His saying (peace and blessings be upon him): “All my Ummah is forgiven except those who are open in their sins,” and the second hadith
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The questioner : A questioner says: O honorable Shaykh, I have a doubt, and I want you to remove it from me. May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : O Allah, make it easy.
The questioner : In two hadiths: His saying (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih al-Bukhari 6069 or as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said. The second hadith: or as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said. The first one reassures me, but the second keeps me awake at night. I hope you will clarify the connection between them, O honorable Shaykh. May Allah benefit you.
The Shaykh : Yes, the connection between them is that some people boast about committing sins. They commit a sin in secret, where no one knows about it, and then they spread it among people when morning comes: “I did such and such, I did such and such.” There is no doubt that this person is not in a state of being forgiven. First, because he has torn off the cover that Allah placed over him. Second, because he is boasting about the sin against Allah. Third, because this is a means for others to follow his example. And how common this is among those who travel during the holidays to dissolute lands, then return and say: “I did such and such, and I did such and such, in such and such a hotel, with such and such a prostitute, and the like!” These people are certainly not in a state of being forgiven.
As for the person who leaves off the sin in front of people but commits it when he is alone, and the only thing that prevented him from doing it in public was his modesty, and while committing it in secret he fears Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and fears that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) will punish him, even if it is by hardening of the heart, then he is not to be blamed. The problematic one is the person who shows off to people by performing acts of obedience. It is also problematic that he does not fear Allah in secret. As for a man who fears Allah, but in public he is shy of people, and in secret his self overcomes him, yet he is still fearful of his Lord, then there is no blame on him. However, it is obligatory for him to try to leave off the sin to the best of his ability.
The Shaykh : O Allah, make it easy.
The questioner : In two hadiths: His saying (peace and blessings be upon him):
All the sins of my followers will be forgiven except those of the Mujahirin
كل أمتي معافى إلا المجاهرونWhen he is alone with the prohibitions of Allah, he violates them
إذا خلا بمحارم الله انتهكهاThe Shaykh : Yes, the connection between them is that some people boast about committing sins. They commit a sin in secret, where no one knows about it, and then they spread it among people when morning comes: “I did such and such, I did such and such.” There is no doubt that this person is not in a state of being forgiven. First, because he has torn off the cover that Allah placed over him. Second, because he is boasting about the sin against Allah. Third, because this is a means for others to follow his example. And how common this is among those who travel during the holidays to dissolute lands, then return and say: “I did such and such, and I did such and such, in such and such a hotel, with such and such a prostitute, and the like!” These people are certainly not in a state of being forgiven.
As for the person who leaves off the sin in front of people but commits it when he is alone, and the only thing that prevented him from doing it in public was his modesty, and while committing it in secret he fears Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and fears that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) will punish him, even if it is by hardening of the heart, then he is not to be blamed. The problematic one is the person who shows off to people by performing acts of obedience. It is also problematic that he does not fear Allah in secret. As for a man who fears Allah, but in public he is shy of people, and in secret his self overcomes him, yet he is still fearful of his Lord, then there is no blame on him. However, it is obligatory for him to try to leave off the sin to the best of his ability.