Tolerance In Towards To Sin

The Tolerance of Islam in Relation To Forgiveness of Sins:

The children of Adam (humanity) often commit sin throughout their lives. The Prophet s said: “All children of Adam commit sins, and the best of the sinners are those who repent.” (Tirmidhi)

Satan has promised to mislead the children of Adam. Allah says in the Quran: “[Iblîs (Satan)] said: “See this one whom You have honored above me, if You keep me alive to the Day of Resurrection, I will surely seize and mislead his offspring (by sending them astray) all but a few!” (Allah) said: “Go, and whosoever of them follows you, surely! Hell will be the recompense of you (all) - an ample recompense.” [17:62-3]

  • Allah will forgive one’s sins no matter how many times one commits it. The Prophet s said: “By the one in whose hands is my life, if you were not to sin, Allah would have replaced you with a people who sin, and seek forgiveness and Allah would forgive them.” (Muslim)
  • Allah has opened the gate of forgiveness for the Muslims. He says: “But whoever repents after his wrongdoing and reforms, indeed, Allah will turn to him in forgiveness. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” [5:39]

    The Prophet s said: “Indeed Allah puts out His hand to forgive those who commit sins, so that He will forgive them, this is the case as long as the sun does not rise from the West.” (Tirmidhi)

    Allah says: “The repentance accepted by Allah is only for those who do wrong in ignorance [or carelessness] and then repent soon after. It is those to whom Allah will turn in forgiveness, and Allah is ever Knowing and Wise. But repentance is not [accepted] of those who [continue to] do evil deeds up until, when death comes to one of them, he says, “Indeed, I have repented now,” or of those who die while they are disbelievers. For them We have prepared a painful punishment.” [accepted] of those who [continue to] do evil deeds up until, when death comes to one of them, he says, “Indeed, I have repented now,” or of those who die while they are disbelievers. For them We have prepared a painful punishment.” [4:17-18]

  • When one repents to God, there is no intermediary between him and God. The Prophet s said: “A person’s repentance will be accepted as long as the death rattle is not heard from him.” (Ibn Majah) In another hadeeth, it states: “Whoever repents before the sun rises from the west, Allah will forgive him.” (Tirmidhi) Allah says: “And whoever does a wrong or wrongs himself but then seeks forgiveness of Allah will find Allah Forgiving and Merciful. And whoever commits a sin only earns it against himself. And Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.” [4:110-111]
  • Those who repent sincerely for their sins would have their sins transformed into good deeds by the will of Allah. Allah, the Exalted, says: “Except for those who repent, believe, and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.” [25:70]

    Allah addresses us to repent, He, the Exalted, says: “Say, ‘O My slaves who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful’.” [39:53]

  • Allah rewards a person on account of their good intention. If a person intends to do a good deed, and does not do it, he will receive one reward from Allah on account of his good intention. The Prophet s said: “Allah says, ‘If My slave intends to do a bad deed then (O Angels) do not write it unless he does it; if he does it, then write it as it is, but if he refrains from doing it for My Sake, then write it as a good deed (in his account). (On the other hand) if he intends to go a good deed, but does not do it, then write a good deed (in his account), and if he does it, then write it for him (in his account) as ten good deeds up to seven-hundred times’.” (Muslim)
  • When one sins, their sins will not be a barrier between them and the mercy of God. In the Prophetic Tradition, it states: “There will remain one man who will be facing the (Hell) Fire and he will say, ‘O God! The heat of Hell has burnt me; please turn my face away from the Fire.’ He will keep on invoking Allah till Allah says, ‘Perhaps, if I give you what you want, you will ask for another thing?’ The man will say, ‘No, by Your Power, I will not ask You for anything else!’

    Then Allah will turn his face away from the Fire. The man will say after that, ‘O Lord, bring me near the gate of Jannah (Heavenly Garden).’ Allah will say (to him), ‘Didn’t you promise not to ask for anything else? O son of Adam! How treacherous you are!’ The man will keep on invoking Allah till Allah will say, ‘But if I give you that, will you ask for anything else?’ The man will say, ‘No, by Your Power. I will not ask for anything else.’ He will give Allah his covenant and promise not to ask for anything else after that. So Allah will bring him near to the gate of Jannah, and when he sees what is in it, he will remain silent as long as Allah wills, and then he will say, ‘O Allah! Let me enter Jannah.’ Allah will say, ‘Didn’t you promise that you would not ask Me for anything other than that? O son of Adam! How treacherous you are!’ On that, the man will say, ‘O Allah! Do not make me the most wretched of Your creation!’ and will keep on invoking Allah till Allah will smile and when Allah will smile, He would then allow him to enter into Jannah, and when he will enter, he will be addressed, ‘Wish for what you want!’ He will wish till all his wishes will be fulfilled, then Allah will say, You will be given double what you requested.’” Abu Huraira added:

    That man will be the last of the people of Jannah to enter (Jannah).” (Bukhari)
    Allah, the Exalted, says: “And if Allah were to impose blame on the people for what they have earned, He would not leave upon the earth any creature. But He defers them for a specified term. And when their time comes, then indeed Allah has ever been, of His servants, Seeing.” [35:45]

The Tolerance Of Islam In Relation To Sins

  • When one does a good deed, such as prayers, they will receive the reward of Allah and they will also be forgiven of their sins. The Prophet s said: “The five prayers and the Friday prayers till the next Friday prayers are means to purify one from their sins.” (Haithami)
  • The Prophet s said: “Umrah to Hajj will purify one from sins and protect one from poverty.” (Muslim)
  • Allah, the Exalted, says: “If you avoid the major sins which you are forbidden, We will remove from you your lesser sins and admit you to a noble entrance [into Jannah].” [4:31]
  • The Prophet s said: “When two Muslims meet each other and shake their hands, their sins will fall like leaves that fall off of a tree.” (al-Muʻjam al-Awsaṭ)
  • When a person experiences sadness or even a sickness, their patience with these difficulties would purify them of their sins. The Prophet s said: “Nothing harms a believer except that it would efface his sins.” (Bukhari)
  • Purification is also a means to rid one from sins. The Prophet s said: “Shall I not guide you to something that will purify you from your sins and increase your good deeds? They said, ‘Yes O Messenger of Allah!’ He said: “Performing ablution when it is difficult, taking many steps to the mosque, and waiting for one prayer after another, for that is like guarding the frontier.” (Muslim)
  • Smaller deeds have great rewards and would efface sin as well. Abu Hurairah said: “The poor amongst the emigrants came to the Messenger of Allah s and said: The possessors of great wealth have obtained the highest ranks and the lasting bliss.”
    The Prophet s said: How is that? They said: They pray as we pray, and they observe fast as we observe fast, and they give charity but we do not have enough money to give charity, and they set slaves free but we also cannot afford to set slaves free. Upon this the Messenger of Allah y said: “Shall I not teach you something by which you will catch up with those who have preceded you, and get ahead of those who come after you? Only those who do as you do will excel beyond you? They said: Yes, Messenger of Allah! He (the Prophet s (said: Praise Allah (say Subhanallah, Alhamdulilah, Allah Akbar) 33 times each after every prayer(6).
    Abu Salih said “The poor amongst the emigrants returned to the Messenger of Allah y saying: Our brethren, the possessors of property, have heard about what we have done and they did the same. So the Messenger of Allah y said: This is Allah’s Grace which He gives to whom He wishes.” (Bukhari)
  • The Prophet s mentioned that doing many good deeds will also efface sin. The Prophet s said: “Fear Allah wherever you are, and follow up a good deed with another good deed and treat people with good manners.” (Tirmidhi)
  • A person came to the Prophet rafter having committed a sin, and said: “O Messenger of Allah, purify me from my sin! The Prophet s said to him: “Have you performed wudhu?” He said, “Yes.” He then asked, “Did you pray with us?” He said, “Yes.” He then said: “Go, for indeed, Allah has forgiven you.” (Bukhari)