Not a single soul on the face of this earth is spared from sins. Sinning; all of us have committed sins and will do so from time to time. Sinners, we all are. It is safe to say that we humans share a rather irksome common ground. However, there is one thing that indeed differentiates us; and it is none other than sincere repentance.
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم narrated: “All the sons of Adam are sinners, but the best of sinners are those who repent”. (Sunan Ibn Majah 4251 Book 37 Hadith 152)
Nonetheless, why is it such that not everyone who sins, seeks sincere repentance?
Naturally, we humans tend to seek repentance only if we feel worthy of forgiveness and more than often, we tend to lose sight of our Creator’s splendour and magnificence. A rather substantial amount of people have committed sins to the extent that they drown themselves in the oceans of their sins and fall prey to the fallacious ideology that there is absolutely no retribution for the mountains of sins they have committed. They continue to feel and believe with an erroneous personal and emotional conviction that forgiveness is but imaginable.
Indeed, there is harm in sinning, but I firmly believe that there is more harm in the perception that the severity and quantity of your sins can fall out of the purview of His mercy and forgiveness. Allow me to put things into perspective, on the vastness of His forgiveness, by sharing with you a prophetic narration depicting God’s immeasurable love and mercy towards his creations.
The companions of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم were with the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم on one of his campaigns and there was a woman putting wood in her oven, and her son was on her lap. When the flames got mightier, she immediately moved him away. Moments after, she approached the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and enquired if he is indeed Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم affirmed. She said ‘Is not Allah the most merciful of those who show mercy?’ He said: ‘Indeed’. She then asked ‘Is not Allah more merciful than a mother to her child?’ He said: ‘Indeed’. She said: ‘A mother would never throw her child into the fire’. Upon hearing this, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم lowered his head and wept. (Sunan Ibn Majah 4297, Book 37, Hadith 198)
This prophetic narration exudes the epitome of beauty and love. Empty your thoughts momentarily and ponder deeply upon this narration. You will come to a comforting realisation that Allah’s love and mercy for us, his very own creations, is far beyond the grasp of our humble minds. It is the purest form of love from the Creator of love himself, a limitless love, one that we cannot even fathom comprehending.
Do not set a curtailment to that which cannot be measured and always believe and trust in the love and mercy our Creator has for us. No sin and no amount of sin is too severe such that it cannot be forgiven. Allah says: “Son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done. Son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. Son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness as great as it.” (Riyadh-As-Salihin Hadith 143)
After the countless affirmations God has given us, it would be but insulting to Allah if we were to feel that we are not worthy of His forgiveness.
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم narrated: “Allah stretches His hand during the night so that those who commit sins by day may repent, and He stretches His hand in the day so that those who commit sins by night may repent.” (Mishkat-Al-Masabih 2329 Book 9 Hadith 103)
Approach Him, whenever and wherever for there isn’t a time nor place where He fails to be there for his servants, and seek forgiveness, mercy and repentance, for He is the Most Merciful, Ever Forgiving and it is He who brought compassion into existence.
“You will come to a comforting realisation that Allah’s love and mercy for us, his very own creations, is far beyond the grasp of our humble minds. It is the purest form of love from the Creator of love himself, a limitless love, one that we cannot even fathom comprehending.”
As we are approaching the month of Ramadan, some of us may be reminded of our past sins, and wonder if we are ever worthy of attaining his forgiveness. With the blessings of this magnificent month, we should remember that He is The All Forgiving and set aside all doubts and invest our energy and time to sincerely be better people. Ramadan is the best time to renew our intentions, change our ways and create good habits to be better than we were before. Most importantly, it is the month every Muslim should hasten to chase for His forgiveness and He has made a promise to His servants to forgive them, specifically for those who fast sincerely and diligently towards His pleasure. In a hadith:
Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “He who fasts during Ramadan with faith and seeking his reward from God will have his past sins forgiven.” (Mishkat al-Masabih 1958 Book 7 Hadith 3)
Such words can never be more soothing and reassuring to hear, especially when everyone is given a similar opportunity by Allah SWT to be forgiven from all his or her sins by doing good and being sincere in fasting during Ramadan. May He make us amongst those who achieve His forgiveness and ultimately attain His pleasure.
