Mercy of Allah to the Believers

 Here is a SaHīH (Authentic) hadīth that shows the great mercy that Allāh has for the mu’minīn. Inshā’Allāh, we are of the mu’minīn.

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ الْعَلَاءِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ مُسْلِمٍ ذُنُوبُ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِذَا تَابَ مِنْهَا مَغْفُورَةٌ لَهُ فَلْيَعْمَلِ الْمُؤْمِنُ لِمَا يَسْتَأْنِفُ بَعْدَ التَّوْبَةِ وَ الْمَغْفِرَةِ أَمَا وَ اللَّهِ إِنَّهَا لَيْسَتْ إِلَّا لِأَهْلِ الْإِيمَانِ

From Muhammad bin Muslim from Abī Ja`far (عليه السلام) said: “O Muhammad bin Muslim, the sins of a mu’min, if he repents for it, he is forgiven for it. The mu’min must resume his actions after repentance and forgiveness, but by Allāh, this is not for (everyone), except the people of Imān.”

قُلْتُ فَإِنْ عَادَ بَعْدَ التَّوْبَةِ وَ الِاسْتِغْفَارِ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ وَ عَادَ فِي التَّوْبَةِ فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ مُسْلِمٍ أَ تَرَى الْعَبْدَ الْمُؤْمِنَ يَنْدَمُ عَلَى ذَنْبِهِ وَ يَسْتَغْفِرُ مِنْهُ وَ يَتُوبُ ثُمَّ لَا يَقْبَلُ اللَّهُ تَوْبَتَهُ قُلْتُ فَإِنَّهُ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ مِرَاراً يُذْنِبُ ثُمَّ يَتُوبُ وَ يَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ فَقَالَ كُلَّمَا عَادَ الْمُؤْمِنُ بِالاسْتِغْفَارِ وَ التَّوْبَةِ عَادَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ بِالْمَغْفِرَةِ وَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ وَ يَعْفُو عَنِ السَّيِّئَاتِ فَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ تُقَنِّطَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ

I (narrator) said: “What if he returns back to sin after the repentance and forgiveness, and he returns in repents (again)?” So he (عليه السلام) said: “O Muhammad bin Muslims, do you think that a believing servant regrets for his sins, and asks forgiveness from it and repents, then Allāh will not accept his repentance? I (narrator) said: “What if he repeats that sin, then repents and ask for forgiveness from Allāh? So he (عليه السلام) said: “Whenever a mu’min returns in asking for forgiveness and repents, Allāh will return his forgiveness to him, and verily Allāh is forgiving and merciful. He accepts repentance and forgives from the evil (deeds). You must beware that the mu’minīn (never) despair from the mercy of Allāh”

Source:

1.     Al-Kulaynī, Al-Kāfī, ed. `Alī Akbar al-Ghaffārī, (Tehran: Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyyah, 3^rd Edition, 1388 AH), vol. 2, pg. 434, hadeeth # 6

Grading:

1.     Al-Majlisī said this hadeeth is SaHeeH (Authentic)
à Mir’āt Al-`Uqūl (Tehran: Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyyah, 1410 AH), vol. 11, pg. 302