*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.
Chapter on Repentance.
On the authority of Abu Sa'id,
Sa'd ibn Malik ibn Sinan al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him,
that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"Among those who came before you, there was a man who had killed ninety-nine people.
Then he asked about the most knowledgeable person on earth,
and he was directed to a monk.
So he went to him and told him
that he had killed ninety-nine people,
asking if there was any repentance for him.
The monk said: 'No.'
So he killed him, thereby completing a hundred.
Then he asked again about the most knowledgeable person on earth,
and was directed to a scholar.
He said
that he had killed a hundred people,
asking if there was any repentance for him.
The scholar said: 'Yes,
and what could stand between him and repentance?
Depart to such-and-such a land,
for in it are people who worship Allah Almighty,
so worship Allah alongside them,
and do not return to your land,
for it is an evil land.'
So he set out,
until, when he reached halfway,
death overtook him.
Thereupon, the angels of mercy and the angels of punishment disputed over him.
The angels of mercy said:
'He came repentant, turning with all his heart toward Allah Almighty.'
But the angels of punishment said:
'He never did any good deed whatsoever.'
Then an angel came to them in the form of a human being,
so they made him an arbitrator between them—
that is, a judge.
He said:
'Measure the distance between the two lands,
and whichever one he is closer to, he belongs to it.'
So they measured,
and found him closer to the land he had intended to go to;
hence the angels of mercy took his soul."
Agreed upon.
In a narration in the *Sahih*:
"He was closer to the righteous village by a handspan,
so he was counted among its people."
In another narration in the *Sahih*:
"Then Allah Almighty commanded this land to draw near—
rather, Allah Almighty revealed to this land: 'Move farther away,'
and to that land: 'Draw nearer,'
and He said:
'Measure the distance between the two.'
So they found him closer to this one by a handspan,
and he was forgiven."
And in a narration:
"He dragged his chest toward it."
"Monk":
meaning a devout worshiper from among the Children of Israel.
"What could stand between him...":
meaning what could act as a barrier or separation
that would prevent him from repenting?
"Adna":
meaning closer.
"He dragged his chest":
meaning he pushed forward with great effort and hardship,
despite the agonizing agony of death that had overtaken him.
Among the lessons of the hadith:
The wisdom of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
in guiding and admonishing through striking parables,
because human souls are inclined to follow the example of their own kind.
The permissibility of narrating about the Children of Israel,
for marvelous things indeed occurred among them;
however, when the People of the Book narrate something to us,
we neither believe them unconditionally nor disbelieve them outright.
The human soul possesses inherent goodness,
while evil and wickedness are merely alien to it;
so when it encounters someone to remind it,
it exhibits an innate readiness to remain steadfast on the path of guidance.
The superiority of knowledge coupled with modest worship
over abundant worship accompanied by ignorance;
for the ignorant worshiper may cause harm
while intending to do good,
thus perishing, causing others to perish, straying, and leading others astray.
Whoever undertakes the task of guiding people
and calling them to Islam and truth
ought to acquire proper sacred knowledge,
otherwise their harm will outweigh their benefit.
The ignorant person is their own worst enemy;
indeed, the monk's lack of discernment led to his downfall.
The scholar and caller to Allah must
give glad tidings and not drive people away,
and must not cause people to despair of the mercy of Allah,
which encompasses all things.
The gate of repentance is open for all sins and transgressions,
both major and minor,
for anyone who repents sincerely.
The angels entrusted with the Children of Adam
may exercise differing assessments concerning them,
regarding what they record:
whether the person was obedient or disobedient,
and they dispute over that
until Allah judges between them.
The capacity of angels to take shape
in the form of a human being.
The legitimacy of investigation—
the legitimacy of migrating from a land
in which Allah is disobeyed
to a land in which Allah is not disobeyed,
or where its inhabitants are at least less corrupt than the former.
A repentant person ought
to abandon the habits and environments they were accustomed to during sin,
transform their entire circumstance,
and occupy themselves with other righteous pursuits.
Accompanying people of knowledge, piety, and righteousness.
Bearing hardship in order to join the righteous
is proof of the sincerity of one's desire
in turning in repentance to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.
The permissibility of arbitration,
as Allah sent an angel in the form of a human
to arbitrate between the disputing angels.
When evidence and circumstances conflict
and multiple proofs are presented before the judge,
he may rely on circumstantial indicators.
Allah Almighty's love for the repentance of His servants,
His informing the angels thereof
out of pride in them,
and His taking the repentant servants by the hand
toward salvation.
On the authority of Abu Nujayd,
'Imran ibn al-Husayn al-Khuza'i, may Allah be pleased with them both,
that a woman from Juhaynah
came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
while she was pregnant from zina.
She said: "O Messenger of Allah,
I have incurred a prescribed punishment (hadd), so carry it out upon me."
So the Prophet of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, summoned
her guardian and said:
"Treat her kindly,
and when she gives birth, bring her to me." And he did so.
Then the Prophet of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, issued the command regarding her;
her garments were tied securely around her,
then he ordered that she be stoned, and she was stoned,
after which he offered the funeral prayer over her.
'Umar said to him:
"Do you pray over her, O Messenger of Allah, when she committed zina?"
He replied: "She has repented with such a repentance
that if it were distributed among seventy of the people of
Medina, it would suffice them all.
Have you found anything nobler than that she surrendered
herself willingly to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic?"
"I have incurred a prescribed punishment":
meaning, "I have committed an act that warrants a hadd penalty,"
referring to adultery (zina).
"Her garments were tied securely around her":
meaning their hems were fastened together to keep her covered,
so that she would not be exposed while being stoned.
"It would suffice them": meaning it would be enough for them
to remit their sins.
"She surrendered herself willingly to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic."
Among the lessons of the hadith:
A believer is susceptible to trials yet constantly repentant;
whenever they fall short regarding Allah's rights,
they hasten to purify and cleanse their soul
from the taint of sin,
even if it involves the forfeiture of their own life.
The prescribed penalties serve as deterrents and expiations;
whoever has a hadd punishment carried out upon them in this world,
that constitutes their share of punishment.
The hadd penalty for zina is not carried out on a pregnant woman
until she delivers her child.
The worldly punishment expiates
the guilt of the transgression, provided it is coupled
with remorse and repentance.
On the authority of Ibn 'Abbas and Anas ibn Malik,
may Allah be pleased with them,
that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"If the son of Adam possessed a valley of gold,
he would love to have two valleys;
and nothing will fill his mouth except dust,
yet Allah turns in forgiveness to whoever repents."
Agreed upon.
"A valley of gold":
meaning a whole valley filled with gold.
"Nothing will fill his mouth except dust":
meaning that the son of Adam remains covetous of worldly wealth
until he dies and his mouth is filled with earth.
Among the lessons of the hadith:
The censure of seeking an excess of wealth,
craving it, and clinging greedily to it,
because pursuing it through every avenue
leads to miserliness and greed;
whereas acquiring wealth through lawful means
and fulfilling its due obligations is not blameworthy.
Allah accepts the repentance of whoever turns away
from blameworthy characteristics.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him,
that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
said:
"Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, laughs
at two men,
one of whom kills the other,
[ASR garble]
and Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, laughs
at two men,
one of whom kills the other, yet both enter Paradise:
this one fights in the cause of Allah
and is killed,
then Allah accepts the repentance of the killer,
who embraces Islam and is subsequently martyred."
Agreed upon.
Among the lessons derived from the hadith are:
Affirming the attribute of laughter for Allah, Exalted be He,
which is an active divine attribute of action,
in a manner befitting His majesty and perfection.
Never despairing of the mercy of Allah, Exalted be He,
because Islam wipes out whatever came before it
of disbelief and polytheism.
The obligation of repenting from sin, no matter how grave it may be.
Martyrdom in the cause of Allah, Exalted be He,
is among the deeds that guarantee Paradise.
Riyad al-Salihin.