Day 28: Enjoy His Bounty
INTRODUCTION:
There’s this historic narrative about shaytan the accursed; you know he was one of those who worshipped Allah before his rebellion. He once approached Musa Alayhi Salam asking Musa: “can you ask Allah to forgive me?” Musa yielded to his request and made a supplication to Allah. Allah then told Musa to inform shaytan to fulfil the commandment by prostrating to Adam in his tomb. Shaytan arrogantly said: 'the one I didn’t prostrate to while he was alive, is it now that he’s dead that I will — No, I wouldn’t!’
Shaytan then said to Musa: 'I know a supplication which Allah has promised forgiveness for the one who recites it. I will recite that dua' to Allah (knowing fully well Allah is true to His promise). Musa then informed Allah of what shaytan said. Then Allah told Musa: 'I will cause him to forget’.
Many of us try to play the ploy like shaytan thinking we can outsmart Allah. Not knowing that Allah knows what’s concealed in our breast. While Allah has been so bountiful and merciful to us in all ramifications, we shouldn’t take the opportunity of seeking repentance for granted. Verily! Death beacons and no benefit will repentance bring at the point of death.
INSPIRATION:
Allah says in Suratul Zumar Ayah 53:
“O My servants, who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah. Verily, Allah forgives all sins. Truly He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
From Anas, radiyallahu 'anhu, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, say: "Allah the Almighty has said: 'O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me, and hope in Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds in the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I shall forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with an earthful of sins and were you then to face Me, without having associated anything with Me, I shall grant you an earthful of pardon.’"
[Recorded by Al-Tirmidhi, who said that it is a good and sound hadith]
REFLECTION:
- The key point on this hadith is a call to action: repent sincerely to Allah and seek His forgiveness.
- The hadith clearly points to three distinct ways that enable a Muslim to be forgiven by Allah:
I. Forgiveness via supplication (dua’): The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said: "Supplication is the essence of worship" [Al-Tirmidhi]. Raise you hand to Allah, cry unto Him seek His forgiveness and enjoy His bounty.
II. Forgiveness with repentance (istighfar): It is narrated that the Prophet, Sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, used to seek forgiveness from Allah more than seventy times a day, and in some narration more than one hundred times a day. Obviously with true repentance comes forgiveness.
III. Forgivenesss through Tawhid: Tawhid, as the scholars say, melts away sins. Through fulfilling all the obligations of Tawhid, Muslims are going to be forgiven and rewarded. In as much as you do not associate partners with Allah, there’s forgiveness in stock for you.
- Do not despair of Allah’s mercy. No matter how huge your sins may be, Allah is the All-Forgiving the Most Merciful. Do sincere repentance with hope that Allah will accept it.
- It is a favour from Allah to the Muslim that he forgives them willingly in as much as they err, regret and truly repent.
- Forgiveness is earned through repentance. And repentance begins with regret of the act, commitment not to return to sin and utterance of istighfar.
CONCLUSION:
Beloved brothers and sisters, this is a rare bounty which Allah has blessed the son of Adam with. Indeed all sons of Adam are sinners, but the best of the sinners are those who sincerely repent. May Allah grant us the ability to repent when we sin.
