refuge with You of what evil I have done. I confess the (countless) favors of You on me. I confess whaterver favor You have given me and confess whatever evil I have done. So, forgive me since, none forgives the sins except You. " The Prophet added: " If somebody invoked it during the day with firm faith in it, and died on the same day before the evening, he will be from the people of Paradise; and if somebody invoked it at night with firm faith in it, and died before the morning, he will be from the people of Paradise. " (Bukhari).

Translation: Now, let us read what Imam Al-Nawawi compiled in this concern.]

Allah said:

Translation: " So know (O Muhammad!) that, La Ilaha Illal-laho (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah), and ask forgiveness for your sin, and also for (the sin of) the believing men and the believing women. And Allah knows well your moving About, and your place of rest (in your homes) ** S: 47-19. And

Translation: " So glorify the Praises of your Lord, and ask for His Forgiveness. Verily, He is the One Who accepts the repentance and the One Who forgives * S: 110-3. And

Translation: " Say: " Shall I inform you of things far better than those? For the pious, there will be Gardens (Paradise) with their Lord, underneath which rivers flow. They will have purified wives thereing. And Allah will be pleased with them. And Allah is All-Seer of the (His) servants * Those who say, " Our Lord! We have indeed believed, so forgive us our sins and save us from the punishment of the Fire * (They are) those who are patient, those who are true (in faith, words, and deeds), and obedient with sincere devotion in worship to Allah. Those who spend (give the Zakat and alms in the Way of Allah) and those who pray and beg Allah's Pardon in the last hours of the night * S: 3-15-17. And

Translation: " And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allah's Forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful * " S: 4-110. And

Translation: “ And Allah would not punish them while you (Muhammad) are amongst them, nor will He punish them while they seek (Allah's) Forgiveness ** S: 8-33. And

Translation: “ And those who, when they have committed Fahisha (an improper behavior) or wronged themselves with evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their sins. And none can forgive sins but Allah-And those who do not persist in what (wrong) they have done, while they know *** S: 3-135.

Translation: 1095. Narrated Abu-Huraira *; I heard Allah's Messenger saying: " By Allah! I seek Allah's Forgiveness and turn to Him in repentance for more than seventy times a day. " (Bukhari).

Translation: 1096. Narrated Thawban " Whenever Allah's Messenger finished his prayer, he used to say after asking Allah's forgiveness three times: " Allahomma Antas-Salamo Waminkas- Salamo Tabarakt Yathal Jalali Walikram (O Allah, You are ther Giver of peace, and peace emits from You. Blessed are You, O Possessor of glory and honor. " (Muslim).