Do not be hasty in praising people or blaming them, for perhaps what pleases you from a person today will displease you tomorrow, and perhaps what displeases you today, will please you tomorrow. Indeed, people change. It is Allāh who forgives the sins. And Allāh is more merciful to his servant the day he meets him than a mother who lays out a bed for her child in an empty patch of land and feels [the ground]: if there is a risk of being stung, it will be her instead of him (her child), and if there is a risk of being pricked by a thorn, it will be her instead of him.
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Repentance
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It is reported that a man came to ʿAlī – Allāh be pleased with him – and asked, What do you think about a man who committed a sin? He replied, He must seek Allāh’s forgiveness and repent to Him. [The man] said, He did that, but then sinned again? [ʿAlī] said, He must seek Allāh’s forgiveness and repent to Him. The man again said, He did that, but returned to sin. [ʿAlī] said, He must seek Allāh’s forgiveness and repent to Him. The man said for the fourth time, He did, but then sinned again. ʿAlī then said, Until when? Then he said, He must seek Allāh’s forgiveness and repent to Him; and not give up until it is Shayṭān who is defeated [overcome].
Hunād b. Al-Sarī, Kitāb Al-Zuhd article 910
ʿAlī b. Ḥusayn Zayn Al-ʿĀbidīnRepentance in Action
It is reported that ‘Alī b. Ḥusayn – Allāh have mercy on him – said, “Tawbah is only through action, and turning back from what has been done. Tawbah is not by mere speech.”
Ibn Abī Al-Dunyā, Al-Tawbah article 57.
Al-Ḥasan Al-BaṣrīThe Successful Pilgrim
It was said to Al-Ḥasan Al-Baṣrī, “People say that the one who has been on Ḥajj is the one who is forgiven.” He said, “And the sign of this is that he leaves the evils he used to do.”
Ibn Abī Al-Dunyā, Al-Tawbah article 70.
Ṭalq b. ḤabībWe can only repent
It is reported that Ṭalq b. Ḥabīb – Allāh have mercy on him – said, “The right of Allāh is too great and heavy for the creation to fulfill and the blessings of Allāh are too many to enumerate, but you should remain repentant, morning and evening.”
Ibn Abī Al-Dunyā, Al-Tawbah article 62.
Shaqīq Al-BalakhīThe signs of true Repentance
The great ascetic Shaqīq Al-Balakhī – Allāh have mercy on him – was once asked, “What is the mark of [true] repentance?” He replied, “Continued crying over past sins, deep fear of falling into them again, staying away from bad company, and keeping the company of good people.”
Abū Bakr Al-Daynūrī, Al-Mujālasah wa Jawāhir Al-‘Ilm article 2645.
MakḥūlThe Softest Hearts
It is reported that Makḥūl – Allāh have mercy on him – said, “The people with the softest hearts are those who sin the least.”
Abū Nu’aym, Ḥilyah Al-Awliyā` Vol. 2 p344. It is reported that ‘Awn b. ʿAbdillāh, the ascetic and jurist, said, “Sit with the repentant, for they have the softest hearts.” Abū Nu’aym, Ḥilyah Al-Awliyā` Vol. 2 p192.
Abū Nu’aym, Ḥilyah Al-Awliyā` Vol. 2 p192.
Abū Ayyūb Al-AnṣārīRelying on some deeds, forgetting others
It is reported that Abū Ayyūb Al-Anṣārī – Allāh be pleased with him – said, “A person might do a single good deed, rely on it and forget sins that he regards insignificant, but then meet Allāh (on the Day of Judgment) with those sins surrounding him. And a man might commit a sin, but never stop fearing its consequences, until he meets Allāh safe and sound.”
Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajr, Fatḥ Al-Bārī, references this narration to Asad b. Mūsā’s Al-Zuhd. A slightly different wording is reported by Ibn Al-Mubārak in Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqā`iq Vol.1 p170.
In explanation of this verse, Al-Ṭabarī reports the following narrations in his Tafsīr: He reports that ʿUmar b. Al-Khattāb – Allāh be pleased with him – was asked about true repentance. He replied, “It is that a man repents from an evil deed, and never does it again.” He also reports that ʿUmar said, “It is that you repent from the sin and never do it again, or never intend to do it again.” Similarly, he reports from ʿAbdullāh (Ibn ‘Abbās) – Allāh be pleased with him – that he said, “A person repents, and then never goes back to the sin.”, and “It means that a person never returns to the sin from which he repented.” Mujāhid is quoted as saying, “They seek Allāh’s forgiveness and then never go back to sin.” Qatādah is quoted as saying, “It is the true and sincere repentance.” Al-Ṭabarī, Tafsīr Al-Ṭabarī, in the commentary on Sūrah Al-Taḥrīm.
Al-Ṭabarī, Tafsīr Al-Ṭabarī, in the commentary on Sūrah Al-Taḥrīm.
He was one of the major scholars, he was born during the life of the Prophet – Allah’s peace and blessing be upon him…he was a reliable and truthful reporter…he reported numerous ahādīth. The following are some of the Companions he reported from: Here is the story of how he repented. He narrates: I was a boy with a nice voice and I was good at playing drums. I was once with a friend and we had nabīdh (a date infusion drink that can turn alcoholic) and I was singing for my friends. Ibn Mas’ūd was passing by and entered upon us; he struck the drink container we had and broke the drum. Then he said, “O boy! If your nice voice was to be heard reciting Qur`ān instead you would be the man!” And then he went on his way. I asked my friends, “Who was that?” They told me it was Ibn Mas’ūd. At that point tawbah was cast into my soul, and so I ran after him crying, I grabbed his garment and he turned to me and embraced me and cried. He said, “Welcome to him who Allah loves. Sit down.” He then went inside and brought out some dates for me. Thereafter, Zādhān became pious; Al-Dhahabī also reports that he was seen praying and it was as if he was a piece of wood or a tree in his stillness and humility in prayer. He died in 82H, Allah have mercy on him. Al-Dhahabī, Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā`, in his biography of Zādhān.
Al-Dhahabī, Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā`, in his biography of Zādhān.