37/2. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4003 — Repentance and Sins Changed Into Good Deeds
The Gravity of the Sin of Shedding Blood
Repentance in Islam: From Shirk to Faith and Sin to Chastity
Sunan an-Nasai : 4003
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4003
أَخْبَرَنَا حَاجِبُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ الْمَنْبِجِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي رَوَّادٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى الثَّعْلَبِيِّ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ قَوْمًا، كَانُوا قَتَلُوا فَأَكْثَرُوا وَزَنَوْا فَأَكْثَرُوا وَانْتَهَكُوا فَأَتَوُا النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالُوا يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنَّ الَّذِي تَقُولُ وَتَدْعُو إِلَيْهِ لَحَسَنٌ لَوْ تُخْبِرُنَا أَنَّ لِمَا عَمِلْنَا كَفَّارَةً . فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ { وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ } إِلَى { فَأُولَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ } قَالَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ شِرْكَهُمْ إِيمَانًا وَزِنَاهُمْ إِحْصَانًا وَنَزَلَتْ { قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ } الآيَةَ .
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
Some people used to kill, and they did a great deal of it, and they used to commit adultery and they did a great deal of it, and they committed violations. They came to the Prophet [SAW] and said: "O Muhammad, what you say and call people to is good, if only you could tell us that there is any expiation for what we have done."Then Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, revealed: "And those who invoke not any other ilah (god) along with Allah up to for those, Allah will change their sins into good deeds," he said: "So Allah will change their Shirk into faith, and their adultery into chastity. And the Verse: "Say: O 'Ibadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)" was revealed.
[3] Of Tawhîd , by committing Shirk .[4] Al-Furqân 25:68-70.[1] Al-Zumar 39:53.Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4003In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 38English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4008
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4003
This hadith is about people who had committed many serious sins and wanted to know whether there was any expiation for their past. They came to the Prophet and said that his message and call were good, but they needed hope concerning what they had done. The narration says that Allah revealed the passage in Surah Al-Furqan ending with the statement that Allah changes their bad deeds into good deeds, as well as the verse beginning, Say, O My slaves who have transgressed against themselves. Ibn 'Abbas explains the change in clear terms: shirk is changed into faith, and adultery into chastity. The hadith therefore presents repentance as a real change in belief and behavior, not merely a spoken claim. It also shows that people with a deeply sinful past were invited to turn toward Allah.
What we learn from this hadith
- A sinful past did not stop these people from asking about a way to make amends.
- The revealed verses gave hope to people who had committed grave wrongs.
- The change described includes moving from shirk to faith and from adultery to chastity.
- True turning back is shown through a changed belief and changed conduct.
