Repentance and Mercy
Total Hadiths 19
What Prophetic Hadiths Teach Us About Allah's Endless Mercy and Repentance
Seeking forgiveness and turning back to Allah is one of the most beautiful aspects of Islamic practice. According to authentic traditions, the Prophet Muhammad explained that Allah's willingness to forgive completely surpasses human imagination. In one powerful narration, a wealthy man who had committed no good deeds asked to be cremated out of sheer fear of accountability, yet Allah gathered his particles and forgave him entirely because of that sincere fear. This shows that true awe of God opens the gates of divine grace. Furthermore, the Prophet emphasized that your relationship with the Creator depends heavily on your mindset; Allah explicitly states that He is exactly as His servant expects Him to be, urging believers to maintain positive thoughts and deep hope in His mercy, even when approaching death. According to Islamic scholars, no sin is too vast for divine absolution; even if your mistakes accumulate until they literally reach the skies, a genuine turning back to God will erase them. In fact, these narrations beautifully illustrate that Allah rejoices over a servant's sincere repentance even more than a traveler who unexpectedly finds their lost animal in a vast desert.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا شَبَابَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا وَرْقَاءُ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ : " إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَفْرَحُ بِتَوْبَةِ أَحَدِكُمْ مِنْهُ بِضَالَّتِهِ إِذَا وَجَدَهَا " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Allah rejoiced more over the repentance of anyone of you, then you rejoice over your lost animal when you find it.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4247In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 148English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4247
حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ كَاسِبٍ الْمَدَنِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ بُرْقَانَ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ الأَصَمِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ : " لَوْ أَخْطَأْتُمْ حَتَّى تَبْلُغَ خَطَايَاكُمُ السَّمَاءَ ثُمَّ تُبْتُمْ لَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “If you were to commit sin until your sins reach the heaven, then you were to repent, your repentance would be accepted.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4248In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 149English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4248
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، وَإِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَنْبَأَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، قَالَ قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ : أَلاَ أُحَدِّثُكَ بِحَدِيثَيْنِ عَجِيبَيْنِ : أَخْبَرَنِي حُمَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ : " أَسْرَفَ رَجُلٌ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ فَلَمَّا حَضَرَهُ الْمَوْتُ أَوْصَى بَنِيهِ فَقَالَ : إِذَا أَنَا مِتُّ فَأَحْرِقُونِي ثُمَّ اسْحَقُونِي ثُمَّ ذَرُّونِي فِي الرِّيحِ فِي الْبَحْرِ فَوَاللَّهِ لَئِنْ قَدَرَ عَلَىَّ رَبِّي لَيُعَذِّبُنِي عَذَابًا مَا عَذَّبَهُ أَحَدًا . قَالَ : فَفَعَلُوا بِهِ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ لِلأَرْضِ : أَدِّي مَا أَخَذْتِ . فَإِذَا هُوَ قَائِمٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ : مَا حَمَلَكَ عَلَى مَا صَنَعْتَ قَالَ : خَشْيَتُكَ - أَوْ مَخَافَتُكَ - يَا رَبِّ . فَغَفَرَ لَهُ لِذَلِكَ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “A man went to extremes in committing sins. When death came to him, he left instructions to his sons, saying: ‘When I die, burn me, then grind me into powder, then scatter me in the wind and in the sea, for by Allah, if my Lord has power over me, He will subject me to a punishment that He has never subjected anyone to.’ So they did that to him, then (Allah) said to the earth: ‘Return what you have taken,’ and there he was, standing. He said to him: ‘What made you do what you have done?’ He said: ‘Fear of You, O Lord.’ So He forgave him because of that (fear).”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4255In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 156English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4255
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، أَنْبَأَنَا عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ " إِنَّ لِلَّهِ مِائَةَ رَحْمَةٍ قَسَمَ مِنْهَا رَحْمَةً بَيْنَ جَمِيعِ الْخَلاَئِقِ فَبِهَا يَتَرَاحَمُونَ وَبِهَا يَتَعَاطَفُونَ وَبِهَا تَعْطِفُ الْوَحْشُ عَلَى أَوْلاَدِهَا وَأَخَّرَ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ رَحْمَةً يَرْحَمُ بِهَا عِبَادَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Allah has one hundred (degrees of) mercy, of which He has shared one between all of creation, by virtue of which you show mercy and compassion towards one another and the wild animals show compassion towards their young. And He has kept back ninety-nine (degrees of) mercy by virtue of which He will show mercy to His slaves on the Day of Resurrection.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4293In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 194English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4293
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ، وَأَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو خَالِدٍ الأَحْمَرُ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَجْلاَنَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَمَّا خَلَقَ الْخَلْقَ كَتَبَ بِيَدِهِ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ إِنَّ رَحْمَتِي تَغْلِبُ غَضَبِي " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “When Allah created the universe, He decreed for Himself: ‘My mercy prevails over My wrath.’”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4295In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 196English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4295
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ بُرْقَانَ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ الأَصَمِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَقُولُ أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي فِيَّ وَأَنَا مَعَهُ إِذَا دَعَانِي " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: "Indeed Allah Most High Says: 'I Am As My Slave Thinks Of Me, And I Am With Him When He Calls Upon Me.'"
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2388In-book reference : Book 36, Hadith 85English translation : Vol. 4, Book 10, Hadith 2388
حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ أَعْيَنَ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ يَحْيَى الشَّيْبَانِيُّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ بْنِ حَفْصٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فِي بَعْضِ غَزَوَاتِهِ فَمَرَّ بِقَوْمٍ فَقَالَ مَنِ الْقَوْمُ فَقَالُوا نَحْنُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ . وَامْرَأَةٌ تَحْصِبُ تَنُّورَهَا وَمَعَهَا ابْنٌ لَهَا فَإِذَا ارْتَفَعَ وَهَجُ التَّنُّورِ تَنَحَّتْ بِهِ فَأَتَتِ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فَقَالَتْ أَنْتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ قَالَ " نَعَمْ " . قَالَتْ بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَرْحَمِ الرَّاحِمِينَ قَالَ " بَلَى " . قَالَتْ أَوَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَرْحَمَ بِعِبَادِهِ مِنَ الأُمِّ بِوَلَدِهَا قَالَ " بَلَى " . قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ الأُمَّ لاَ تُلْقِي وَلَدَهَا فِي النَّارِ . فَأَكَبَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يَبْكِي ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ إِلَيْهَا فَقَالَ " إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُعَذِّبُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ إِلاَّ الْمَارِدَ الْمُتَمَرِّدَ الَّذِي يَتَمَرَّدُ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَأَبَى أَنْ يَقُولَ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ " .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
We were with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on one of his campaigns. He passed by some people and said: ‘Who are these people?’ They said: ‘We are Muslims.’ There was a woman putting wood in her oven, and a son of hers was with her. When the flames got higher, she moved him away.She came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: ‘Are you the Messenger of Allah?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ She said: ‘May my father and mother be ransomed for you. Is not Allah the Most Merciful of those who show mercy?’ He said: ‘Yes indeed.’ She said: ‘Is not Allah more Merciful than a mother to her child?’ He said: ‘Yes indeed.’ She said: ‘A mother would not throw her child into the fire.’ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) lowered his head and wept. Then he looked up at her and said: ‘Allah does not punish any of His slaves except those who are defiant and rebellious, who rebel against Allah and refuse to say: La ilaha illallah.’”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4297In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 198English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4297
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مَنِيعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا زَيْدُ بْنُ الْحُبَابِ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مَسْعَدَةَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ : " كُلُّ بَنِي آدَمَ خَطَّاءٌ وَخَيْرُ الْخَطَّائِينَ التَّوَّابُونَ " .
Anas Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Every son of Adam commits sin, and the best of those who commit sin are those who repent.’”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4251In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 152English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4251
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ طَرِيفٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يَقُولُ " لاَ يَمُوتَنَّ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ إِلاَّ وَهُوَ يُحْسِنُ الظَّنَّ بِاللَّهِ " .
Jabir Narrated from:
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ‘No one of you should die except thinking positively of Allah.’”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4167In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 68English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4167
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا زَيْدُ بْنُ الْحُبَابِ، حَدَّثَنَا سُهَيْلُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، - أَخُو حَزْمٍ الْقُطَعِيِّ - حَدَّثَنَا ثَابِتٌ الْبُنَانِيُّ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَرَأَ - أَوْ تَلاَ - هَذِهِ الآيَةَ {هُوَ أَهْلُ التَّقْوَى وَأَهْلُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ} فَقَالَ " قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنَا أَهْلٌ أَنْ أُتَّقَى فَلاَ يُجْعَلَ مَعِي إِلَهٌ آخَرُ فَمَنِ اتَّقَى أَنْ يَجْعَلَ مَعِي إِلَهًا آخَرَ فَأَنَا أَهْلٌ أَنْ أَغْفِرَ لَهُ " . قَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ الْقَطَّانُ حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ نَصْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هُدْبَةُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُهَيْلُ بْنُ أَبِي حَزْمٍ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ فِي هَذِهِ الآيَةِ {هُوَ أَهْلُ التَّقْوَى وَأَهْلُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ } قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ أَنَا أَهْلٌ أَنْ أُتَّقَى فَلاَ يُشْرَكَ بِي غَيْرِي وَأَنَا أَهْلٌ لِمَنِ اتَّقَى أَنْ يُشْرِكَ بِي أَنْ أَغْفِرَ لَهُ " .
Anas bin Malik Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) recited this Verse:“He (Allah) is the One, deserving that mankind should be afraid of, and should be dutiful to Him, and should not take any Ilah (god) along with Him, and He is the One Who forgives (sins).” [74:56]Then he said: “Allah says: ‘I am the One Who deserves to be feared, so no other god should be appointed alongside Me. Whoever avoids appointing another god alongside Me, I am the One Who should forgive him.” Another chain reports a similar hadith.
[1] Al-Muddaththir 74:56.[1] Al-Muddaththir 74:56.Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4299In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 200English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4299
