Compiled and Translated by Abul-Hasan Maalik Aadam al-Akhdar

Sufyaan ibn Uyainah said: “Whoever his sin is from desire (craving), have hope for his repentance, for indeed Aadam disobeyed Allaah from desire(craving) and was forgiven, and whoever his sin is from arrogance, then fear for his damnation, for indeed Iblees (Satan) disobeyed Allaah from haughtiness and was cursed.” [Tahdheeb Al-Kamaal by Al-Mizzee]

On the authority of Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree who said: The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

“There was from those who came before you a man who killed ninety-nine people, so he asked about the most knowledgeable of the people on earth and was directed to a monk, so he went to him and informed him that he had killed ninety-nine people and was there any hope repentance for him? He replied to him that there wasn’t so he killed him and completed one-hundred. He then asked about the most knowledgeable of the people on earth and was directed to a scholar and informed him that he had killed one-hundred people and was there any hope for him of repentance? He replied to him that there was and asked, ‘Who stands between you and repentance? Go to such and such a land, you will find there people who worship Allaah, worship Allaah alongside them, and do not return to your land because it is a land of evil.’ So he went away and when he got about half the way death overtook him, and there was a dispute between the angels of mercy and the angels of punishment. The angels of mercy said, ‘He came with a repenting heart to Allaah,’ and the angels of punishment argued, ‘He never did a good deed in his life.’ Then there appeared an angel in the form of a human being to arbitrate between them. He said, ‘Measure between the two lands and which ever one he is closest to he will be considered from its inhabitants.’ They measured and found that he was closer to the land that he intended to go to, and so the angels of mercy took his soul.”

Four Benefits are mentioned from the aforementioned hadeeth with a variety of knowledge-filled explanations of the salaf:

1. Feeling Remorseful for One’s Sins

2. Asking the People of Knowledge When Seeking Guidance towards Repentance

3. Allaah Forgives the Greatest of Sins with Sincere Repentance

4. The Encouragement of the Repenting One to Flee from the Places He Used to Fall into Sin, and From those who Used to Encourage Him Upon It