It was narrated that Abu Hurairah, may Allaah be pleased with him, said: "I heard the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, saying, 'There were two men among Banu Isra'eel (i.e. Children of Israel), who were striving for the same goal. One of them would commit sin and the other would strive to do his best in the worship. The man who exerted himself in worship continued to see the other in sin. He would say: "Refrain from it." One day, he found him in sin and said to him: "Refrain from it." He said: "Leave me alone with my Lord. Have you been sent as a watchman over me?" He said: "I swear by Allaah, Allaah will not forgive you, nor will He admit you to Paradise." Then their souls were taken back (i.e. they both died), and they met together with the Lord of the worlds. Allaah said to this man who had striven hard in worship; Had you knowledge about Me or had you power over that which I had in My hand? He said to the man who sinned: 'Go and enter Paradise by My mercy. He said (to angels) about the other: "Take him to Hell."

Commenting on the words of this man, Abu Hurayrah said: "By Him in Whose hand my soul is, he spoke a word by which this world and the next world of his were destroyed." (1).

Amongst the lessons drawn from the above-mentioned Hadeeth:

1- This Hadeeth implies a serious warning against determining whether someone will enter Paradise or Hellfire. Our prominent scholar who explained Tahhaawiyyah (2), may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: "One of the greatest transgressions is to determine or pass judgment that Allaah The Almighty will not forgive a specific person or He The Exalted will not be merciful to a specific person and will make him live eternally in the Hellfire. This can be done only regarding the non-believers after death. Then, he, may Allaah have mercy upon him, added: "That is because such specific person may be good but have some mistakes and thus he will be forgiven, or he was among those who only got a limited knowledge of texts, or he may have a great faith and good deeds that entail the Mercy of Allaah The Almighty to him such as the forgiveness granted to the one who said: "If I die, then burn me, crush (my bones), and scatter me to the winds. Allaah The Almighty forgave him because of his fear and awe of Him. (3). 

2-          This Hadeeth refers to the danger of the tongue so that one may take care and consider well his words before uttering them as it was stated in the Hadeeth narrated by Mu‘aath ibn Jabal, may Allaah be pleased with him, in which he asked the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, saying: "O Messenger of Allaah, will we be held responsible for what we say with it?" He, peace and blessing be upon him, said, "May your mother be bereft of you, O Mu’aath! Will the people be thrown into Hell on their faces or on their noses for anything other than the harvest of their tongues?" (4).

3-          Allaah The Almighty forgave that man who indulged excessively in sins. That is because he may have done the matters that made Allaah The Almighty forgave him such as repentance, or that his sin was lower than Shirk (polytheism) and thus Allaah The Almighty forgave him out of His great Generosity. However, if he died unbeliever and without repentance, he would not be forgiven. That is because Allaah The Almighty says (what means): {Verily, Allaah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship} [Quran 4: 48]

Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: "The punishment for sin is lifted from a person by means of ten things:

1- Repentance.

2- Praying for forgiveness, even without repentance.

3- Doing good deeds which wipe out sins as Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds. That is a reminder for those who remember.} [Quran 11: 114].

4- The Du’aa’ (i.e. supplications) of the believers for the believer, such as when they pray the funeral prayer for him. It was reported in Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “There is no Muslim man who dies, and forty men pray the funeral prayer for him, not associating anything with Allaah, but Allaah will accept their intercession for him.”

5- Good deeds which can be done for the deceased, such as giving in charity (on his behalf), etc.

6- The intercession of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and others on the Day of Resurrection for those who have committed sins. For example, it was narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “My intercession will be for those among my ummah who have committed major sins.” (5).

7- Calamities by means of which Allaah expiates sins in this world. It was narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “No tiredness, exhaustion, worry, grief, distress or harm befalls a believer in this world, not even a thorn that pricks him, but Allaah expiates some of his sins thereby.” (6).

8- The torment, squeezing and terror that happens in the grave. These are also things by means of which sins are expiated.

9- The horrors, distress and hardship of the Day of Resurrection.

10-        The most important and greatest of them is the Mercy and Forgiveness of Allaah, with no cause on the part of His slaves. In this regard, Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Verily, Allaah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases, and whoever sets up partners with Allaah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin.}[Quran 4: 48] (7). 

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(1)         Reported in Sunan Abu Daawood No. (4901), and Sheykh Al-Albaani deemed it Saheeh (authentic) No. 4455 in Saheeh Al-Jaami‘.

(2)         Al-‘Aqeedah At-Tahhaawiyyah is a book dealing with ‘Aqeedah (i.e. basic tenets of faith) which was written by Imam At-Tahhaawi and named after him.

(3)         Al-‘Aqeedah At-Tahhaawiyyah (1/316)

(4)         Reported in Sunan At-Tirmithi [5-11] and Sheykh Al-Albaani deemed it Saheeh (authentic) No. 5136 in Saheeh Al-Jaami‘.

(5)         Reported by Abu Daawood No. (2/649) and At-Tirmithi (4/625), and Al-Albaani deemed it Saheeh (authentic). Refer to Saheeh Sunan At-Tirmithi (4/625).

(6)         Agreed upon i.e. reported by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim.

(7)         Majmoo‘ Al-Fataawa (7/487).

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