Explanation of the words of Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding what he quoted: "
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The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful:
These three hadiths mentioned by the author (may Allah have mercy on him)—the hadith of Abu Musa, the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, and the hadith of Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them all)—all relate to repentance. As for the hadith of Abu Musa, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Mishkat al-Masabih 2329 : This is from His generosity (Mighty and Majestic is He), that He accepts repentance even if it is delayed. If a person commits a sin during the day, Allah the Exalted accepts his repentance even if he repents at night. Likewise, if he sins at night and repents during the day, Allah the Exalted accepts his repentance.
In fact, He the Exalted extends His hand to receive this repentance that comes from His believing servant. In this hadith is evidence of Allah’s (Glorified and Exalted is He) love for repentance. It was mentioned in the previous hadith, in the story of the man who lost his camel and then found it, that Allah rejoices in the repentance of His believing servant when he repents to Him, even more than this man rejoiced in his camel.
It also affirms the hand for Allah (Mighty and Majestic is He) in this hadith. The hadith of Abu Musa affirms that Allah the Exalted has a hand, and so it is. In fact, He has two hands (Exalted and Majestic is He), as He the Exalted said:[Al-Ma'idah 5:64] . This hand which Allah affirmed for Himself, in fact the two hands, we must believe in them and that they are established for Allah. However, it is not permissible for us to imagine that they are like our hands, because Allah the Exalted says in His Book: [Ash-Shuraa 42:11] . And so, every attribute of Allah that you have encountered, affirm it for Allah (Mighty and Majestic is He), but without likening it to the attributes of the created beings, because there is nothing like Allah, neither in His essence nor in His attributes (Mighty and Majestic is He).
In it also is that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) accepts the repentance of the servant in this hadith. In this hadith is that Allah accepts the repentance of the servant even if it is delayed. However, hastening to repent is obligatory, because a person does not know; perhaps death will overtake him and he will die before he repents. So it is obligatory to hasten, but even so, if it is delayed, Allah will accept the servant’s repentance.
In this hadith is evidence that when the sun rises from the west, the acceptance of repentance ends. But the questioner may ask: Does the sun rise from the west? It is known that the sun rises from the east. We say: Yes, this is the known and the constant course since Allah created the sun until this day. But in the end times, Allah will command the sun to return from where it came, so the cycle reverses; it turns in reverse and rises from the west. When people see it, they will all believe, even the disbelievers: the Jews, the Christians, the Buddhists, the communists, and others; they will all believe. But the one who did not believe before the sun rose from the west, his faith will not benefit him. Everyone will repent as well, but the one who did not repent before the sun rose from the west, his repentance will not be accepted, because this is a sign, a sign witnessed by everyone. And when the foretold signs come, repentance does not benefit, and faith does not benefit. As for the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) accepts repentance as long as the sun does not rise from the west, it is like the hadith of Abu Musa. As for the hadith of Abdullah ibn Umar:Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 34:852 : meaning as long as the soul does not reach the throat. If the soul reaches the throat, there is no repentance. Other texts have clarified that when death is present, there is no repentance, as He the Exalted said: [An-Nisa 4:18] . So, O my Muslim brother, you must hasten to repent to Allah (Mighty and Majestic is He) from sins, and you must abandon the sins you were involved in, and you must perform the obligatory duties you neglected, and ask Allah to accept your repentance. And success is from Allah.
These three hadiths mentioned by the author (may Allah have mercy on him)—the hadith of Abu Musa, the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, and the hadith of Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them all)—all relate to repentance. As for the hadith of Abu Musa, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
God stretches out His hand at night that those who have done evil during the day may repent and stretches out His hand in the day-time that those who have done evil during the night may repent, until [the time when] the sun rises in the west.
إن الله يبسط يده بالليل ليتوب مسيء النهار ، ويبسط يده بالنهار ليتوب مسيء الليل ، حتى تطلع الشمس مِن مغربهاIn fact, He the Exalted extends His hand to receive this repentance that comes from His believing servant. In this hadith is evidence of Allah’s (Glorified and Exalted is He) love for repentance. It was mentioned in the previous hadith, in the story of the man who lost his camel and then found it, that Allah rejoices in the repentance of His believing servant when he repents to Him, even more than this man rejoiced in his camel.
It also affirms the hand for Allah (Mighty and Majestic is He) in this hadith. The hadith of Abu Musa affirms that Allah the Exalted has a hand, and so it is. In fact, He has two hands (Exalted and Majestic is He), as He the Exalted said:
And the Jews say, "The hand of Allah is chained." Chained are their hands, and cursed are they for what they say. Rather, both His hands are extended
وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ يَدُ اللَّهِ مَغْلُولَةٌ غُلَّتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَلُعِنُوا بِمَا قَالُوا بَلْ يَدَاهُ مَبْسُوطَتَانِThere is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُIn it also is that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) accepts the repentance of the servant in this hadith. In this hadith is that Allah accepts the repentance of the servant even if it is delayed. However, hastening to repent is obligatory, because a person does not know; perhaps death will overtake him and he will die before he repents. So it is obligatory to hasten, but even so, if it is delayed, Allah will accept the servant’s repentance.
In this hadith is evidence that when the sun rises from the west, the acceptance of repentance ends. But the questioner may ask: Does the sun rise from the west? It is known that the sun rises from the east. We say: Yes, this is the known and the constant course since Allah created the sun until this day. But in the end times, Allah will command the sun to return from where it came, so the cycle reverses; it turns in reverse and rises from the west. When people see it, they will all believe, even the disbelievers: the Jews, the Christians, the Buddhists, the communists, and others; they will all believe. But the one who did not believe before the sun rose from the west, his faith will not benefit him. Everyone will repent as well, but the one who did not repent before the sun rose from the west, his repentance will not be accepted, because this is a sign, a sign witnessed by everyone. And when the foretold signs come, repentance does not benefit, and faith does not benefit. As for the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) accepts repentance as long as the sun does not rise from the west, it is like the hadith of Abu Musa. As for the hadith of Abdullah ibn Umar: