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*Riyad al-Salihin* (The Meadows of the Righteous) from the words of the Master of the Messengers, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

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Chapter on Repentance.

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On the authority of Abu Sa'id,

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Sa'd ibn Malik ibn Sinan al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him,

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that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

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"Among those who came before you, there was a man who had killed ninety-nine people.

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Then he asked about the most knowledgeable person on earth,

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and he was directed to a monk.

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So he went to him and told him

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that he had killed ninety-nine people,

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asking if there was any repentance for him.

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The monk said: 'No.'

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So he killed him, thereby completing a hundred.

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Then he asked again about the most knowledgeable person on earth,

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and was directed to a scholar.

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He said

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that he had killed a hundred people,

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asking if there was any repentance for him.

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The scholar said: 'Yes,

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and what could stand between him and repentance?

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Depart to such-and-such a land,

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for in it are people who worship Allah Almighty,

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so worship Allah alongside them,

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and do not return to your land,

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for it is an evil land.'

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So he set out,

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until, when he reached halfway,

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death overtook him.

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Thereupon, the angels of mercy and the angels of punishment disputed over him.

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The angels of mercy said:

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'He came repentant, turning with all his heart toward Allah Almighty.'

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But the angels of punishment said:

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'He never did any good deed whatsoever.'

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Then an angel came to them in the form of a human being,

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so they made him an arbitrator between them—

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that is, a judge.

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He said:

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'Measure the distance between the two lands,

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and whichever one he is closer to, he belongs to it.'

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So they measured,

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and found him closer to the land he had intended to go to;

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hence the angels of mercy took his soul."

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Agreed upon.

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In a narration in the *Sahih*:

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"He was closer to the righteous village by a handspan,

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so he was counted among its people."

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In another narration in the *Sahih*:

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"Then Allah Almighty commanded this land to draw near—

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rather, Allah Almighty revealed to this land: 'Move farther away,'

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and to that land: 'Draw nearer,'

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and He said:

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'Measure the distance between the two.'

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So they found him closer to this one by a handspan,

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and he was forgiven."

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And in a narration:

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"He dragged his chest toward it."

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"Monk":

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meaning a devout worshiper from among the Children of Israel.

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"What could stand between him...":

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meaning what could act as a barrier or separation

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that would prevent him from repenting?

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"Adna":

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meaning closer.

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"He dragged his chest":

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meaning he pushed forward with great effort and hardship,

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despite the agonizing agony of death that had overtaken him.

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Among the lessons of the hadith:

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The wisdom of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

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in guiding and admonishing through striking parables,

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because human souls are inclined to follow the example of their own kind.

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The permissibility of narrating about the Children of Israel,

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for marvelous things indeed occurred among them;

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however, when the People of the Book narrate something to us,

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we neither believe them unconditionally nor disbelieve them outright.

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The human soul possesses inherent goodness,

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while evil and wickedness are merely alien to it;

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so when it encounters someone to remind it,

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it exhibits an innate readiness to remain steadfast on the path of guidance.

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The superiority of knowledge coupled with modest worship

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over abundant worship accompanied by ignorance;

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for the ignorant worshiper may cause harm

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while intending to do good,

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thus perishing, causing others to perish, straying, and leading others astray.

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Whoever undertakes the task of guiding people

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and calling them to Islam and truth

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ought to acquire proper sacred knowledge,

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otherwise their harm will outweigh their benefit.

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The ignorant person is their own worst enemy;

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indeed, the monk's lack of discernment led to his downfall.

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The scholar and caller to Allah must

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give glad tidings and not drive people away,

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and must not cause people to despair of the mercy of Allah,

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which encompasses all things.

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The gate of repentance is open for all sins and transgressions,

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both major and minor,

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for anyone who repents sincerely.

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The angels entrusted with the Children of Adam

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may exercise differing assessments concerning them,

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regarding what they record:

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whether the person was obedient or disobedient,

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and they dispute over that

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until Allah judges between them.

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The capacity of angels to take shape

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in the form of a human being.

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The legitimacy of investigation—

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the legitimacy of migrating from a land

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in which Allah is disobeyed

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to a land in which Allah is not disobeyed,

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or where its inhabitants are at least less corrupt than the former.

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A repentant person ought

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to abandon the habits and environments they were accustomed to during sin,

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transform their entire circumstance,

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and occupy themselves with other righteous pursuits.

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Accompanying people of knowledge, piety, and righteousness.

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Bearing hardship in order to join the righteous

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is proof of the sincerity of one's desire

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in turning in repentance to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.

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The permissibility of arbitration,

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as Allah sent an angel in the form of a human

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to arbitrate between the disputing angels.

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When evidence and circumstances conflict

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and multiple proofs are presented before the judge,

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he may rely on circumstantial indicators.

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Allah Almighty's love for the repentance of His servants,

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His informing the angels thereof

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out of pride in them,

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and His taking the repentant servants by the hand

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toward salvation.

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On the authority of Abu Nujayd,

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'Imran ibn al-Husayn al-Khuza'i, may Allah be pleased with them both,

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that a woman from Juhaynah

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came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

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while she was pregnant from zina.

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She said: "O Messenger of Allah,

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I have incurred a prescribed punishment (hadd), so carry it out upon me."

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So the Prophet of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, summoned

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her guardian and said:

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"Treat her kindly,

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and when she gives birth, bring her to me." And he did so.

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Then the Prophet of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, issued the command regarding her;

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her garments were tied securely around her,

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then he ordered that she be stoned, and she was stoned,

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after which he offered the funeral prayer over her.

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'Umar said to him:

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"Do you pray over her, O Messenger of Allah, when she committed zina?"

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He replied: "She has repented with such a repentance

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that if it were distributed among seventy of the people of

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Medina, it would suffice them all.

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Have you found anything nobler than that she surrendered

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herself willingly to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic?"

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"I have incurred a prescribed punishment":

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meaning, "I have committed an act that warrants a hadd penalty,"

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referring to adultery (zina).

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"Her garments were tied securely around her":

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meaning their hems were fastened together to keep her covered,

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so that she would not be exposed while being stoned.

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"It would suffice them": meaning it would be enough for them

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to remit their sins.

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"She surrendered herself willingly to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic."

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Among the lessons of the hadith:

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A believer is susceptible to trials yet constantly repentant;

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whenever they fall short regarding Allah's rights,

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they hasten to purify and cleanse their soul

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from the taint of sin,

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even if it involves the forfeiture of their own life.

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The prescribed penalties serve as deterrents and expiations;

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whoever has a hadd punishment carried out upon them in this world,

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that constitutes their share of punishment.

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The hadd penalty for zina is not carried out on a pregnant woman

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until she delivers her child.

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The worldly punishment expiates

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the guilt of the transgression, provided it is coupled

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with remorse and repentance.

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On the authority of Ibn 'Abbas and Anas ibn Malik,

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may Allah be pleased with them,

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that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

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"If the son of Adam possessed a valley of gold,

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he would love to have two valleys;

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and nothing will fill his mouth except dust,

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yet Allah turns in forgiveness to whoever repents."

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Agreed upon.

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"A valley of gold":

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meaning a whole valley filled with gold.

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"Nothing will fill his mouth except dust":

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meaning that the son of Adam remains covetous of worldly wealth

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until he dies and his mouth is filled with earth.

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Among the lessons of the hadith:

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The censure of seeking an excess of wealth,

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craving it, and clinging greedily to it,

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because pursuing it through every avenue

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leads to miserliness and greed;

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whereas acquiring wealth through lawful means

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and fulfilling its due obligations is not blameworthy.

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Allah accepts the repentance of whoever turns away

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from blameworthy characteristics.

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On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him,

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that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

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said:

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"Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, laughs

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at two men,

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one of whom kills the other,

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[ASR garble]

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and Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, laughs

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at two men,

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one of whom kills the other, yet both enter Paradise:

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this one fights in the cause of Allah

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and is killed,

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then Allah accepts the repentance of the killer,

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who embraces Islam and is subsequently martyred."

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Agreed upon.

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Among the lessons derived from the hadith are:

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Affirming the attribute of laughter for Allah, Exalted be He,

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which is an active divine attribute of action,

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in a manner befitting His majesty and perfection.

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Never despairing of the mercy of Allah, Exalted be He,

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because Islam wipes out whatever came before it

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of disbelief and polytheism.

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The obligation of repenting from sin, no matter how grave it may be.

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Martyrdom in the cause of Allah, Exalted be He,

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is among the deeds that guarantee Paradise.

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Riyad al-Salihin.