The slaves of Allah can be divided into six categories with regards to their sins
The slaves of Allah can be divided into categories with regards to their sins:
The first category: the one who performs tawbah[1] from his sin. Allah will forgive and erase his sin. Rather, he might even have his sins exchanged for good deeds (hasanaat). And this is from the mercy of the Almighty, the Most Merciful. Allah (تعالى) says:
{And verily, I am indeed Forgiving to him who repents, believes (in My Oneness, and associates none in worship with Me) and does righteous good deeds, and then remains constant in doing them, (till his death).} [Surah Ta-Ha 20:82]
Allah (جل و علا) also says:
{And those who invoke not any other ilah (god) along with Allah, nor kill such life as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse and whoever does this shall receive the punishment. The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace. Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds, for those, Allah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.} [Surah Al-Furqan 25:68-70]
The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) also says:
“And Allah forgives the one who performs tawbah.”[2]
The second category: the one who commits sins and deserves to be punished in this world by way of al-Hudud and ta’zeeraat (the established Islamic punishments). When these punishments are applied to him, then they will erase his sin. As occurs in the narration of ‘Ubaadah (رضي الله عنه) on the authority of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) who said:
“Take an oath with me, that you will not worship anything besides Allah, nor steal anything, nor commit adultery, nor kill your children, nor make up lies, and will not be disobedient with regards to that which is correct. If you fulfil this (oath); your reward will be with Allah. However, any who commits one of these deeds and is punished in this worldly life; then it will be an amnesty for him.”[3]
The third category: the one who commits sins, upon whom Allah sends down punishments which will act as an amnesty for his sins. With this person the remnants of sins are erased. Like the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said:
“A slave/servant is not struck by sadness, deprivation or disease, except that it is an amnesty for his sins.”[4]
The fourth category: the one who commits sins but Allah (تعالى) has made it easy, by (way of another) person making du’aa for him and giving sadaqah in his name. Because of this, it is possible that Allah (تعالى) forgives his sins, due to the du’aa being made by his children or others.
The fifth category: the one who commits sins (apart from the major sins) and subsequently performs good deeds, by way of which his past sins are erased. Because Allah (تعالى) will pardon these sins, as He (تعالى) says:
{Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (i.e. small sins).} [Surah Hud 11:114]
Allah (تعالى) also says:
{If you avoid the great sins which you are forbidden to do, We shall remit from you your (small) sins, and admit you to a Noble Entrance (i.e. Paradise).} [Surah An-Nisaa’ 4:31]
The sixth category: the one who commits sins, whereby the doer deserves the Hellfire, and he does not perform tawbah, nor (does he) have something in order for these (sins) to be pardoned; such a person falls under the Will of Allah. If Allah Wills, then He will punish him, and if He Wills, then He will forgive him his sins. (However) in both cases, Allah (جل و علا) will cause the eternal Paradise to be their abode, because they are Muslims; and Muslims are the people of the Paradise.
Footnotes:
[1] Asking Allah for forgiveness.
[2] Narrated by al-Bukharee and Muslim.
[3] Narrated by al-Bukharee and Muslim.
[4] Narrated by Muslim and Maalik in his Muwatta.
Shaykh Sa'd bin Nāsir Ash-Shathrī, may Allah preserve him
Translated by Salafi-Dawah.com.
Source: Sharh Usool as-Sunnah, p. 84-85. Click here, to view a scan of the pages.
The first category: the one who performs tawbah[1] from his sin. Allah will forgive and erase his sin. Rather, he might even have his sins exchanged for good deeds (hasanaat). And this is from the mercy of the Almighty, the Most Merciful. Allah (تعالى) says:
{And verily, I am indeed Forgiving to him who repents, believes (in My Oneness, and associates none in worship with Me) and does righteous good deeds, and then remains constant in doing them, (till his death).} [Surah Ta-Ha 20:82]
Allah (جل و علا) also says:
{And those who invoke not any other ilah (god) along with Allah, nor kill such life as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse and whoever does this shall receive the punishment. The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace. Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds, for those, Allah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.} [Surah Al-Furqan 25:68-70]
The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) also says:
“And Allah forgives the one who performs tawbah.”[2]
The second category: the one who commits sins and deserves to be punished in this world by way of al-Hudud and ta’zeeraat (the established Islamic punishments). When these punishments are applied to him, then they will erase his sin. As occurs in the narration of ‘Ubaadah (رضي الله عنه) on the authority of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) who said:
“Take an oath with me, that you will not worship anything besides Allah, nor steal anything, nor commit adultery, nor kill your children, nor make up lies, and will not be disobedient with regards to that which is correct. If you fulfil this (oath); your reward will be with Allah. However, any who commits one of these deeds and is punished in this worldly life; then it will be an amnesty for him.”[3]
The third category: the one who commits sins, upon whom Allah sends down punishments which will act as an amnesty for his sins. With this person the remnants of sins are erased. Like the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said:
“A slave/servant is not struck by sadness, deprivation or disease, except that it is an amnesty for his sins.”[4]
The fourth category: the one who commits sins but Allah (تعالى) has made it easy, by (way of another) person making du’aa for him and giving sadaqah in his name. Because of this, it is possible that Allah (تعالى) forgives his sins, due to the du’aa being made by his children or others.
The fifth category: the one who commits sins (apart from the major sins) and subsequently performs good deeds, by way of which his past sins are erased. Because Allah (تعالى) will pardon these sins, as He (تعالى) says:
{Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (i.e. small sins).} [Surah Hud 11:114]
Allah (تعالى) also says:
{If you avoid the great sins which you are forbidden to do, We shall remit from you your (small) sins, and admit you to a Noble Entrance (i.e. Paradise).} [Surah An-Nisaa’ 4:31]
The sixth category: the one who commits sins, whereby the doer deserves the Hellfire, and he does not perform tawbah, nor (does he) have something in order for these (sins) to be pardoned; such a person falls under the Will of Allah. If Allah Wills, then He will punish him, and if He Wills, then He will forgive him his sins. (However) in both cases, Allah (جل و علا) will cause the eternal Paradise to be their abode, because they are Muslims; and Muslims are the people of the Paradise.
Footnotes:
[1] Asking Allah for forgiveness.
[2] Narrated by al-Bukharee and Muslim.
[3] Narrated by al-Bukharee and Muslim.
[4] Narrated by Muslim and Maalik in his Muwatta.
Shaykh Sa'd bin Nāsir Ash-Shathrī, may Allah preserve him
Translated by Salafi-Dawah.com.
Source: Sharh Usool as-Sunnah, p. 84-85. Click here, to view a scan of the pages.
