The Book of Belief and Disbelief
Repentance
6ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ الْعَلاءِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ مُسْلِمٍ ذُنُوبُ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِذَا تَابَ مِنْهَا مَغْفُورَةٌ لَهُ فَلْيَعْمَلِ الْمُؤْمِنُ لِمَا يَسْتَأْنِفُ بَعْدَ التَّوْبَةِ وَالْمَغْفِرَةِ أَمَا وَالله إِنَّهَا لَيْسَتْ إِلا لأهْلِ الإيمَانِ قُلْتُ فَإِنْ عَادَ بَعْدَ التَّوْبَةِ وَالإسْتِغْفَارِ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ وَعَادَ فِي التَّوْبَةِ فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ مُسْلِمٍ أَ تَرَى الْعَبْدَ الْمُؤْمِنَ يَنْدَمُ عَلَى ذَنْبِهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُ مِنْهُ وَيَتُوبُ ثُمَّ لا يَقْبَلُ الله تَوْبَتَهُ قُلْتُ فَإِنَّهُ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ مِرَاراً يُذْنِبُ ثُمَّ يَتُوبُ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُ الله فَقَالَ كُلَّمَا عَادَ الْمُؤْمِنُ بِالإسْتِغْفَارِ وَالتَّوْبَةِ عَادَ الله عَلَيْهِ بِالْمَغْفِرَةِ وَإِنَّ الله غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ وَيَعْفُو عَنِ السَّيِّئَاتِ فَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ تُقَنِّطَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ رَحْمَةِ الله.
6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from al-‘Ala’ from Muhammad ibn Muslim from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following: “Once abu Ja’far (a.s.) said, ‘O Muhammad ibn Muslim, if believing people repent for their sins they will be forgiven. Believing people must resume their good deeds after repentance and forgiveness. By Allah, this is only for the believers.’ I then asked, ‘What if he goes back to sin after repenting and asking for forgiveness and repents again?’ The Imam said, ‘O Muhammad ibn Muslim, do you think a believing servant (of Allah) regrets his sins, asks forgiveness and repents but Allah does not accept his repentance?’ I said, ‘He, however, has done it many times. He sins, repents and asks forgiveness (from Allah).’ The Imam said, ‘Whenever a believing servant (of Allah) returns back for repentance and pleas for forgiveness, Allah returns to him with forgiveness; Allah is forgiving and merciful. He accepts repentance and effaces the evil deeds. You must never cause a believer to lose hope in the favor and mercy of Allah.’”
7ـ أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ ثَعْلَبَةَ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِذا مَسَّهُمْ طائِفٌ مِنَ الشَّيْطانِ تَذَكَّرُوا فَإِذا هُمْ مُبْصِرُونَ قَالَ هُوَ الْعَبْدُ يَهُمُّ بِالذَّنْبِ ثُمَّ يَتَذَكَّرُ فَيُمْسِكُ فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ تَذَكَّرُوا فَإِذا هُمْ مُبْصِرُونَ.
7. Abu Ali al-Ash’ari has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from ibn Faddal from Tha’labah ibn Maymun from abu Basir who has said the following: “Once I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘When a Satanic thought starts to bother the pious ones, they understand and see the light.’ (7:201) The Imam said, ‘It means that a servant (of Allah) intends to commit an evil deed then he realizes it and holds back and that is indicated in His words, ‘They understand and see.’”
8ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ الْحَذَّاءِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ الله تَعَالَى أَشَدُّ فَرَحاً بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ مِنْ رَجُلٍ أَضَلَّ رَاحِلَتَهُ وَزَادَهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ ظَلْمَاءَ فَوَجَدَهَا فَالله أَشَدُّ فَرَحاً بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلِ بِرَاحِلَتِهِ حِينَ وَجَدَهَا.
8. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ‘Umar ibn ‘Udhaynah from abu ‘Ubaydah al-Hadhdha’ who has said the following: “I heard abu Ja’far (a.s.) saying, ‘Allah, the Most High, is more pleased for the repentance of His servant than one who loses his animals, that carry his load and supplies, in a dark night and then finds them out. Allah is more pleased for the repentance of His servant than the person who finds his lost properties.’”
9ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي جَمِيلَةَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ الله يُحِبُّ الْعَبْدَ الْمُفَتَّنَ التَّوَّابَ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ كَانَ أَفْضَلَ.
9. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn Isma’il from ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Uthman from abu Jamilah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Allah loves the servant who is put to trial (by sin) and repents, however, one without such (sinful) condition is better.’”
10ـ عَنْهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ النُّعْمَانِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ يُوسُفَ بْنِ أَبِي يَعْقُوبَ بَيَّاعِ الأرُزِّ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ التَّائِبُ مِنَ الذَّنْبِ كَمَنْ لا ذَنْبَ لَهُ وَالْمُقِيمُ عَلَى الذَّنْبِ وَهُوَ مُسْتَغْفِرٌ مِنْهُ كَالْمُسْتَهْزِئِ.
10. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Nu’man from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Yusuf (ibn) abu Ya’qub Bayya’ al-Arz from Jabir who has said the following: “I heard abu Ja’far (a.s.) saying, ‘A person repenting from sins is like one who has not sinned. One who persists in sin and asks forgiveness is like one contemptuous of it (repentance).”’
11ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَوْحَى إِلَى دَاوُدَ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) أَنِ ائْتِ عَبْدِي دَانِيَالَ فَقُلْ لَهُ إِنَّكَ عَصَيْتَنِي فَغَفَرْتُ لَكَ وَعَصَيْتَنِي فَغَفَرْتُ لَكَ وَعَصَيْتَنِي فَغَفَرْتُ لَكَ فَإِنْ أَنْتَ عَصَيْتَنِيَ الرَّابِعَةَ لَمْ أَغْفِرْ لَكَ فَأَتَاهُ دَاوُدُ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ يَا دَانِيَالُ إِنَّنِي رَسُولُ الله إِلَيْكَ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ لَكَ إِنَّكَ عَصَيْتَنِي فَغَفَرْتُ لَكَ وَعَصَيْتَنِي فَغَفَرْتُ لَكَ وَعَصَيْتَنِي فَغَفَرْتُ لَكَ فَإِنْ أَنْتَ عَصَيْتَنِيَ الرَّابِعَةَ لَمْ أَغْفِرْ لَكَ فَقَالَ لَهُ دَانِيَالُ قَدْ أَبْلَغْتَ يَا نَبِيَّ الله فَلَمَّا كَانَ فِي السَّحَرِ قَامَ دَانِيَالُ فَنَاجَى رَبَّهُ فَقَالَ ي��ا رَبِّ إِنَّ دَاوُدَ نَبِيَّكَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَنْكَ أَنَّنِي قَدْ عَصَيْتُكَ فَغَفَرْتَ لِي وَعَصَيْتُكَ فَغَفَرْتَ لِي وَعَصَيْتُكَ فَغَفَرْتَ لِي وَأَخْبَرَنِي عَنْكَ أَنَّنِي إِنْ عَصَيْتُكَ الرَّابِعَةَ لَمْ تَغْفِرْ لِي فَوَ عِزَّتِكَ لَئِنْ لَمْ تَعْصِمْنِي لأعْصِيَنَّكَ ثُمَّ لأعْصِيَنَّكَ ثُمَّ لأعْصِيَنَّكَ.
11. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and a number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad all from ibn Mahbub from abu Hamza from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following: “Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, sent revelation to David, ‘Meet My servant Daniel and say to him, ‘You have disobeyed Me and I forgave you, you disobeyed Me, I forgave you, you disobeyed Me and I forgave you. If you will disobey Me the forth time I will not forgive you.’ David went to meet Daniel and said, ‘O Daniel, I am the Messenger of Allah and He says to you, “You disobeyed Me and I forgave you, you disobeyed Me and I forgave you, you disobeyed Me and I forgave you. If you will disobey Me the forth time I will not forgive you.’” Daniel said, ‘O prophet of Allah, you have conveyed your message.’ In the early morning Daniel woke up and prayed to his Lord, saying, ‘O Lord, Your prophet David informed me that I have disobeyed You and You forgave me, I disobeyed You and You forgave me, I disobeyed You and You forgave me and if I will disobey You the forth time You will not forgive me. I swear by Your Majesty, if You will not protect me I will certainly disobey You, I will certainly disobey You, I will certainly disobey You.’”
12ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ رَاشِدٍ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ وَهْبٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِذَا تَابَ الْعَبْدُ تَوْبَةً نَصُوحاً أَحَبَّهُ الله فَسَتَرَ عَلَيْهِ فَقُلْتُ وَكَيْفَ يَسْتُرُ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ يُنْسِي مَلَكَيْهِ مَا كَانَا يَكْتُبَانِ عَلَيْهِ وَيُوحِي الله إِلَى جَوَارِحِهِ وَإِلَى بِقَاعِ الأرْضِ أَنِ اكْتُمِي عَلَيْهِ ذُنُوبَهُ فَيَلْقَى الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ حِينَ يَلْقَاهُ وَلَيْسَ شَيْءٌ يَشْهَدُ عَلَيْهِ بِشَيْءٍ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ.
12. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Musa ibn al-Qasim from his grandfather al-Hassan ibn Rashid from Mu’awiyah ibn Wahab who has said the following: “I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘When a servant (of Allah) repents in the form of the repentance of Nasuh (sincerely repenting) Allah loves him and covers him up.’ I then asked, ‘How does he cover him up?’ The Imam said, ‘He makes his two angels forget whatever they have written against him and Allah sends inspiration to the parts of his body and to the parts of the earth to hide his sins and he will meet Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy in his meeting while there will be no one to testify anything against him for his sins.’”
13ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الأشْعَرِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ الْقَدَّاحِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَفْرَحُ بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِذَا تَابَ كَمَا يَفْرَحُ أَحَدُكُمْ بِضَالَّتِهِ إِذَا وَجَدَهَا.
13. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Ash’ari from ibn al-Qaddah from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘The repentance of a servant (of Allah) from sins pleases Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, more than a person’s finding a dearly cherished thing that he has lost.’”
The Book of Belief and Disbelief
Pleading for Forgiveness
1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حُمْرَانَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا أَذْنَبَ ذَنْباً أُجِّلَ مِنْ غُدْوَةٍ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ فَإِنِ اسْتَغْفَرَ الله لَمْ يُكْتَبْ عَلَيْهِ.
1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Muhammad ibn Humran from Zurara who has said the following: “I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘When a servant (of Allah) commits a sin he is given respite from morning to evening. If within such time he pleaded before Allah for forgiveness no sin will be written against him.’”
2ـ عَنْهُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ وَأَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَنْ عَمِلَ سَيِّئَةً أُجِّلَ فِيهَا سَبْعَ سَاعَاتٍ مِنَ النَّهَارِ فَإِنْ قَالَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ الله الَّذِي لا إِلَهَ إِلا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ثَلاثَ مَرَّاتٍ لَمْ تُكْتَبْ عَلَيْهِ.
2. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr and Abu Ali al-Ash’ari from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan from abu Ayyub from abu Basir from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “If one commits a sin he is given seven hours respite during the day. If he says, ‘I ask forgiveness from Allah, besides Whom no one deserves to be worshipped. Who is living and controls all things, - three times - no sin will be written against him.’”