Chapter 51- Hope in Allah's Mercy

Abu Musa reported: The Prophet said,

"Allah, the Exalted, 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. He keeps doing so until the sun rises from the West". [Muslim].


Commentary: This Hadith has been mentioned before.

Allah's stretching of His Hands is one of His Attributes, and as Muslims we have to believe in this without reasoning, as is the case with His other Attributes. This has been the stand of our pious predecessors (As-Salaf-us-Salih). The process of acceptance of penitence by Allah will continue until the Day of Resurrection when the sun will rise from the West and repenting or accepting Islam will not avail. Therefore, one should not make any delay in penitence.

We must add here that, we must not name or qualify Allah except with what He or His Messenger has named or qualified Him; without changing them or ignoring them completely or twisting the meanings or giving resemblance to any created things:

"The Most Gracious (Allah) rose over the (Mighty) Throne". (20:5)   above the seventh heaven; and He only descends to the first (nearest) heaven during the day of `Arafah (Hajj, i.e., the 9th Dhul-Hijjah) and also during the last third part of every night, as mentioned by the Prophet , but He is with us by His Knowledge only, not in His essence (Bi Dhatihi):

"There is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer". (42:11)

Abu Najih `Amr bin `Abasah reported: In the Pre-Islamic Period of Ignorance, I used to think that people who used to worship idols, were deviated and did not adhere to the true religion. Then I heard of a man in Makkah who was preaching a message. So I mounted my camel and went to him.

I found that (this man who was) the Messenger of Allah remained hidden because of the persecution by his people. I had entered Makkah stealthily and when I met him I asked him, "Who are you?'' He said,

"I am a Prophet.''  

I asked; "What is a Prophet?'' He   said,

"Allah has sent me (with a message)" .

I asked, "With what has He sent you?'' He   said,

"He sent me to strengthen the ties of kinship, to destroy idols so that Allah alone should be worshipped and nothing should be associated with Him".

I asked, "Who has followed you in this?'' He  said,

"A freeman and a slave". (At that time only Abu Bakr and Bilal (Radhi Allahu Anhuma) were with him).

I said, "I shall follow you". He  said,

"You can not do that now. Do you not see my situation and that of the people? Go to your people, and when you hear that my cause has prevailed, come to me".

So I went back to my people, and while I was with my people, the Messenger of Allah emigrated to Al-Madinah. I continued to ask people about him till some of my people visited Al-Madinah. On their return, I asked them, "How is that man who has arrived in Al-Madinah faring?'' They said, "People are hastening to him. His own people had planned to kill him but did not succeed.'' Then I went to Al-Madinah and came to him and said, "O Messenger of Allah, do you recognize me?'' He said,

 "Yes, you are the one who met me in Makkah.''

 said, "O Messenger of Allah, tell me of that which Allah has taught you and of which I am unaware. Tell me about Salat first.''  He replied,

"Perform the Fajr (morning) Salat, then stop Salat until the sun has risen up to the height of a lance, for when it rises, it rises up between the horns of the devil, and the infidels prostrate themselves before it at that time. Then perform Salat, for Salat is witnessed and angels attend it, until the shadow becomes equal to the length of its object; then stop Salat, for at that time Jahannam (Hell) is heated up. Then pray when the shadow becomes longer, for the prayer is witnessed and angels attend it, until you perform `Asr prayer; then stop Salat till sun sets, for it sets between the horns of a devil. At that time the infidels prostrate themselves before it.''

I then asked the Messenger of Allah to tell me about Wudu', and he said,

"When a person begins the Wudu' and washes his mouth and nose, the sins committed by his face, mouth and nostrils are washed out. Then when he washes his face as commanded by Allah, the sins of his face are washed out with the water from the sides of his beard. Then when he washes his hands up to elbows, the sins of his hands are washed out through his fingers with water. Then he passes his wet hands over his head and the sins of the head are washed out through the ends of his hair with water. Then he washes his feet up to the ankles, the sins of his feet are washed out through his toes with water. Then, if he stands up for Salat and praises Allah, glorifies Him, proclaims His Greatness as He deserves and devotes his heart wholly to Allah, he emerges sin free as the day he was born".

When `Amr bin `Abasah narrated this Hadith to Abu Umamah   a Companion of the Prophet , the latter said to him, "Watch what you are saying. O `Amr bin `Abasah, a man will be getting all of this in one shot?'' `Amr replied, "O Abu Umamah, I have attained old age, my bones have become dry, my death is approaching and there is no need for me to tell lies concerning Allah and His Messenger . Had I not heard this from the Messenger of Allah only once, twice, thrice (and he counted up to seven) I would never have reported it. Indeed I have heard this frequently". [Muslim].


Commentary: This Hadith makes the following seven points:

1. The preacher should be concerned about the safety of his followers. It is for this reason, the Prophet stressed upon `Amr bin Abasah :radiyallahuanhto stay at home and keep his conversion to Islam secret.
2. No matter how unfavourable are the circumstances and how tough is the opposition, a preacher should always have firm hope of help from Allah and be confident about his victory over his enemy. That is why, the Prophet   asked `Amr :radiyallahuanhto come to him when he received information about his domination.
3. It is a proof of his Prophethood that what eventually happened was exactly according to his prophecy.
4. Angels attend the Salat. One should, therefore, perform Salat not only with peace of mind but also with utmost humility and fear of Allah, so that it is reported and becomes more meritorious.
5. The times when Salat is unpraiseworthy are as follows:
a. After the Salat of Fajr to the time of sunrise.
b. At the time when the sun begins to decline.
c. After the Salat of `Asr to the time of sunset.
d. When the sun is rising or setting.
6. Wudu' and Salat expiate for sins. For this reason this Hadith has been mentioned in this chapter.
7. Even in the Days of Ignorance (pre-Islamic period), pious and right-minded people were averse to idolatry and thought it a deviation from the Right Path.

Abu Mu sa Al-Ash`ari reported: The Prophet said,

"When Allah intends to show mercy to a people, He collects their Prophet before them and makes him a herald to happiness for them in the Hereafter; and when He intends to destroy a people, He punishes them while their Prophet is alive, and destroys them while he is alive and watches them and makes him witness their destruction because they disbelieved in him and disobeyed his commands". [Muslim].


Commentary: This Hadith tells us about a Divine law in respect of Prophets, which is meant to deter people from opposing the Prophet and commands us to follow his footsteps, so that we can benefit from his intercession on the Day of Resurrection.