The Book of Repentance — Hadith 6831

Arabic Text

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، وَقُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، وَأَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ - وَاللَّفْظُ لِيَحْيَى - قَالَ يَحْيَى أَخْبَرَنَا وَقَالَ الآخَرَانِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ سِمَاكٍ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، وَالأَسْوَدِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي عَالَجْتُ امْرَأَةً فِي أَقْصَى الْمَدِينَةِ وَإِنِّي أَصَبْتُ مِنْهَا مَا دُونَ أَنْ أَمَسَّهَا فَأَنَا هَذَا فَاقْضِ فِيَّ مَا شِئْتَ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ لَهُ عُمَرُ لَقَدْ سَتَرَكَ اللَّهُ لَوْ سَتَرْتَ نَفْسَكَ - قَالَ - فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم شَيْئًا فَقَامَ الرَّجُلُ فَانْطَلَقَ فَأَتْبَعَهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَجُلاً دَعَاهُ وَتَلاَ عَلَيْهِ هَذِهِ الآيَةَ ‏{‏ أَقِمِ الصَّلاَةَ طَرَفَىِ النَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًا مِنَ اللَّيْلِ إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ ذَلِكَ ذِكْرَى لِلذَّاكِرِينَ‏}‏ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ هَذَا لَهُ خَاصَّةً قَالَ ‏"‏ بَلْ لِلنَّاسِ كَافَّةً ‏"‏ ‏.‏

English Translation

'Abdullah reported that a person came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and said: Allah's Messenger, I sported with a woman in the outskirts of Medina, and I have committed an offence short of fornication. Here I am (before you), kindly deliver verdict about me which you deem fit. Unar said: Allah concealed your fault. You had better conceal it yourself also. Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), however, gave no reply to him. The man stood up and went away and Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) sent a person after him to call him and be recited this verse:" And observe prayer at the ends of the day and in the first hours of the night. Surely, good deeds take away evil deeds. That is a reminder for the mindful" (xi. 115). A person amongst the people said: Allah's Apostle, does it concern this marn only? Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: No, but the people at large.