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Racing towards forgiveness

Racing towards forgiveness
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March 29, 2024
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Allah Almighty says in Surat Ale Imran,

وَسَارِعُوۤا۟ إِلَىٰ مَغۡفِرَةࣲ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرۡضُهَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰ⁠تُ وَٱلۡأَرۡضُ أُعِدَّتۡ لِلۡمُتَّقِینَ

Rush towards your Lord’s forgiveness and towards Paradise, which is as wide as the Heavens and the Earth, prepared for those who are Al-muttaqeen (mindful of Allah). [Ale-ʿImran, 3:133]

Allah is calling us all to hasten towards His forgiveness. The context of these verses are avoiding riba (interest), which is one of the worst sins. The prohibition of riba went through four stages just as the prohibition of alcohol went through four stages before it was prohibited. Thus the context is to abandon bad deeds and rush towards doing good deeds.

یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَأۡكُلُوا۟ ٱلرِّبَوٰۤا۟ أَضۡعَـٰفاً مُّضَـٰعَفَةً وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ

O you who believe, do not eat up the amounts acquired through Riba (interest), doubled and multiplied. Fear Allah, so that you may be successful, [Ale-ʿImran, 3:130]

وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱلنَّارَ ٱلَّتِیۤ أُعِدَّتۡ لِلۡكَـٰفِرِینَ

and fear the Fire that has been prepared for the disbelievers. [Ale-ʿImran, 3:131]

وَأَطِیعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُرۡحَمُونَ

Obey Allah and the Messenger, so that you may be graced with mercy. [Ale-ʿImran, 3:132]

Why is Allah urging us to have speed?

The word sari’u comes from the root saru’a which is the opposite of being slow. It is like when you are running to catch a bus or train and the doors are closing and so you run to get on board. The dunya is the window we have. We do not know how long that window is, so we have to act ASAP, especially as we do not know if we have tomorrow. Therefore act now, do not procrastinate, as procrastination is the killer of good deeds. If you are not doing it, you might miss the boat. Therefore the import of sari’u is to roll up your sleeves and get on with it.

How close are we to Allah?

It is an invitation for everyone to run towards Allah’s forgiveness. In order to run you need to have space. You can’t run if there is no space. Do we have space between us and Allah’s forgiveness?

There is no space between us and Allah, as He stated In the verses of fasting:

وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِی عَنِّی فَإِنِّی قَرِیبٌۖ أُجِیبُ دَعۡوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِۖ فَلۡیَسۡتَجِیبُوا۟ لِی وَلۡیُؤۡمِنُوا۟ بِی لَعَلَّهُمۡ یَرۡشُدُونَ

When My servants ask you about Me, then (tell them that) I am near. I respond to the call of one when he prays to Me; so they should respond to Me, and have faith in Me, so that they may be on the right path. [Al-Baqarah, 2:186]

Between us and Allah is nearness. He is closer to us than our jugular vein, but it is our sins that create a gap between us and Allah.

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِۦ نَفْسُهُۥ ۖ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ ٱلْوَرِيدِ

Indeed, ˹it is˺ We ˹Who˺ created humankind and ˹fully˺ know what their souls whisper to them, and We are closer to them than ˹their˺ jugular vein. (50:16)

So, in order to re-establish our closeness to Allah, when we have distanced ourselves from him, we have to race towards Allah’s forgiveness by doing the deeds that bring His forgiveness.

Imam Baghawi commented on the ayah that when Allah says, Rush towards your Lord’s forgiveness the word that is implied but not mentioned is ‘righteous deeds’ as we need to hasten and compete in good deeds to elicit forgiveness. There is a long list of good deeds one can do, and on the top of the list are monotheism, salah, reciting the Quran, fasting and giving sadaqa. These are the deeds that bring Allah’s forgiveness. We all need Allah’s forgiveness.

Deleting sins

Salah: The five daily prayers are a way to expiate sins. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)reported that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله تعالى عنه قال: قال ‏ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ ‏ “‏ الصلوات الخمس، والجمعة إلى الجمعة، ورمضان إلى رمضان مكفرات لما بينهن إذا اجتنبت الكبائر‏”‏ . رواه مسلم.

“The five daily (prescribed) Salah, and Friday (prayer) to the next Friday (prayer), and the fasting of Ramadan to the next Ramadan, is expiation of the sins committed in between them, so long as major sins are avoided.” (Muslim)

Fasting: Fasting during the month of Ramadan is another way to expiate sins. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ وَعَرَفَ حُدُودَهُ وَتَحَفَّظَ مِمَّا كَانَ يَنْبَغِي لَهُ أَنْ يَتَحَفَّظَ فِيهِ كَفَّرَ مَا قَبْلَهُ. أحمد وابن حِبان.

“Whoever fasts Ramadan and knows its limits and refrains from what he should have avoided during it, this will expiate what came before it.” (Musnad Ahmad and Ibn Hibban).

Hajj: Going for Hajj is also a way to expiate sins. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

عن أَبَي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ “‏ مَنْ حَجَّ لِلَّهِ فَلَمْ يَرْفُثْ وَلَمْ يَفْسُقْ رَجَعَ كَيَوْمِ وَلَدَتْهُ أُمُّهُ ‏”‏‏.‏

“Whoever performs Hajj for Allah’s pleasure and does not have sexual relations with his wife, and does not do evil or sins then he will return (after Hajj free from all sins) as if he were born anew.” (Bukhari)

Charity: Giving charity to the poor and needy is another way to expiate sins, just as water extinguishes fire.

Mu’adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

عَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ، قَالَ كُنْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فِي سَفَرٍ فَأَصْبَحْتُ يَوْمًا قَرِيبًا مِنْهُ وَنَحْنُ نَسِيرُ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَخْبِرْنِي بِعَمَلٍ يُدْخِلُنِي الْجَنَّةَ وَيُبَاعِدُنِي مِنَ النَّارِ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏”‏ لَقَدْ سَأَلْتَ عَظِيمًا وَإِنَّهُ لَيَسِيرٌ عَلَى مَنْ يَسَّرَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ تَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ لاَ تُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَتُقِيمُ الصَّلاَةَ وَتُؤْتِي الزَّكَاةَ وَتَصُومُ رَمَضَانَ وَتَحُجُّ الْبَيْتَ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏”‏ أَلاَ أُدُلُّكَ عَلَى أَبْوَابِ الْجَنَّةِ الصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ وَالصَّدَقَةُ تُطْفِئُ الْخَطِيئَةَ كَمَا يُطْفِئُ النَّارَ الْمَاءُ وَصَلاَةُ الرَّجُلِ فِي جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ ‏{تَتَجَافَى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ‏}‏ حَتَّى بَلَغَ ‏{جَزَاءً بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ}‏ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏”‏ أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكَ بِرَأْسِ الأَمْرِ وَعَمُودِهِ وَذُرْوَةِ سَنَامِهِ الْجِهَادُ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏”‏ أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكَ بِمِلاَكِ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قُلْتُ بَلَى ‏.‏ فَأَخَذَ بِلِسَانِهِ فَقَالَ ‏”‏ تَكُفُّ عَلَيْكَ هَذَا ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قُلْتُ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ وَإِنَّا لَمُؤَاخَذُونَ بِمَا نَتَكَلَّمُ بِهِ قَالَ ‏”‏ ثَكِلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ يَا مُعَاذُ وَهَلْ يَكُبُّ النَّاسَ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ فِي النَّارِ إِلاَّ حَصَائِدُ أَلْسِنَتِهِمْ ‏”‏ ‏.‏الترمذي.

“I was with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on a journey. One morning I drew close to him when we were on the move and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, tell me of an action that will gain me admittance to Paradise and keep me far away from Hell.’ He said: ‘You have asked for something great, but it is easy for the one for whom Allah makes it easy. Worship Allah and do not associate anything in worship with Him, establish prayer, pay charity, fast Ramadan, and perform Hajj to the House.’ Then he said: ‘Shall I not tell you of the means of goodness? Fasting is a shield, and charity extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire, and a man’s prayer in the middle of the night.’ Then he recited: “Their sides forsake their beds” until he reached: “As a reward for what they used to do.”[32:16-17] Then he said: ‘Shall I not tell you of the head of the matter, and its pillar and pinnacle? (It is) Jihad.’ Then he said: ‘Shall I not tell you of the basis of all that?’ I said: ‘Yes.’ He took hold of his tongue then said: ‘Restrain this.’ I said: ‘O Prophet of Allah, will we be brought to account for what we say?’ He said: ‘May your mother not found you, O Mu’adh! Are people thrown onto their faces in Hell for anything other than the harvest of their tongues?’”Tirmidhi.

Repentance: Repenting from one’s sins and sincerely seeking Allah’s forgiveness is also a way to expiate sins.

Allah says in the Quran:

وَتُوبُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ

“And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.” (An-Nur 24:31)

Allah’s forgiveness

These are just some of the ways to expiate sins in the world. It is important to remember that Allah is the Most Merciful and the Most Forgiving, and He will forgive those who sincerely repent and seek His forgiveness.

Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him) who stated that his Lord said:

O My servants, you commit sins by day and by night, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness from Me and I shall forgive you. (Muslim)

We are liable to commit sins and mistakes 24/7, and these sins block our closeness to Allah. Therefore we need to rectify them by doing what deletes sins.

The mechanism of rectification

Allah gave us the formula to rectify sins. If you do a bad deed, then follow it up immediately with a good deed. Of course this does not mean we should sin with with the intention of deleting it later.

Abu Dharr Jundub ibn Junadah and Abu Abdur-Rahman Muadh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ جُنْدَبِ بْنِ جُنَادَةَ، وَأَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم قَالَ: “اتَّقِ اللَّهَ حَيْثُمَا كُنْت، وَأَتْبِعْ السَّيِّئَةَ الْحَسَنَةَ تَمْحُهَا، وَخَالِقْ النَّاسَ بِخُلُقٍ حَسَنٍ” . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ

Have taqwa (fear) of Allah wherever you may be, and follow up a bad deed with a good deed which will wipe it out, and behave well towards people. (Tirmidhi)

Raise your voices for the oppressed

One of those deeds is supporting those who are under occupation. This is something that will be heavy on your scales on the Day of Judgment and will elevate your rank.

It has now been almost 6 months since the atrocities against the people of Palestine began. And Ramadan is the time for doing extra deeds. Apart from our supplications for our brothers and sisters and giving them charity, we need to do what we can to defend them using all legitimate and permissible avenues we have. This will bring Allah’s forgiveness. We should not postpone this. Every day we postpone it more babies and civilians are being killed. Unfortunately the majority of our leaders both in the West and the Muslim world have lost their humanity. They only care about their own interests, and keeping their positions of power. They are utterly heartless. How will they justify their actions in the divine court and how will they escape severe punishment?

Our duty is to strive in every way possible to defend the rights of the oppressed. This is the month of goodness and closeness to Allah. Our actions, our duas and our efforts will be multiplied, so don’t be disheartened and feel there is nothing you can do. Keep trying.

Be persistent

In the Quran Allah said, ‘Be patient and compete with each other in patience’. [3:200] So do not give up if you were not successful the first time. Compete in patience until you get it right and get back our rights. If a leader makes excuses that he cannot do anything because he is bound by certain agreements to fool his people, he should know that while he may say this in dunya, when he faces Allah, he will be exposed. He will have no excuse to explain why he did not support the oppressed and only gave lip service. Even his people are not fooled by his words. They can see with their own eyes what is going on.

سَابِقُوۤا۟ إِلَىٰ مَغۡفِرَةࣲ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرۡضُهَا كَعَرۡضِ ٱلسَّمَاۤءِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ أُعِدَّتۡ لِلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦۚ ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ فَضۡلُ ٱللَّهِ یُؤۡتِیهِ مَن یَشَاۤءُۚ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو ٱلۡفَضۡلِ ٱلۡعَظِیمِ

Compete with each other in proceeding towards forgiveness from your Lord and to Paradise the width of which is like the width of the sky and the earth. It has been prepared for those who believe in Allah and His messengers. That is the bounty of Allah; He gives it to whomsoever He Wills and Allah is the Lord of the great bounty. [Al-Hadid, 57:21]

Now is the time to act

There is still time for those who want to rectify their mistakes and bad actions, to show their humanity and support the protection of innocent lives. We have lost count now of how many have been killed and are injured, under the rubble or on the brink of famine. Enough is enough. This is forbidden and has to stop. We are all accountable. Whatever we can legally do, we should do. Do not give up. As Allah stated in the Quran:

فَفِرُّوۤا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِۖ

So, flee to Allah quickly. [Adh-Dhāriyāt, 51:50]

Let’s do our best to support the oppressed, especially in these last ten days. Ameen.

Based on the Khutbah of Shaykh Haytham Tamim 29th March 2024

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Shaykh Haytham Tamim is the founder and main teacher of the Utrujj Foundation. He has provided a leading vision for Islamic learning in the UK, which has influenced the way Islamic knowledge is disseminated. He has orchestrated the design and delivery of over 200 unique courses since Utrujj started in 2001. His extensive expertise spans over 30 years across the main Islamic jurisprudence schools of thought. He has studied with some of the foremost scholars in their expertise; he holds some of the highest Ijazahs (certificates) in Quran, Hadith (the Prophetic traditions) and Fiqh (Islamic rulings). His own gift for teaching was evident when he gave his first sermon to a large audience at the age of 17 and went on to serve as a senior lecturer of Islamic transactions and comparative jurisprudence at the Islamic University of Beirut (Shariah College). He has continued to teach; travelling around the UK, Europe and wider afield, and won the 2015 BISCA award (British Imams & Scholars Contributions & Achievements Awards) for Outstanding Contribution to Education and Teaching.

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