Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet Muhammad PBUH said:
“There was among the people who came before you a man who killed ninety-nine people. Then he asked about the most knowledgeable person on earth, and was directed to a hermit, so he went to him, told him that he had killed ninety-nine people, and asked if he could be forgiven. The hermit said, ‘No,’ so he killed him, thus completing one hundred.
Then he asked about the most knowledgeable person on earth and was directed to a scholar. He told him that he had killed one hundred people, and asked whether he could be forgiven. The scholar said, ‘Yes, what could possibly come between you and repentance? Go to such-and-such a town, for in it there are people who worship Allaah. Go and worship with them, and do not go back to your own town, for it is a bad place.”
So the man set off, but when he was halfway there, the angel of death came to him, and the angels of mercy and the angels of wrath began to argue over him. The angels of mercy said: ‘He had repented and was seeking Allaah.’ The angels of wrath said: ‘He never did any good thing.’ An angel in human form came to them, and they asked him to decide the matter. He said:
‘Measure the distance between the two lands (his home town and the town he was headed for), and whichever of the two he is closest to is the one to which he belongs.’ So they measured the distance, and found that he was closer to the town for which he had been headed, so the angels of mercy took him." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim (6766)]
Many people these days are afraid that Allah SWT won't forgive their sins because their sins are so "massive". Allah SWT says in the Qu'ran:
“Say: O ‘Ibaadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allaah, verily, Allaah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful” [39:53]
Hadiths about Allah SWT's forgivness:
- Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah PBUH say: “Allaah, may He be blessed and exalted, said: ‘O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of 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 were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you and I would not mind.’”[Al-Tirmidhi (3540)]
- ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah PBUH said: “The one who repents from sin is like one who did not sin.” [Saheeh Ibn Maajah]
It's never to late to repent from sin (unless the Day of Judgment begins, or a person's life ends).
There are three main conditions that have to be met for the sin to be forgiven (Inshaa'Allah). The condidtions are:
- He/she must give up the sin immediatly
- Must regret and have remorse for what he/she has done
- Must resolve to never repeat that sin again InshaaAllah
BONUS:We are currently in the month of Ramadan, meaning Allah SWT is seeking those who are asking for forgivness so that He Al-Forgiving may forgive them! Let us be of those whos past sins are forgiven in this blessed month filled with mercy.
