Do the verses in Surat Nuh indicate that seeking forgiveness is a cause for the righteousness of one's offspring?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you, O Shaykh. In the saying of Allah the Exalted, on the tongue of Nuh (peace be upon him): [Nuh 71:10-12] In the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Nuh 71:12] In the phrase "and sons," does this blessing necessitate the righteousness of the offspring?
The Shaykh : The righteousness of what?
The questioner : The righteousness of the offspring, the righteousness of the sons.
The Shaykh : The righteousness of what?
The questioner : The righteousness of the offspring.
The Shaykh : Yes, yes.
The questioner : The result of the seeking of forgiveness that Allah the Mighty and Majestic grants.
The Shaykh : It is that Nuh (peace and blessings be upon him) promised his people that if they sought forgiveness from Allah, He would send down the sky upon them in abundance, increase them in wealth and sons, make gardens for them, and make rivers for them. He specifically mentioned sons rather than daughters because what people generally take pride in is their sons, not their daughters. When the lineage comes, it is attributed to the ancestors through the sons, not through the daughters. Therefore, he said "and sons." It does not follow from this that they must be disbelievers or believers. The important point is that Allah gives them what their souls desire, such as wealth, sons, gardens, and the like, and He makes gardens for you and makes rivers for you. But here is a question: If a person intends by his deed the reward of this world and the Hereafter, meaning he performs a righteous deed and seeks forgiveness from his Lord so that Allah the Mighty and Majestic will increase him in what Nuh (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned, while hoping for the reward of the Hereafter, does this diminish his reward? The answer is that it does not diminish it, because if it did diminish the reward, Allah the Exalted would not have encouraged His servants to do so. However, there is no doubt that these things encourage a person to advance in righteous deeds. Among this is the practical application by the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), where he would grant the spoils of a slain enemy to the one who killed him in the cause of Allah. That is, if he killed a man from among the disbelievers, he would have his spoils, which are the clothes on him and the like. But there is no doubt that a person must, in this case, prioritize the aspect of the Hereafter over the aspect of this world, for the aspect of this world is nothing but a mere incentive. Yes.
(10) And said, 'Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. (11) He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in [continuing] showers (12) And give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers.
قلت استغفروا ربكم إنه كان غفاراً يرسل السماء عليكم مدراراً ويمددكم بأموال وبنين ويجعل لكم جنات ويجعل لكم أنهاراAnd give you increase in wealth and children
ويمدككم بأموال وبنينThe Shaykh : The righteousness of what?
The questioner : The righteousness of the offspring, the righteousness of the sons.
The Shaykh : The righteousness of what?
The questioner : The righteousness of the offspring.
The Shaykh : Yes, yes.
The questioner : The result of the seeking of forgiveness that Allah the Mighty and Majestic grants.
The Shaykh : It is that Nuh (peace and blessings be upon him) promised his people that if they sought forgiveness from Allah, He would send down the sky upon them in abundance, increase them in wealth and sons, make gardens for them, and make rivers for them. He specifically mentioned sons rather than daughters because what people generally take pride in is their sons, not their daughters. When the lineage comes, it is attributed to the ancestors through the sons, not through the daughters. Therefore, he said "and sons." It does not follow from this that they must be disbelievers or believers. The important point is that Allah gives them what their souls desire, such as wealth, sons, gardens, and the like, and He makes gardens for you and makes rivers for you. But here is a question: If a person intends by his deed the reward of this world and the Hereafter, meaning he performs a righteous deed and seeks forgiveness from his Lord so that Allah the Mighty and Majestic will increase him in what Nuh (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned, while hoping for the reward of the Hereafter, does this diminish his reward? The answer is that it does not diminish it, because if it did diminish the reward, Allah the Exalted would not have encouraged His servants to do so. However, there is no doubt that these things encourage a person to advance in righteous deeds. Among this is the practical application by the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), where he would grant the spoils of a slain enemy to the one who killed him in the cause of Allah. That is, if he killed a man from among the disbelievers, he would have his spoils, which are the clothes on him and the like. But there is no doubt that a person must, in this case, prioritize the aspect of the Hereafter over the aspect of this world, for the aspect of this world is nothing but a mere incentive. Yes.