بِسْم الله الرحمن الرحيم
After Allah mentions His bounties of guidance, clothing, and food, He mentions another bounty towards His slaves: The bounty of Forgiveness.
And this reflects some of the Attributes of Allah - His Forgiveness and Mercy.
"يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّكُمْ تُخْطِئُونَ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَأَنَا أَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا فَاسْتَغْفِرُونِي أَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ"
"O My Servants, you commit sins by night and by day, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness of Me, and I shall forgive You"
1) This shows us that man continuously sins all the time, in the day and night, in public in secret.
2) No Muslim is free of committing sins, regardless of the level of faith they have, because no one is infallible. However we differ in the quality and quantity of sins.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"كُلُّ بَنِي آدَمَ خَطَّاءٌ وَخَيْرُ الْخَطَّائِينَ التَّوَّابُون."
"Every son of Adam commits sin, and the best of those who commit sin are those who repent.’” [Ibn Majah]
3) This shows us the weak nature of the human being.
4) It indicates the comprehensive knowledge of Allah which encompasses the sins of all mankind. Nothing escapes His Knowledge, and He counts them all in full.
5) When we know that Allah knows about our sins, it should make us cautious of Allahs watchfulness.
6) This indicates the great Forebearance of Allah. He does not overtake us with punishment, despite all the sins we commit. He is All-Forgiving, therefore we should not despair in the Mercy and Forgiveness of Allah. Allah said in Surah Zumar [39:53]:
"Say: "O 'Ibadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
If sinning is the nature of the human being, and Forgiveness is an Attribute of Allah, then we should repent when we commit sins, and respond to this command of Allah.
Repentance has conditions which need to be fulfilled:
1) To Quit the Sin
2) To Feel Regret
3) To Resolve never to go back to the Sin
If you do that, Allah will open the door of repentance and good deeds for you, and Allah will be pleased with you. The Prophet ﷺ said:
"لله أشد فرحا بتوبة عبده حين يتوب إليه من أحدكم كان على راحلته بأرض فلاة، فانفلتت منه وعليها طعامه وشرابه فأيس منها، فأتى شجرة فاضطجع في ظلها، وقد أيس من راحلته، فبينما هو كذلك إذا هو بها، قائمة عنده ، فأخذ بخطامها ثم قال من شدة الفرح: اللهم أنت عبدي وأنا ربك، أخطأ من شدة الفرح"
"Verily, Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His slave than a person who has his camel in a waterless desert carrying his provision of food and drink and it is lost. He, having lost all hopes (to get that back), lies down in shade and is disappointed about his camel; when all of a sudden he finds that camel standing before him. He takes hold of its reins and then out of boundless joy blurts out: 'O Allah, You are my slave and I am Your Rabb'. He commits this mistake out of extreme joy". [Riyad As-Saleheen]
"فَاسْتَغْفِرُونِي"
This teaches us the most suitable word we say when we commit sins: أستغفر الله
We should get accustomed to saying this all the time. The Prophet ﷺ said:
" وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ فِي الْيَوْمِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً"
"By Allah! I ask for forgiveness from Allah and turn to Him in repentance more than seventy times a day." [Al-Bukhari #6307]
In return to your seeking forgiveness, Allah will not just accept your repentance, but bestow on you several more bounties. In Surah Hud [11:3]:
"And (commanding you): "Seek the forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him in repentance, that He may grant you good enjoyment, for a term appointed, and bestow His abounding Grace to every owner of grace (i.e. the one who helps and serves needy and deserving, physically and with his wealth, and even with good words). But if you turn away, then I fear for you the torment of a Great Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection)."
The following paragraph shows us the Might, Sovereignty, and Power of Allah:
"يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّكُمْ لَنْ تَبْلُغُوا ضَرِّي فَتَضُرُّونِي وَلَنْ تَبْلُغُوا نَفْعِي فَتَنْفَعُونِي"
"O My servants, you will never attain harming Me so as to harm Me, and you will never attain benefiting Me, so as to benefit Me"
Allah is not in need of anyone to push harm away from Him nor benefit Him. None of the jinn and humans will never be able to affect Him with harm or benefit. Because He is the One who benefits and afflicts others.
In Surah An'am [6:17]:
"And if Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He, and if He touches you with good, then He is Able to do all things."
If we benefit others we do so in order to receive benefit back or to push away harm from ourselves. And even if we want to benefit or harm others, we cannot do so without the Will of Allah.
The Scholars equated harm and benefit with obedience and disobedience. They said that harm includes disobedience, and benefit includes obedience. If all of mankind and jinn obeyed Allah, they would not benefit Him by their obedience at all. They only benefit themselves by it. And if they all disobeyed Allah, they would not harm Him by their disobedience at all. They only harm themselves - because they will receive the punishment from Allah.
In Surah Aal-Imran [3:176]:
"And let not those grieve you (O Muhammad ﷺ) who rush with haste to disbelieve; verily, not the least harm will they do to Allah. It is Allah's Will to give them no portion in the Hereafter. For them there is a great torment."
Allah loves obedience from His slaves; it will benefit them. And He dislikes disobedience from His slaves; it will harm them.
Allah then speaks about Piety, Wickedness, and His Kingdom:
"يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى أَتْقَى قَلْبِ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ مِنْكُمْ مَا زَادَ ذَلِكَ فِي مُلْكِي شَيْئًا
يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى أَفْجَرِ قَلْبِ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ مُلْكِي شَيْئًا"
"O My Servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the man of you and the Jinn of you, were to become as pious as the most pious heart of any man among you, it would not increase My Kingdom in anything.
O My Servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the man of you and the Jinn of you, were to become as wicked as the most wicked heart of any man among you, it would not decrease My Kingdom in anything"
Allah is Self-Sufficient, it is the slave that benefits from his piety.
The case is different with the kings of this Dunya. Their kingdom increases by the obedience and love of their people. And their kingdom may be revoked by the disobedience of their people.
Moreover, the kings of this Dunya need soldiers to protect and maintain their kingdom. Allah does not need anyone to help Him protect His Kingdom.
The place of piety and wickedness is in the heart. This is affirmed by another Hadith in which the Prophet ﷺ pointed to his chest and said three times:
"التقوى ههنا"
"..Piety is here.." [At-Tirmithi]
" يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ قَامُوا فِي صَعِيدٍ وَاحِدٍ فَسَأَلُونِي فَأَعْطَيْتُ كُلَّ إِنْسَانٍ مَسْأَلَتَهُ مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا عِنْدِي إِلاَّ كَمَا يَنْقُصُ الْمِخْيَطُ إِذَا أُدْخِلَ الْبَحْرَ"
"O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, and the humans of you and the Jinns of you, were to all stand in a flat piece of land and make a request to Me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, it would not decrease what I have, any more than a needle decreases from the sea if put into it"
This paragraph shows us the unlimited Richness and Generosity of Allah. If all the creatures asked Allah, the Jinn and Mankind, from Adam until the Day of Judgement, were to stand on a flat piece of land and each one asked Allah for all his requests, this would not affect the Richness of Allah at all.
The more you ask Allah, the more Allah Gives. He is Generous.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"إِنَّ يَمِينَ اللَّهِ مَلأَى لاَ يَغِيضُهَا نَفَقَةٌ سَحَّاءُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ، أَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا أَنْفَقَ مُنْذُ خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَنْقُصْ مَا فِي يَمِينِهِ، وَعَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ وَبِيَدِهِ الأُخْرَى الْفَيْضُ ـ أَوِ الْقَبْضُ ـ يَرْفَعُ وَيَخْفِضُ "
"The Right (Hand) of Allah Is full, and (Its fullness) is not affected by the continuous spending night and day. Do you see what He has spent since He created the Heavens and the Earth? Yet all that has not decreased what is in His Right Hand. His Throne is over the water and in His other Hand is the Bounty or the Power to bring about death, and He raises some people and brings others down." [Bukhari #7419]
One of the largest matters seen by humans is the sea and ocean. Of the smallest matters is the needle. The sea does not include one sea, but all the seas in the world. The ocean covers about 71% of the earth. The needle in comparison to the sea is nothing, and no water clings onto it when you dip it in the water. Allah does not lose anything even though He has been giving us all from the time of Adam عليه السلام. This is the greatness of Allahs Richness and Kingdom.
If you compare these seas and oceans to the Kingdom of Allah, it is nothing. The Prophet ﷺ said regarding one tree in Paradise:
"إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ شَجَرَةً يَسِيرُ الرَّاكِبُ فِي ظِلِّهَا مِائَةَ سَنَةٍ لاَ يَقْطَعُهَا " . وَاقْرَءُوا إِنْ شِئْتُمْ
"In Paradise there is a tree under whose shade a rider could travel for one hundred years and never leave it.” "Recite, if you wish: 'And in shade long-extended (56:30).'" [Ibn Majah]
Allah indirectly encourages us to ask Him for our requests. If you tell people you have this and this and this, you are encouraging them to ask you. And if they request Allah, Allah will Give them.
This case is not the same with people. The more you ask people and they give you, the more their richness will decrease. The more you ask people, the more they will dislike you, until they turn away from you. But look at the Generosity of Allah - He is never bored or tired of your request, on the contrary, He encourages us to ask Him from His Bounties.
The beginning of the Hadith until this point speaks about the bounties of Allah beginning with guidance, to food, clothes, benefit, harm, answering our requests. And this shows us the extreme need and poverty of the human being towards Allah. And this obligates us to dismiss any arrogance and pride from our hearts. The arrogant and proud should feel ashamed, because everything they have is from Allah. And if Allah deprived them from food, clothes, and other bounties, they would never be able to get it without Allah.
"يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّمَا هِيَ أَعْمَالُكُمْ أُحْصِيهَا لَكُمْ ثُمَّ أُوَفِّيكُمْ إِيَّاهَا فَمَنْ وَجَدَ خَيْرًا فَلْيَحْمَدِ اللَّهَ وَمَنْ وَجَدَ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ فَلاَ يَلُومَنَّ إِلاَّ نَفْسَهُ"
"My servants, it is but your deeds that I reckon you up for, and then recompense you for in full, so let him whoever finds good praise Allah, and let him who finds other than that blame no one other than himself"
The connection between the first part of the Hadith and the last part: In the beginning of the Hadith Allah negates injustice from Himself while in the last part of the Hadith, He affirms His Ultimate Justice in recompensing His slaves accessing to their deeds.
He has recorded all the deeds of His slaves in their books. This is a warning - all the deeds of his slaves are recorded, counted, and we will be held accounted for them on the Day of Judgement. They will be presented to us, weighed, and we will be recompensed accordingly.
Allah says in Surah Zalzalah [99:7-8]:
"So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant), shall see it."
"And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant), shall see it."
And in Surah Al-Kahf [18:49]:
"And the Book (one's Record) will be placed (in the right hand for a believer in the Oneness of Allah, and in the left hand for a disbeliever in the Oneness of Allah), and you will see the Mujrimun (criminals, polytheists, sinners, etc.), fearful of that which is (recorded) therein. They will say: "Woe to us! What sort of Book is this that leaves neither a small thing nor a big thing, but has recorded it with numbers!" And they will find all that they did, placed before them, and your Lord treats no one with injustice."
Why should I praise Allah when I do good? If for example the teacher informed me I had an exam next week, I would study hard, and if I passed I would not thank the teacher, because it was a result of my own effort. But this not the case with Allah. It is Allah who guides us to perform the good deed, facilitates the cause success, and helps us in performing it. Then He rewards us for performing it. It is because of that we should praise Him.
And he whoever finds other than that should know it is because of himself, his own evil actions. Allah says in Surah An-Nisaa [4:79]:
"Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allah, but whatever of evil befalls you, is from yourself. And We have sent you (O Muhammad ﷺ) as a Messenger to mankind, and Allah is Sufficient as a Witness."
Allah has shown you the two paths, and gave you a mind to think, to distinguish between good and bad, and a will to choose which path to take. Do not blame Allah for your bad deeds, only blame yourself.
In the hereafter, the sinner will not only blame himself, he will blame others:
1- The Shaytan
In Surah Ibrahim [14:22]:
"And Shaitan (Satan) will say when the matter has been decided: "Verily, Allah promised you a promise of truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you. I had no authority over you except that I called you, so you responded to me. So blame me not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I deny your former act in associating me (Satan) as a partner with Allah (by obeying me in the life of the world). Verily, there is a painful torment for the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.)."
2- Each Other
In Surah Saba [34:31-32]:
"And those who disbelieve say: "We believe not in this Quran nor in that which was before it," but if you could see when the Thalimun (polytheists and wrongdoers, etc.) will be made to stand before their Lord, how they will cast the (blaming) word one to another! Those who were deemed weak will say to those who were arrogant: "Had it not been for you, we should certainly have been believers!"
"And those who were arrogant will say to those who were deemed weak: "Did we keep you back from guidance after it had come to you? Nay, but you were Mujrimun (polytheists, sinners, criminals, disobedient to Allah, etc.)."
You can only blame yourself because it was out of your own choice and will that you performed evil actions.
"فَلْيَحْمَدِ اللَّهَ وَمَنْ وَجَدَ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ فَلاَ يَلُومَنَّ إِلاَّ نَفْسَهُ"
This لام is لام الأمر (Lam for Commandment).
The above can either be an order or a statement. There is evidence in the Qur'an that it can be regarded as a statement, in Surah A'raaf [7:43]:
"And We shall remove from their breasts any (mutual) hatred or sense of injury (which they had, if at all, in the life of this world); rivers flowing under them, and they will say: "All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has guided us to this, never could we have found guidance, were it not that Allah had guided us! Indeed, the Messengers of our Lord did come with the truth." And it will be cried out to them: "This is the Paradise which you have inherited for what you used to do."
And in Surah Al-Fajr [89:23-24]:
""And Hell will be brought near that Day. On that Day will man remember, but how will that remembrance (then) avail him?"
"He will say: "Alas! Would that I had sent forth (good deeds) for (this) my life!"
Will the Slave only be recompensed in the Hereafter? There are three sayings:
1) Either only in the Hereafter
Evidence: Surah Aal-Imran [3:185]:
"Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception (a deceiving thing)."
2) In this Life and Next
Evidence: Surah Nahl [16:97]:
"Whoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)."
In Surah Ta-Ha [20:124]:
"But whosoever turns away from My Reminder (i.e. neither believes in this Quran nor acts on its orders, etc.) verily, for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection."
3) The Believer will be punished for his sins in this life, and the reward will be preserved for him in the Hereafter. The disbelievers will receive their reward in full in this life, and the punishment will be kept for them in the Hereafter.
Evidence: In Surah Al-Isra'a [17:18]:
"Whoever wishes for the quick-passing (transitory enjoyment of this world), We readily grant him what We will for whom We like. Then, afterwards, We have appointed for him Hell, he will burn therein disgraced and rejected"
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