Chapter 1

Chapter: Exhortation To Repent And Rejoicing Therein

باب فِي الْحَضِّ عَلَى التَّوْبَةِ وَالْفَرَحِ بِهَا ‏‏

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said: I live in the thought of My servant and I am with him as he remembers Me. (The Holy Prophet) further said: By Allah, Allah is more pleased wth the repentance of His servant than what one of you would do on finding the lost camel in the waterless desert. When he draws near Me by the span of his hand. I draw near him by the length of a cubit and when he draws near Me by the length of a cubit. I draw near him by the length of a fathom and when he draws near Me walking I draw close to him hurriedly.

حَدَّثَنِي سُوَيْدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ مَيْسَرَةَ، حَدَّثَنِي زَيْدُ بْنُ أَسْلَمَ، عَنْ أَبِي، صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ قَالَ ‏ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي بِي وَأَنَا مَعَهُ حَيْثُ يَذْكُرُنِي وَاللَّهِ لَلَّهُ أَفْرَحُ بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ مِنْ أَحَدِكُمْ يَجِدُ ضَالَّتَهُ بِالْفَلاَةِ وَمَنْ تَقَرَّبَ إِلَىَّ شِبْرًا تَقَرَّبْتُ إِلَيْهِ ذِرَاعًا وَمَنْ تَقَرَّبَ إِلَىَّ ذِرَاعًا تَقَرَّبْتُ إِلَيْهِ بَاعًا وَإِذَا أَقْبَلَ إِلَىَّ يَمْشِي أَقْبَلْتُ إِلَيْهِ أُهَرْوِلُ ‏" ‏ ‏.‏

Chapter 2

Chapter: Sins Are Erased By Praying For Forgiveness And Repenting

باب سُقُوطِ الذُّنُوبِ بِالاِسْتِغْفَارِ تَوْبَةً ‏‏

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant when he turns penitently towards Him than one of you would be on finding the lost camel.

حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ بْنِ قَعْنَبٍ الْقَعْنَبِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْمُغِيرَةُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْحِزَامِيَّ - عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ لَلَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ أَحَدِكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدِكُمْ بِضَالَّتِهِ إِذَا وَجَدَهَا ‏" ‏ ‏.‏

Chapter 3

Chapter: The Virtue Of Constant Dhikr, Thinking Of The Hereafter, And Remembering That Allah Is Always Watching; Permissibility Of Stopping That Sometimes, And Attending To Worldly Matters

بَاب فَضْلِ دَوَامِ الذِّكْرِ وَالْفِكْرِ فِي أُمُورِ الْآخِرَةِ وَالْمُرَاقَبَةِ وَجَوَازِ تَرْكِ ذَلِكَ فِي بَعْضِ الْأَوْقَاتِ وَالِاشْتِغَالِ بِالدُّنْيَا

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira through another chain of transmitters.

وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ هَمَّامِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِمَعْنَاهُ ‏.‏

Chapter 4

Chapter: The Vastaess Of Allah's Mercy, Which Prevails Over His Wrath

باب فِي سَعَةِ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَأَنَّهَا سَبَقَتْ غَضَبَهُ ‏‏

Harith b. Suwaid said:I went to see 'Abdullah to inquire about his health as he was sick and he narrated to us a hadith of Allahs Messenger (ﷺ). He heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His believing servant than a person who loses his riding beast carrying food and drink. He sleeps (being disappointed of its recovery) and then gets up and goes in search for that, until he is stricken with thirst. then comes back to the place where he had been before and goes to sleep completely exhausted placing his head upon his hands waiting for death. And when he gets up, lot there is before him his riding beast and his provisions of food and drink. Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than the recovery of this riding beast along with the provisions (of food and drink).

حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَإِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لِعُثْمَانَ - قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ أَخْبَرَنَا وَقَالَ، عُثْمَانُ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ عُمَارَةَ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ، عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ، سُوَيْدٍ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَعُودُهُ وَهُوَ مَرِيضٌ فَحَدَّثَنَا بِحَدِيثَيْنِ حَدِيثًا عَنْ نَفْسِهِ وَحَدِيثًا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ لَلَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ الْمُؤْمِنِ مِنْ رَجُلٍ فِي أَرْضٍ دَوِيَّةٍ مَهْلَكَةٍ مَعَهُ رَاحِلَتُهُ عَلَيْهَا طَعَامُهُ وَشَرَابُهُ فَنَامَ فَاسْتَيْقَظَ وَقَدْ ذَهَبَتْ فَطَلَبَهَا حَتَّى أَدْرَكَهُ الْعَطَشُ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَرْجِعُ إِلَى مَكَانِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ فِيهِ فَأَنَامُ حَتَّى أَمُوتَ ‏.‏ فَوَضَعَ رَأْسَهُ عَلَى سَاعِدِهِ لِيَمُوتَ فَاسْتَيْقَظَ وَعِنْدَهُ رَاحِلَتُهُ وَعَلَيْهَا زَادُهُ وَطَعَامُهُ وَشَرَابُهُ فَاللَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ الْعَبْدِ الْمُؤْمِنِ مِنْ هَذَا بِرَاحِلَتِهِ وَزَادِهِ ‏" ‏ ‏.‏

Chapter 5

Chapter: Acceptance Of Repentance From Sin, Even If The Sin And Repentance Happen Repeatedly

باب قَبُولِ التَّوْبَةِ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ وَإِنْ تَكَرَّرَتِ الذُّنُوبُ وَالتَّوْبَةُ ‏‏

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of A'mash through another chain of transmitters.

وَحَدَّثَنَاهُ أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ آدَمَ، عَنْ قُطْبَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ وَقَالَ ‏ مِنْ رَجُلٍ بِدَاوِيَّةٍ مِنَ الأَرْضِ ‏" ‏ ‏.‏

Chapter 6

Chapter: The Protective Jealousy (Ghirah) Of Allah The Most High, And The Prohibition Of Immoral Behavior

باب غَيْرَةِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَتَحْرِيمِ الْفَوَاحِشِ ‏‏

'Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:Allah is more pleased with the repentance of a believing man. The rest of the hadith is the same.

وَحَدَّثَنِي إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، حَدَّثَنَا عُمَارَةُ، بْنُ عُمَيْرٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الْحَارِثَ بْنَ سُوَيْدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، حَدِيثَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَالآخَرُ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ فَقَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ لَلَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ الْمُؤْمِنِ ‏" ‏ ‏.‏ بِمِثْلِ حَدِيثِ جَرِيرٍ ‏.‏

Chapter 7

Chapter: The Words Of Allah The Most High: "Verily, The Good Deeds Remove The Evil Deeds"

باب قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى ‏{‏ إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ}

Nu'man b. Bashir reported:Allah is more pleased with the repentance of a believing servant than of a person who set out on a journey with a provision of food and drink on the back of his camel. He went on until he came to a waterless desert and he felt like sleeping. So he got down under the shade of a tree and was overcome by sleep and his camel ran away. As he got up he tried to see (the camel) standing upon a mound. but did not find it. He then got upon the other mound, but could not see anything. He then climbed upon the third mound but did not see anything until he came back to the place where he had been previously. And as he was sitting (in utter disappointment) there came to him the camel, till that (camel) placed its nosestring in his hand. Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than the person who found (his lost camel) in this very state. Simak reported that Sha'bi was of the opinion that Nu'min traced it to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ). Simak, however, did not hear that himself.

حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ الْعَنْبَرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو يُونُسَ، عَنْ سِمَاكٍ، قَالَ خَطَبَ النُّعْمَانُ بْنُ بَشِيرٍ فَقَالَ ‏ لَلَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ مِنْ رَجُلٍ حَمَلَ زَادَهُ وَمَزَادَهُ عَلَى بَعِيرٍ ثُمَّ سَارَ حَتَّى كَانَ بِفَلاَةٍ مِنَ الأَرْضِ فَأَدْرَكَتْهُ الْقَائِلَةُ فَنَزَلَ فَقَالَ تَحْتَ شَجَرَةٍ فَغَلَبَتْهُ عَيْنُهُ وَانْسَلَّ بَعِيرُهُ فَاسْتَيْقَظَ فَسَعَى شَرَفًا فَلَمْ يَرَ شَيْئًا ثُمَّ سَعَى شَرَفًا ثَانِيًا فَلَمْ يَرَ شَيْئًا ثُمَّ سَعَى شَرَفًا ثَالِثًا فَلَمْ يَرَ شَيْئًا فَأَقْبَلَ حَتَّى أَتَى مَكَانَهُ الَّذِي قَالَ فِيهِ فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ قَاعِدٌ إِذْ جَاءَهُ بَعِيرُهُ يَمْشِي حَتَّى وَضَعَ خِطَامَهُ فِي يَدِهِ فَلَلَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ الْعَبْدِ مِنْ هَذَا حِينَ وَجَدَ بَعِيرَهُ عَلَى حَالِهِ ‏" ‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ سِمَاكٌ فَزَعَمَ الشَّعْبِيُّ أَنَّ النُّعْمَانَ رَفَعَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَمَّا أَنَا فَلَمْ أَسْمَعْهُ ‏.‏

Chapter 8

Chapter: The Acceptance Of The Repentance Of The One Who Kills, Even If He Has Killed A Great Deal

باب قَبُولِ تَوْبَةِ الْقَاتِلِ وَإِنْ كَثُرَ قَتْلُهُ ‏‏

Al-Bara' b. 'Azib reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:What is your opinion about the delight of a person whose camel loaded with the provisions of food and drink is lost and that moves about with its nosestring trailing upon the waterless desert in which there is neither food nor drink, and lie wanders about in search of that until he is completely exhausted and then accidentally it happens to pass by the trunk of a tree and its nosestring gets entangled in that and he finds it entangled therein? He (in response to the question of the Holy Prophet) said: Allah's Messenger, he would feel highly delighted. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said. By Allah, Allah is more delighted at the repentance of His servant than that person (as he finds his lost) camel.

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، وَجَعْفَرُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، قَالَ جَعْفَرٌ حَدَّثَنَا وَقَالَ، يَحْيَى أَخْبَرَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ إِيَادِ بْنِ لَقِيطٍ، عَنْ إِيَادٍ، عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ كَيْفَ تَقُولُونَ بِفَرَحِ رَجُلٍ انْفَلَتَتْ مِنْهُ رَاحِلَتُهُ تَجُرُّ زِمَامَهَا بِأَرْضٍ قَفْرٍ لَيْسَ بِهَا طَعَامٌ وَلاَ شَرَابٌ وَعَلَيْهَا لَهُ طَعَامٌ وَشَرَابٌ فَطَلَبَهَا حَتَّى شَقَّ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ مَرَّتْ بِجِذْلِ شَجَرَةٍ فَتَعَلَّقَ زِمَامُهَا فَوَجَدَهَا مُتَعَلِّقَةً بِهِ ‏ ‏.‏ قُلْنَا شَدِيدًا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ أَمَا وَاللَّهِ لَلَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ مِنَ الرَّجُلِ بِرَاحِلَتِهِ ‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ جَعْفَرٌ حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ إِيَادٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ ‏.‏

Chapter 9

Chapter: The Repentance Of Ka'b Ibn Malik And His Two Companions

باب حَدِيثِ تَوْبَةِ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ وَصَاحِبَيْهِ ‏‏

Anas b. Malik reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:Allah is more pleased with the repentance of a servant as he turns towards Him for repentance than this that one amongst you is upon the camel in a waterless desert and there is upon (that camel) his provision of food and drink also and it is lost by him, and he having lost all hope (to get tbat) lies down in the shadow and is disappointed about his camel and there he finds that camel standing before him. He takes hold of his nosestring and then out of boundless joy says: 0 Lord, Thou art my servant and I am Thine Lord. He commits this mistake out of extreme delight.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ، وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا عِكْرِمَةُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي طَلْحَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ، - وَهُوَ عَمُّهُ - قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ لَلَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ حِينَ يَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ أَحَدِكُمْ كَانَ عَلَى رَاحِلَتِهِ بِأَرْضِ فَلاَةٍ فَانْفَلَتَتْ مِنْهُ وَعَلَيْهَا طَعَامُهُ وَشَرَابُهُ فَأَيِسَ مِنْهَا فَأَتَى شَجَرَةً فَاضْطَجَعَ فِي ظِلِّهَا قَدْ أَيِسَ مِنْ رَاحِلَتِهِ فَبَيْنَا هُوَ كَذَلِكَ إِذَا هُوَ بِهَا قَائِمَةً عِنْدَهُ فَأَخَذَ بِخِطَامِهَا ثُمَّ قَالَ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْفَرَحِ اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ عَبْدِي وَأَنَا رَبُّكَ ‏.‏ أَخْطَأَ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْفَرَحِ ‏" ‏ ‏.‏

Chapter 10

Chapter: Al-Ifk (The Slander) And The Acceptance Of The Slanderer's Repentance

باب فِي حَدِيثِ الإِفْكِ وَقَبُولِ تَوْبَةِ الْقَاذِفِ ‏‏

Anas b. Malik reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than if one of you gets up and he finds his camel missing in a waterless desert (and then he accidentally finds it). This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik through another chain of transmitters.

حَدَّثَنَا هَدَّابُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ، حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ لَلَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ مِنْ أَحَدِكُمْ إِذَا اسْتَيْقَظَ عَلَى بَعِيرِهِ قَدْ أَضَلَّهُ بِأَرْضِ فَلاَةٍ ‏" ‏ ‏.‏\n\n وَحَدَّثَنِيهِ أَحْمَدُ الدَّارِمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا حَبَّانُ، حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ، حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا أَنَسُ بْنُ، مَالِكٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِمِثْلِهِ ‏.‏

Chapter 11

Chapter: Exoneration Of The Prophet's Concubine

باب بَرَاءَةِ حَرَمِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنَ الرِّيبَةِ ‏‏

Abu Sirma reported that when the time of the death of Abu Ayyub Ansari drew near, he said:I used to conceal from you a thing which I heard from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Had you not committed sins, Allah would have brought into existence a creation that would have committed sin (and Allah) would have forgiven them.

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ، - قَاصِّ عُمَرَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ - عَنْ أَبِي صِرْمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ حِينَ حَضَرَتْهُ الْوَفَاةُ كُنْتُ كَتَمْتُ عَنْكُمْ شَيْئًا سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ لَوْلاَ أَنَّكُمْ تُذْنِبُونَ لَخَلَقَ اللَّهُ خَلْقًا يُذْنِبُونَ يَغْفِرُ لَهُمْ ‏" ‏ ‏.‏