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Allaah - the
Most High - said:
"Seek Allaah's forgiveness for
your sins, Indeed Allaah is Most-Forgiving, Most-Merciful." [Soorah
an-Nisaa 4:106].
"Whosoever does an evil action,
or oppresses his ownself through sinning, then seeks Allaah's forgiveness,
will indeed find that Allaah is Most Forgiving, Most-Merciful."
[Soorah an-Nisaa 4:110].
Imaam as-Sa'dee (d.1376H)-
rahimahullaah - said:
"Whosoever commits an act of disobedience and
plunges himself into sin, but then sincerely does istighfaar (seeks
Allaah's forgiveness) for it - which involves:- [i] affirming that it is a
sin, [ii] having regret for doing it, [iii] abstaining from it, and [iv]
having a firm resolve not to do it again - then such is the person who has
the promise of Allaah's forgiveness and mercy - and indeed Allaah never
breaks His Promise. So Allaah will forgive the sinner, purify him of his
sin, and accept from him those righteous action that he had previously
done [before committing the sin] ...And know that [the term] 'evil
actions' include, in general, all acts of disobedience, whether minor or
major. They are called 'evil actions' because of the terrible punishments
that they necessitate, and because of their evil effects upon the soul.
Likewise [the term] 'oppressing oneself through wrong-doing' includes the
oppression of committing Shirk (directing worship, or any form of worship,
to other than Allaah), as well as the [other forms of injustices] which
are lesser than it. These two terms have also been explained in a way
whereby one is inclusive of the other.
Evil actions have also been
explained here to mean evil actions against people with regards to their
blood, property or honour. Oppressing oneself through wrong-doing has
[also] been explained here to mean those sins and acts of disobedience
that a person commits against Allaah. It is called oppressing oneself
because the person's soul or life is not actually his property so that he
may do anything that he likes with it. Rather, this life, or soul, belongs
to Allaah - the Most High - Who has given it to the person as a trust, and
commanded him to be just and to cling to the Straight Path, both in words
and deeds, and has taught this soul what has been commanded for it and the
actions that it is required to perform. So a person who does not cling to this [Straight] Path is
actually oppressing his ownself, acting treacherously, and swerving from
the path of justice and fairness; the opposite of which is injustice and
oppression."1
The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam said:
"Allaah - the Most High - said: O son of Aadam, so long
as you call upon Me and hove hope in Me, I shall forgive you for what you
have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Aadam, were your sins to reach
the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would
forgive you. O son of Aadam, were you to come to me with sins nearly as
great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to
Me in the worship of Me, I would bring you forgiveness as great as
it."2
Allaah - the Exalted - also said
about istighfaar:
"Allaah will not punish them
whilst you (the Prophet 'alayhis-salaam) are amongst them, nor will He
punish them whilst they seek Allaah's forgiveness." [Soorah al-Anfaal
8:33].
Allaah informs us that there are two
factors which are the cause of safety from the terrible punishment of
Allaah, and would continue to be so as long as they are present in the
Ummah: [i] the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam being amongst them,
and [ii] their seeking Allaah's forgiveness.
Ibn 'Abbaas radiallaahu 'anhu
said:
"There are two [causes] why the people remained safe, [i] the
Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam living amongst them, and [ii] their
seeking Allaah's forgiveness. The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam
has now departed, so all that remains is seeking Allaah's
forgiveness."3
Thus, the more negligent we become
in seeking Allaah's forgiveness, the more we open up the doors of Allaah's
punishment; both to ourselves as individuals and to the society as a
whole. So - O Muslims - let us be mindful!
1. Tayseerul-Kareemur-Rahmaan (p.
164).
2. Saheeh: Related by at-Tirmidhee (no.3540), from Anas
radiallaahu 'anhu. It was authenticated by Shaykh al-Albaanee in
as-Saheehah (nos.127-128).
3. Related by Ibn Katheer in Tafseer
Qur'aanul'Adheem, (2/317). |