And the Prophet has said...
And the Prophet has said:
Enough is regret as repentance, 'and also he has said: `Whoever is
pleased by a good deed and displeased by a bad deed, he is a
believer.' Therefore, if there is someone who does not feel remorse for
a sin he has committed, he is not a believer, and intercession will not
avail him, and he will be an unjust one. And Allah says: `The unjust
shall have no true friend nor any intercessor who should be obeyed'
(40:18)." It was said to him: "O son of the Messenger of Allah! How is it
that he who is not sorry for a sin he has committed, he does not
remain a believer?" He said: 'Anyone who commits a big sin, knowing
that he must be punished for it, will certainly feel remorse for what he
has done. And as soon as he is sorry, he is repentant, eligible for
intercession. But if he is not sorry, then he is persisting in it, and a
persistent (sinner) is not forgiven; because he does not believe in the
punishment of what he has done. Has he believed in that punishment
he would have been sorry. And the Prophet has said: `No big sin
abides with apologizing, and no small sin remains (small) with
persistence.' And as for the words of Allah, "and they do not intercede
except for him whom He approves, " it means that they do not
intercede except for him whose religion He approves. Religion is an
acknowledgement that good and bad deeds have to be recompensed. If one's religion were approved, one would feel remorse for the sins
one would have committed, because he would know what their result
would be on the (Day of) Resurrection." (At-Tawheed)
9.A similar theme is found in a tradition quoted in `Ilalu-Sh-Sharaye'
from Abu Ishaq al-Laythi that he said: `O son of the Messenger of
Allah! Tell me about a believer, possessing religious understanding
when he reaches (a high point in) knowledge and becomes perfect,
does he commit fornication?' He said `By God! No.' I said: `Then does
he indulge in sodomy? He said: `By God! No.' I said: `Then does he
steal?' He said: 'No.' I said: `Then does he drink intoxicant?' He said:
`No.' I said: `Then does he commit any of the big sins or indulge in any
of these indecencies?' He said: `No.' I said: `Then does he commit a
sin?' He said: `Yes, and he is a believer, sinner, submissive.' I said:
`What does submissive mean?' He said: `The submissive (servant)
does not persist in it, does not keep doing it..."
10.
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