سورة النساء

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): May Allah have mercy on the servant who does not accept for himself that Satan should be his counterpart in his religion [and be opposed to him]. In the Book of Allah is salvation from destruction, insight from blindness, a guide to right guidance, and healing for the ailments of the breasts. Allah, regarding the command to seek forgiveness together with repentance, has said: "وَ الَّذِینَ إِذا فَعَلُوا فاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ ذَکَرُوا اللهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَ مَنْ یَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَ لَمْ یُصِرُّوا عَلی ما فَعَلُوا وَ هُمْ یَعْلَمُونَ [And those who, when they commit an indecency or wrong themselves, remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins — and who forgives sins except Allah? — and do not knowingly persist in what they have done]" (Al-i Imran/135). And He said: "وَ مَنْ یَعْمَلْ سُوءاً أَوْ یَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ ثُمَّ یَسْتَغْفِرِ اللهَ یَجِدِ اللهَ غَفُوراً رَحِیماً [And whoever does evil or wrongs himself, then seeks forgiveness of Allah, will find Allah Forgiving, Merciful]." This is the command of Allah, which enjoins seeking forgiveness and sets as its condition repentance and turning away from what Allah has forbidden. And He said: "إِلَیْهِ یَصْعَدُ الْکَلِمُ الطَّیِّبُ وَ الْعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ یَرْفَعُهُ [To Him ascends the good word, and the righteous deed raises it]" (Fatir/10). These verses declare that seeking forgiveness does not ascend to the presence of Allah, nor is accepted, except with righteous deeds and repentance.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): May Allah have mercy on the servant who repents to Allah before his death. Repentance purifies a person from the filth of errors and rescues him from the brink of destruction. Allah has made the acceptance of the repentance of the righteous binding upon Himself, and has said: "کَتَبَ رَبُّکُمْ عَلی نَفْسِهِ الرَّحْمَهًَْ أَنَّهُ مَنْ عَمِلَ مِنْکُمْ سُوءاً بِجَهالَهًٍْ ثُمَّ تابَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَ أَصْلَحَ فَأَنَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِیمٌ [Your Lord has prescribed mercy upon Himself: that whoever among you does evil in ignorance and then repents thereafter and makes amends, then indeed He is Forgiving, Merciful]" (Anam/54). "وَ مَنْ یَعْمَلْ سُوءاً أَوْ یَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ ثُمَّ یَسْتَغْفِرِ اللهَ یَجِدِ اللهَ غَفُوراً رَحِیماً [And whoever does evil or wrongs himself, then seeks forgiveness of Allah, will find Allah Forgiving, Merciful]."

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): There is no servant who commits a sin, then rises and performs wudu and asks Allah's forgiveness for his sin, except that Allah forgives him, for He Himself says: "وَ مَنْ یَعْمَلْ سُوءاً أَوْ یَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ ثُمَّ یَسْتَغْفِرِ اللهَ یَجِدِ اللهَ غَفُوراً رَحِیماً [And whoever does evil or wrongs himself, then seeks forgiveness of Allah, will find Allah Forgiving, Merciful]."

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): Allah is never such that He would open the door of supplication and close the door of response, for He says: "ادْعُونِی أَسْتَجِبْ لَکُمْ [Call upon Me, I will respond to you]" (Ghafir/60). And He is never such that He would open the door of repentance and close the door of forgiveness, while He Himself says: "وَ مَنْ یَعْمَلْ سُوءاً أَوْ یَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ ثُمَّ یَسْتَغْفِرِ اللهَ یَجِدِ اللهَ غَفُوراً رَحِیماً [And whoever does evil or wrongs himself, then seeks forgiveness of Allah, will find Allah Forgiving, Merciful]."

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Whoever is given four things is not denied four things: whoever is granted supplication is not denied a response; whoever is granted repentance is not denied acceptance of deeds; whoever is granted seeking forgiveness is not denied pardon; and whoever is granted gratitude is not denied an increase in blessings. Allah has revealed a verse in the glorious Qur'an for each of these. Concerning supplication He said: "Call upon Me and I will answer you." (Ghafir/60). Concerning seeking forgiveness He said: وَ مَنْ یَعْمَلْ سُوءاً أَوْ یَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ ثُمَّ یَسْتَغْفِرِ اللهَ یَجِدِ اللهَ غَفُوراً رَحِیما [And whoever does evil or wrongs himself and then seeks forgiveness of Allah will find Allah Forgiving, Merciful]. And concerning gratitude He says: "If you are grateful to Me, I will surely increase [My blessings] upon you." (Ibrahim/7). And concerning repentance He says: إِنَّمَا التَّوْبَةُ عَلَی اللهِ لِلَّذِینَ یَعْمَلُونَ السُّوءَ بِجَهالَةٍ ثُمَّ یَتُوبُونَ مِنْ قَرِیبٍ فَأُولئِکَ یَتُوبُ اللهُ عَلَیْهِمْ وَ کانَ اللهُ عَلِیماً حَکِیماً [Repentance with Allah is only for those who do evil in ignorance and then repent soon after; those Allah will turn back to in mercy, and Allah is Knowing, Wise].

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): In the world there are two safeguards from the punishment of Allah the Glorified, one of which has gone beyond your reach. It is upon you to hold fast to the second safeguard and cling to it. The safeguard that was within reach and has gone up to the heavens is the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), and the safeguard that remains is seeking forgiveness. Allah the Exalted has said: "But [O Prophet]! As long as you are among them, Allah will not punish them, and [also] as long as they seek forgiveness, Allah will not punish them." (Anfal/33). And in the world there is no good except for two people: first, one who if he commits a sin makes up for it and compensates with repentance; and second, one who hastens to good deeds. Whoever is granted the fortune of repentance is not denied its acceptance, and whoever is granted the fortune of seeking forgiveness is not denied pardon. This matter is set forth in this verse: وَ مَنْ یَعْمَلْ سُوءاً أَوْ یَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ ثُمَّ یَسْتَغْفِرِ اللهَ یَجِدِ اللهَ غَفُوراً رَحِیماً [And whoever does evil or wrongs himself and then seeks forgiveness of Allah will find Allah Forgiving, Merciful]. And He has said: إِنَّمَا التَّوْبَةُ عَلَی اللهِ لِلَّذِینَ یَعْمَلُونَ السُّوءَ بِجَهالَةٍ ثُمَّ یَتُوبُونَ مِنْ قَرِیبٍ فَأُولئِکَ یَتُوبُ اللهُ عَلَیْهِمْ وَ کانَ اللهُ عَلِیماً حَکِیما [Repentance with Allah is only for those who do evil in ignorance and then repent soon after; those Allah will turn back to in mercy, and Allah is Knowing, Wise].

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Imam Ali (peace be upon him) turned to the people and said: "In your view, which verse in the Qur'an is the most hope-inspiring?" A group said: "إِنَّ اللهَ لا یَغْفِرُ أَنْ یُشْرَکَ بِهِ وَ یَغْفِرُ ما دُونَ ذلِکَ لِمَنْ یَشاءُ [Indeed, Allah does not forgive that partners be associated with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills]." He said: "It is good, but this verse is not what I have in mind." They said: "وَ مَنْ یَعْمَلْ سُوءاً أَوْ یَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ ثُمَّ یَسْتَغْفِرِ اللهَ یَجِدِ اللهَ غَفُوراً رَحِیماً [And whoever does evil or wrongs himself and then seeks forgiveness of Allah will find Allah Forgiving, Merciful]." He said: "It is good, but this verse too is not what I have in mind."

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): It is possible that a servant commits a sin and after twenty-five years remembers it and seeks forgiveness; in this case, Allah forgives him; وَ مَنْ یَعْمَلْ سُوءاً أَوْ یَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ ثُمَّ یَسْتَغْفِرِ اللهَ یَجِدِ اللهَ غَفُوراً رَحِیماً [And whoever does evil or wrongs himself and then seeks forgiveness of Allah will find Allah Forgiving, Merciful].