LESSON FORTY-THREE | 40 Ahâdeeth | Arba’een | of Imaam Nawawi رحمة الله عليه

bismillahh

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Lessons from Ahâdeeth Shareef by Moulana Naeem Motala  | Commentary on 40 Ahâdeeth | Arba’een | of Imaam Nawawi رحمة الله عليه with emphasis on perfecting one’s character

 |  Lesson Forty-Three  |

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ وَنُؤمِنُ بِهِ وَ نَتَوَ كَّلُ عَلَيهِ ، وَنَعُوْذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُوْرِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا، مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلاَ مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ ، وَنَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ ، وَنَشْهَدُ أَنَّ سَيِّدَناَ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ 

Verily all praise is for Allah, we praise Him and seek His aid and ask for His forgiveness and we believe in Him and we place our trust upon Him, and we seek refuge with Allah from the evils of ourselves and our evil actions. Whomsoever Allah guides there is none who can misguide him, and whomsoever Allah misguides there is none who can guide him, and we bear witness that none has the right to be worshiped except Allah alone, having no partner, and we bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger

اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى سَيِّدِناَ مُحَمَّدٍ ، وَعَلَى آلِ سَيِّدِناَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَبَارِكْ وَسَلِّمْ

Allahumma Salli ‘ala Sayyidina Muhammad Wa’ala Aali Sayyidina Muhammadin Wa Baarik Wa Sallim | Oh Allah shower blessings and peace upon our Master Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam and upon the family of Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam

 

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|  Hadith 42  | The Vastness of Allah’s Forgiveness

 

عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: سَمِعْت رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم يَقُولُ: قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: “يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ! إِنَّكَ مَا دَعَوْتنِي وَرَجَوْتنِي غَفَرْتُ لَك عَلَى مَا كَانَ مِنْك وَلَا أُبَالِي، يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ! لَوْ بَلَغَتْ ذُنُوبُك عَنَانَ السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ اسْتَغْفَرْتنِي غَفَرْتُ لَك، يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ! إنَّك لَوْ أتَيْتنِي بِقُرَابِ الْأَرْضِ خَطَايَا ثُمَّ لَقِيتنِي لَا تُشْرِكُ بِي شَيْئًا لَأَتَيْتُك بِقُرَابِهَا مَغْفِرَةً

رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ [رقم:3540]، وَقَالَ: حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ

Anas Radiallahu Anhu narrates from Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam among the sayings he relates from his Lord (Blessed and Exalted is He) Who said:

‘O Son of Adam, as long as you invoke Me and have hopes in Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O Son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and you then asked forgiveness from Me, I would forgive you. O Son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the Earth, and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it [too].’

 [It was related by at-Tirmidhi, who said that it was a Hasan Hadeeth]

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|  BRIEF EXPLANTION  |

Imaam Nawawi Rahmatullahi Alayh has ended this magnificent work, with a Hadith illustrating Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala’s Forgiveness. This Hadith draws our attention to the vast Mercy of Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala. A general declaration for the Believers on behalf of the real King and Master, Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala, that man is prone to committing sins and errors due to his weaknesses but the effacement of these sins is through making sincere Istighfaar (seeking forgiveness) from Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala.

This Hadith clearly illustrates that despite the excessive sins of man, even though they may reach the skies of the world or fill the entire globe, if he turns to Allah and seeks forgiveness and sincere repentance with a penitent heart, through Taubah and Istighfaar, Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala is prepared to forgive him, as long as he does not associate any partners with Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala.

So, this Hadith gives us great hope in the Mercy of Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala. We are therefore exhorted to make Dua to Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala that is accompanied by hope. Even if the wrong actions of the servant are enormous, the pardon of Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala and His Forgiveness is greater and more enormous than those wrong actions (sins). There is a Dua mentioned in the Hadith, to recite when one is seeking forgiveness from Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala :

اَللَّهُمَّ مَغْفِرَتُكَ أَوْسَعُ مِنْ ذُنُوبِي وَرَحْمَتُكَ اَرْجَي عِنْدِي مِنْ عَمَلِي

O Allah your forgiveness is more vast than my wrong actions and your mercy is more hopeful to me than my own actions (البيهقي في الشعب 7126 ) (Haakim)

Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala has commanded making Istighfaar in various Ayaah of the Noble Qur’aan. Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala mentions :

وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

and ask forgiveness of Allah . Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful ~ Surah Al Baqarah 2:199