Riyadh Al-Salehin | Episode (4) | Chapter of Repentance (2)

0:00 *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.

0:09 Chapter on Repentance.

0:14 On the authority of Abu Sa'id,

0:18 Sa'd ibn Malik ibn Sinan al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him,

0:22 that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

0:27 "Among those who came before you, there was a man who had killed ninety-nine people.

0:33 Then he asked about the most knowledgeable person on earth,

0:36 and he was directed to a monk.

0:38 So he went to him and told him

0:40 that he had killed ninety-nine people,

0:44 asking if there was any repentance for him.

0:46 The monk said: 'No.'

0:48 So he killed him, thereby completing a hundred.

0:51 Then he asked again about the most knowledgeable person on earth,

0:54 and was directed to a scholar.

0:57 He said

0:58 that he had killed a hundred people,

1:00 asking if there was any repentance for him.

1:02 The scholar said: 'Yes,

1:04 and what could stand between him and repentance?

1:07 Depart to such-and-such a land,

1:10 for in it are people who worship Allah Almighty,

1:14 so worship Allah alongside them,

1:17 and do not return to your land,

1:19 for it is an evil land.'

1:21 So he set out,

1:23 until, when he reached halfway,

1:25 death overtook him.

1:27 Thereupon, the angels of mercy and the angels of punishment disputed over him.

1:30 The angels of mercy said:

1:33 'He came repentant, turning with all his heart toward Allah Almighty.'

1:38 But the angels of punishment said:

1:41 'He never did any good deed whatsoever.'

1:44 Then an angel came to them in the form of a human being,

1:49 so they made him an arbitrator between them—

1:51 that is, a judge.

1:53 He said:

1:54 'Measure the distance between the two lands,

1:57 and whichever one he is closer to, he belongs to it.'

1:59 So they measured,

2:01 and found him closer to the land he had intended to go to;

2:05 hence the angels of mercy took his soul."

2:08 Agreed upon.

2:10 In a narration in the *Sahih*:

2:13 "He was closer to the righteous village by a handspan,

2:17 so he was counted among its people."

2:19 In another narration in the *Sahih*:

2:22 "Then Allah Almighty commanded this land to draw near—

2:26 rather, Allah Almighty revealed to this land: 'Move farther away,'

2:30 and to that land: 'Draw nearer,'

2:33 and He said:

2:35 'Measure the distance between the two.'

2:37 So they found him closer to this one by a handspan,

2:40 and he was forgiven."

2:42 And in a narration:

2:44 "He dragged his chest toward it."

2:47 "Monk":

2:50 meaning a devout worshiper from among the Children of Israel.

2:54 "What could stand between him...":

2:56 meaning what could act as a barrier or separation

2:59 that would prevent him from repenting?

3:01 "Adna":

3:02 meaning closer.

3:04 "He dragged his chest":

3:06 meaning he pushed forward with great effort and hardship,

3:09 despite the agonizing agony of death that had overtaken him.

3:12 Among the lessons of the hadith:

3:16 The wisdom of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

3:19 in guiding and admonishing through striking parables,

3:23 because human souls are inclined to follow the example of their own kind.

3:28 The permissibility of narrating about the Children of Israel,

3:31 for marvelous things indeed occurred among them;

3:34 however, when the People of the Book narrate something to us,

3:38 we neither believe them unconditionally nor disbelieve them outright.

3:41 The human soul possesses inherent goodness,

3:45 while evil and wickedness are merely alien to it;

3:48 so when it encounters someone to remind it,

3:51 it exhibits an innate readiness to remain steadfast on the path of guidance.

3:56 The superiority of knowledge coupled with modest worship

4:00 over abundant worship accompanied by ignorance;

4:03 for the ignorant worshiper may cause harm

4:06 while intending to do good,

4:09 thus perishing, causing others to perish, straying, and leading others astray.

4:13 Whoever undertakes the task of guiding people

4:16 and calling them to Islam and truth

4:19 ought to acquire proper sacred knowledge,

4:21 otherwise their harm will outweigh their benefit.

4:25 The ignorant person is their own worst enemy;

4:28 indeed, the monk's lack of discernment led to his downfall.

4:31 The scholar and caller to Allah must

4:34 give glad tidings and not drive people away,

4:37 and must not cause people to despair of the mercy of Allah,

4:40 which encompasses all things.

4:43 The gate of repentance is open for all sins and transgressions,

4:47 both major and minor,

4:50 for anyone who repents sincerely.

4:53 The angels entrusted with the Children of Adam

4:56 may exercise differing assessments concerning them,

4:59 regarding what they record:

5:02 whether the person was obedient or disobedient,

5:05 and they dispute over that

5:08 until Allah judges between them.

5:11 The capacity of angels to take shape

5:14 in the form of a human being.

5:18 The legitimacy of investigation—

5:21 the legitimacy of migrating from a land

5:24 in which Allah is disobeyed

5:27 to a land in which Allah is not disobeyed,

5:30 or where its inhabitants are at least less corrupt than the former.

5:33 A repentant person ought

5:36 to abandon the habits and environments they were accustomed to during sin,

5:39 transform their entire circumstance,

5:42 and occupy themselves with other righteous pursuits.

5:45 Accompanying people of knowledge, piety, and righteousness.

5:49 Bearing hardship in order to join the righteous

5:52 is proof of the sincerity of one's desire

5:55 in turning in repentance to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.

5:58 The permissibility of arbitration,

6:02 as Allah sent an angel in the form of a human

6:05 to arbitrate between the disputing angels.

6:08 When evidence and circumstances conflict

6:11 and multiple proofs are presented before the judge,

6:14 he may rely on circumstantial indicators.

6:17 Allah Almighty's love for the repentance of His servants,

6:20 His informing the angels thereof

6:23 out of pride in them,

6:26 and His taking the repentant servants by the hand

6:29 toward salvation.

6:32 On the authority of Abu Nujayd,

6:36 'Imran ibn al-Husayn al-Khuza'i, may Allah be pleased with them both,

6:39 that a woman from Juhaynah

6:42 came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

6:46 while she was pregnant from zina.

6:49 She said: "O Messenger of Allah,

6:52 I have incurred a prescribed punishment (hadd), so carry it out upon me."

6:55 So the Prophet of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, summoned

6:58 her guardian and said:

7:01 "Treat her kindly,

7:04 and when she gives birth, bring her to me." And he did so.

7:07 Then the Prophet of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, issued the command regarding her;

7:10 her garments were tied securely around her,

7:13 then he ordered that she be stoned, and she was stoned,

7:16 after which he offered the funeral prayer over her.

7:19 'Umar said to him:

7:22 "Do you pray over her, O Messenger of Allah, when she committed zina?"

7:25 He replied: "She has repented with such a repentance

7:28 that if it were distributed among seventy of the people of

7:31 Medina, it would suffice them all.

7:34 Have you found anything nobler than that she surrendered

7:37 herself willingly to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic?"

7:41 "I have incurred a prescribed punishment":

7:46 meaning, "I have committed an act that warrants a hadd penalty,"

7:49 referring to adultery (zina).

7:52 "Her garments were tied securely around her":

7:55 meaning their hems were fastened together to keep her covered,

7:58 so that she would not be exposed while being stoned.

8:01 "It would suffice them": meaning it would be enough for them

8:04 to remit their sins.

8:07 "She surrendered herself willingly to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic."

8:11 Among the lessons of the hadith:

8:16 A believer is susceptible to trials yet constantly repentant;

8:19 whenever they fall short regarding Allah's rights,

8:22 they hasten to purify and cleanse their soul

8:25 from the taint of sin,

8:28 even if it involves the forfeiture of their own life.

8:31 The prescribed penalties serve as deterrents and expiations;

8:34 whoever has a hadd punishment carried out upon them in this world,

8:37 that constitutes their share of punishment.

8:41 The hadd penalty for zina is not carried out on a pregnant woman

8:44 until she delivers her child.

8:48 The worldly punishment expiates

8:51 the guilt of the transgression, provided it is coupled

8:54 with remorse and repentance.

8:58 On the authority of Ibn 'Abbas and Anas ibn Malik,

9:01 may Allah be pleased with them,

9:04 that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

9:08 "If the son of Adam possessed a valley of gold,

9:11 he would love to have two valleys;

9:14 and nothing will fill his mouth except dust,

9:17 yet Allah turns in forgiveness to whoever repents."

9:20 Agreed upon.

9:23 "A valley of gold":

9:27 meaning a whole valley filled with gold.

9:30 "Nothing will fill his mouth except dust":

9:33 meaning that the son of Adam remains covetous of worldly wealth

9:36 until he dies and his mouth is filled with earth.

9:40 Among the lessons of the hadith:

9:45 The censure of seeking an excess of wealth,

9:48 craving it, and clinging greedily to it,

9:51 because pursuing it through every avenue

9:54 leads to miserliness and greed;

9:57 whereas acquiring wealth through lawful means

10:00 and fulfilling its due obligations is not blameworthy.

10:03 Allah accepts the repentance of whoever turns away

10:06 from blameworthy characteristics.

10:10 On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him,

10:13 that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

10:16 said:

10:19 "Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, laughs

10:22 at two men,

10:27 one of whom kills the other,

10:30 [ASR garble]

10:33 and Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, laughs

10:36 at two men,

10:39 one of whom kills the other, yet both enter Paradise:

10:42 this one fights in the cause of Allah

10:45 and is killed,

10:48 then Allah accepts the repentance of the killer,

10:51 who embraces Islam and is subsequently martyred."

10:54 Agreed upon.

10:58 Among the lessons derived from the hadith are:

11:02 Affirming the attribute of laughter for Allah, Exalted be He,

11:05 which is an active divine attribute of action,

11:08 in a manner befitting His majesty and perfection.

11:11 Never despairing of the mercy of Allah, Exalted be He,

11:14 because Islam wipes out whatever came before it

11:17 of disbelief and polytheism.

11:20 The obligation of repenting from sin, no matter how grave it may be.

11:24 Martyrdom in the cause of Allah, Exalted be He,

11:27 is among the deeds that guarantee Paradise.

11:30 Riyad al-Salihin.

Riyadh Al-Salehin | Episode (4) | Chapter of Repentance (2)

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