37/48. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2495 — Seeking Allah’s Help
In Which There are Four Ahadith
Hadith About Asking Allah for Guidance and Forgiveness
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 2495
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 2495
حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ لَيْثٍ، عَنْ شَهْرِ بْنِ حَوْشَبٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ غَنْمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَقُولُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى يَا عِبَادِي كُلُّكُمْ ضَالٌّ إِلاَّ مَنْ هَدَيْتُهُ فَسَلُونِي الْهُدَى أَهْدِكُمْ وَكُلُّكُمْ فَقِيرٌ إِلاَّ مَنْ أَغْنَيْتُ فَسَلُونِي أَرْزُقْكُمْ وَكُلُّكُمْ مُذْنِبٌ إِلاَّ مَنْ عَافَيْتُ فَمَنْ عَلِمَ مِنْكُمْ أَنِّي ذُو قُدْرَةٍ عَلَى الْمَغْفِرَةِ فَاسْتَغْفَرَنِي غَفَرْتُ لَهُ وَلاَ أُبَالِي وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَحَيَّكُمْ وَمَيِّتَكُمْ وَرَطْبَكُمْ وَيَابِسَكُمُ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى أَتْقَى قَلْبِ عَبْدٍ مِنْ عِبَادِي مَا زَادَ ذَلِكَ فِي مُلْكِي جَنَاحَ بَعُوضَةٍ وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَحَيَّكُمْ وَمَيِّتَكُمْ وَرَطْبَكُمْ وَيَابِسَكُمُ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى أَشْقَى قَلْبِ عَبْدٍ مِنْ عِبَادِي مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ مُلْكِي جَنَاحَ بَعُوضَةٍ وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَحَيَّكُمْ وَمَيِّتَكُمْ وَرَطْبَكُمْ وَيَابِسَكُمُ اجْتَمَعُوا فِي صَعِيدٍ وَاحِدٍ فَسَأَلَ كُلُّ إِنْسَانٍ مِنْكُمْ مَا بَلَغَتْ أُمْنِيَّتُهُ فَأَعْطَيْتُ كُلَّ سَائِلٍ مِنْكُمْ مَا سَأَلَ مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ مُلْكِي إِلاَّ كَمَا لَوْ أَنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ مَرَّ بِالْبَحْرِ فَغَمَسَ فِيهِ إِبْرَةً ثُمَّ رَفَعَهَا إِلَيْهِ ذَلِكَ بِأَنِّي جَوَادٌ مَاجِدٌ أَفْعَلُ مَا أُرِيدُ عَطَائِي كَلاَمٌ وَعَذَابِي كَلاَمٌ إِنَّمَا أَمْرِي لِشَيْءٍ إِذَا أَرَدْتُهُ أَنْ أَقُولَ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ " . قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ . وَرَوَى بَعْضُهُمْ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ عَنْ شَهْرِ بْنِ حَوْشَبٍ عَنْ مَعْدِيكَرِبَ عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَحْوَهُ .
Abu Dharr Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: "Allah, Most High Said: 'O My Slaves! All Of You Are Astray Except Whom I Guide, So Ask Me For Guidance And I Shall Guide You. All Of You Are Poor Except Whom I Enrich, So Ask Me And I Shall Provide You. All Of You Are Sinners Except Whom I Have Pardoned, So Whoever Among You Knows That I Am The One Able To Forgive, And Seeks My Forgiveness, I Shall Forgive Him, Without Concern For Me (And It Will Not Affect Me).If The First Of You And The Last Of You, The Living Among You And The Dead Among You, The Fresh Among You And The Dry Among You Were To Gather Together To Help The Heart With The Most Taqwa Among My Slaves, That Would Not Add A Mosquito'S Wing To My Sovereignty. If The First Of You And The Last Of You, The Living Among You And The Dead Among You, The Fresh Among You And The Dry Among You Were To Gather Together To Help The Worst Heart Of My Slaves, That Would Not Diminish A Mosquito'S Wing To My Sovereignty. I Shall Forgive Him, Without Concern For Me (And It Will Not Affect Me).If The First Of You And The Last Of You, The Living Among You And The Dead Among You, The Fresh Among You And The Dry Among You Were To Gather Together Upon One Plateau, And Each Person Among Them Were To Ask For His Utmost Desire, And I Were To Give Each What He Asked For, That Would Not Diminish From My Sovereignty, Except As If One Of You Were To Pass By An Ocean And Dip A Needle Into It And Then Remove It. That Is Because I Am The Most Liberal Without Need, The Most Generous, Doing As I Will. I Give By My Speech And I Punish By My Speech, Whenever I Will Something I Only Say: "Be" And It Shall Be.'"Another Chain Reports A Similar Narration.
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2495In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 81English translation : Vol. 4, Book 11, Hadith 2495
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 2495
This hadith about asking Allah for guidance and forgiveness is a long divine statement reported from the Prophet. Allah addresses His slaves and says all are astray except those He guides, so they should ask Him for guidance. All are poor except those He enriches, so they should ask Him for provision. All are sinners except those He pardons, so the one who knows Allah can forgive and seeks forgiveness is forgiven. The hadith also states that the obedience or sin of creation does not increase or decrease Allah’s sovereignty. Even if everyone asked and was given, it would not lessen His dominion except like a needle dipped into the sea. The main lesson is complete need before Allah.
What we learn from this hadith
- Guidance should be asked from Allah.
- Provision should be sought from Allah.
- Sinners should seek Allah’s forgiveness with belief in His ability to forgive.
