The Authenticity of the Hadith on Seeking Forgiveness for Sin and Its Meaning

The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta

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Fatwa No. ( 5550 ):
Q: I have read a hadith in a book titled [Riyad al-Salihin] by Abu Zakariyya Yahya ibn Sharaf al-Nawawi al-Dimashqi, page 305, number \ H \ 392, in the chapter on Hope, narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): in what he relates from his Lord, Blessed and Exalted is He, he said:
A servant committed a sin and said: O Allah, forgive me my sin. So Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, said: My servant committed a sin, and he knew that he has a Lord who forgives the sin and takes account of the sin. Then he returned and committed a sin and said: O my Lord, forgive me my sin. So He, Blessed and Exalted is He, said: My servant committed a sin, and he knew that he has a Lord who forgives the sin and takes account of the sin. Then he returned and committed a sin and said: O my Lord, forgive me my sin. So He, Blessed and Exalted is He, said: My servant committed a sin, and he knew that he has a Lord who forgives the sin and takes account of the sin. I have forgiven my servant, so let him do what he will.
أذنب عبد ذنبًا فقال: اللهم اغفر لي ذنبي، فقال الله تبارك وتعالى: أذنب عبدي ذنبًا، فعلم أن له ربًّا يغفر الذنب ويأخذ بالذنب، ثم عاد فأذنب فقال: أي ربي اغفر لي ذنبي، فقال تبارك وتعالى: أذنب عبدي ذنبًا، فعلم أن له ربًّا يغفر الذنب ويأخذ بالذنب، ثم عاد فأذنب فقال: أي ربي اغفر لي ذنبي فقال تبارك وتعالى: أذنب عبدي ذنبًا، فعلم أن له ربًّا يغفر الذنب ويأخذ بالذنب، قد غفرت لعبدي فليعمل ما شاء
It is agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim. I hope my honorable scholars can provide information about the authenticity of this hadith and its meaning?
A: The qudsi hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), "A servant committed a sin...
...etc. is an authentic, established hadith. It was narrated by both Imam al-Bukhari in his book [al-Sahih al-Musnad], and by Imam Muslim in his Sahih. Imam Muslim said: 'Abd al-A'la ibn Hammad narrated to us, Hammad ibn Salama narrated to us from Ishaq ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Abi Talhah from 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi 'Umarah from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in what he relates from his Lord, Mighty and Majestic, he said:

A servant committed a sin and he said: O Allah, forgive me my sins, and Allah (the Exalted and Glorious) said: My servant commited a sin and then he came to realise that he has a Lord Who forgives the sins and takes to account (the sinner) for the sin. He then again committed a sin and said: My Lord, forgive me my sin, and Allah, the Exalted and High, said: My servant committed a sin and then came to realise that he has a Lord Who would forgive his sin or would take (him) to account for the sin. He again committed a sin and said: My Lord, forgive me for my sin, and Allah (the Exalted and High) said: My servant sas committed a sin and then came to realise that he has a Lord Who forgives the sins or takes (him) to account for sin. O servant, do what you like. I have granted you forgiveness.

أذنب عبد ذنبًا فقال: اللهم اغفر لي ذنبي، فقال تبارك وتعالى: أذنب عبدي ذنبًا فعلم أن له ربًّا يغفر الذنب ويأخذ بالذنب، ثم عاد فأذنب، فقال: أي رب اغفر لي ذنبي، فقال تبارك وتعالى: عبدي أذنب ذنبًا فعلم أن له ربًّا يغفر الذنب ويأخذ بالذنب، ثم عاد فأذنب فقال: أي رب اغفر لي ذنبي، فقال تبارك وتعالى: أذنب عبدي ذنبًا فعلم أن له ربًّا يغفر الذنب ويأخذ بالذنب، اعمل ما شئت فقد غفرت لك

Sahih Muslim 2758a

. And al-Bukhari said: Ahmad ibn Ishaq narrated to us, 'Amr ibn 'Asim narrated to us, Hammad narrated to us, Ishaq ibn 'Abd Allah said: I heard 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi 'Umarah say: I heard Abu Hurayrah say: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say:

If somebody commits a sin and then says, 'O my Lord! I have sinned, please forgive me!' and his Lord says, 'My slave has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for it, I therefore have forgiven my slave (his sins).' Then he remains without committing any sin for a while and then again commits another sin and says, 'O my Lord, I have committed another sin, please forgive me,' and Allah says, 'My slave has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for it, I therefore have forgiven my slave (his sin). Then he remains without Committing any another sin for a while and then commits another sin (for the third time) and says, 'O my Lord, I have committed another sin, please forgive me,' and Allah says, 'My slave has known that he has a Lord Who forgives sins and punishes for it I therefore have forgiven My slave (his sin), he can do whatever he likes."

إن عبدًا أصاب ذنبًا، وربما قال: أذنب ذنبًا، فقال: رب أذنبت ذنبًا، وربما قال: أصبت فاغفره، فقال ربه: علم عبدي أن له ربًّا يغفر الذنب ويأخذ به غفرت لعبدي، ثم مكث ما شاء الله ثم أصاب ذنبًا أو أذنب ذنبًا، فقال: رب أذنبت أو أصبت آخر فاغفره، فقال: علم عبدي أن له ربًّا يغفر الذنب ويأخذ به غفرت لعبدي، ثم مكث ما شاء الله، ثم أذنب ذنبًا، وربما قال: أصاب ذنبًا، فقال: رب أصبت، أو قال: أذنبت آخر فاغفره لي، فقال: علم عبدي أن له ربًّا يغفر الذنب ويأخذ به غفرت لعبدي - ثلاثًا - فليعمل ما شاء

Sahih al-Bukhari 7507

in the book of Tawhid. As for its meaning, there is no ambiguity in it: It is that as long as the servant sins, then seeks forgiveness with the seeking of the regretful, repentant one who has turned away from his sin and resolved not to return to it, Allah forgives him. It is not understood from His saying, "So let him do what he will," that sins and disobedience are permissible; rather, the meaning is what has preceded regarding the forgiveness of sin when one seeks forgiveness and repents. The Hafiz said in [al-Fath]: Ibn Battal said in this hadith: The one who persists in sin is within the will of Allah the Exalted; if He wills, He will punish him, and if He wills, He will forgive him, prioritizing the good that came with it, which is (his belief) that he has a Lord, a Creator who punishes and forgives him, and his seeking of forgiveness from Him indicates this. Allah the Exalted said:

Whoever comes [on the Day of Judgement] with a good deed will have ten times the like thereof [to his credit]

مَنْ جَاءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ عَشْرُ أَمْثَالِهَا

[Al-An'am 6:160]

, and there is no greater good than tawhid (the oneness of Allah). And success is from Allah. May Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.

Source www.alifta.gov.sa

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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