An Invitation to Sinners

Quranic Pearls

An Invitation to Sinners

Mufti Abu Salih Muhammad Qasim Attari

Allah states:

وَ لَوۡ اَنَّہُمۡ اِذۡ ظَّلَمُوۡۤا اَنۡفُسَہُمۡ جَآءُوۡکَ فَاسۡتَغۡفَرُوا اللّٰہَ وَ اسۡتَغۡفَرَ لَہُمُ الرَّسُوۡلُ لَوَجَدُوا اللّٰہَ تَوَّابًا  رَّحِیۡمًا (۶۴)

“If when they (people) do injustice to their own souls ˹by committing sins˺, they should then present themselves in your august court, ˹dear Beloved˺, and then seek forgiveness from Allah, and the Messenger intercedes for them; they would therefore definitely find Allah the Greatest Acceptor of repentance, the Most Merciful.”^[1]

Exegesis:

This verse provides refuge for the sinners, hope for the wrongdoers, faith-refreshing glad tidings for the repentant, and a cool zephyr of mercy for those who despair. In this verse, the servants of Allah Almighty are given the special modus operandi for availing divine forgiveness: visit the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and seek his intercession. Even if the person has immersed themselves in sin, they should rush to the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, for his court is the court of Allah. Such repentant souls will be drenched in mercy and forgiveness and be thoroughly purged.

The reviver of Islam and foremost leader of Ahl al-Sunnah, Imam Aḥmad Razā Khān رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه highlights a remarkable nuance of this verse:

People are commanded to present themselves in the court of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and repent and seek forgiveness. Allah Almighty hears ˹pleas from˺ every place, and His knowledge, audition, and sight behold ˹everything˺, in every place, equally. Yet, He declares that if you want to repent, go to the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. When the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was in this world, ˹how to˺ present oneself ˹before him˺ was obvious. Now, presenting oneself ˹before him˺ means ˹visiting˺ his blessed resting place ˹near the golden grille˺. Where this is not possible, one should focus his heart towards the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, seek through his intermediation and implore him for his intercession and aid.^[2]

The practice of presenting oneself before the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم during his blessed, outward, worldly life and presenting oneself at his illuminated, blessed resting place, after his veiling from this world and seeking forgiveness for sins, salvation and the alleviation of difficulties have been a continual tradition of the Muslim Ummah from the era of the Companions رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْھُم until today. Note the following accounts from the noble Prophetic Companions رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْھُم and the pious predecessors رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْهِم.

First Account:

Sayyidatunā ꜤĀˈisha al-Ṣiddīqa رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا states:

I purchased a blanket with images on it. When the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم saw it, he stood at the doorway and did not enter his home. I saw the signs of displeasure on his face. So, I said, “O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! I repent to Allah and the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.^[3]

Second Account:

Sayyidunā Thawbān رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ states that forty Companions رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْھُم, including Sayyidunā Abū Bakr and Sayyidunā ꜤUmar رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا, gathered and began discussing destiny. So, Sayyidunā Jibrīl عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام came to the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and informed him of this state of affairs. Hearing this, the Messenger of Allāh صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم went out in a state of displeasure and anger; his blessed face reddened as though a red pomegranate had been squeezed over his cheeks. When the noble Companions رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْھُم saw the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in this state, trembling they pleaded, “We repent to Allah and the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.”^[4]

In the Prophetic court after the passing of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم 

This manner of presenting oneself in the court of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was not only during the blessed, outward, worldly life of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, rather this practice continued in the entire Ummah, after his passing, till our time.

Third Account:

A large group of hadith masters have narrated that a drought broke out during the Caliphate of Sayyidunā ꜤUmar al-Fārūq رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ. So, the Companion Sayyidunā Bilāl b. Ḥārith al-Muzanī رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ went to the grave of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and said, “O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! Pray for rain for your Ummah as indeed they are perishing.” The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said to him in his dream, “Go to ꜤUmar and convey him my greetings and give him glad tidings that there will be rain.”^[5]

Fourth Account:

Over a dozen hadith masters, hadith commentators, and exegetes relate that after the passing of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, a Bedouin came to the grave of Allah’s Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and placed the soil of the blessed grave on his head and cried out, “O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! We have heard that which you stated. And in that which was revealed to you, there is the verse:

وَ لَوۡ اَنَّہُمۡ اِذۡ ظَّلَمُوۡۤا

“If when they (people) do injustice.”^[6]

Indeed, I have wronged myself and have come to you, seeking forgiveness from Allah for my sins, so have my sins forgiven by my Lord.” Upon this a voice proclaimed from the grave, “You have been forgiven.”^[7]

In summary, this verse explains the elevated rank of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.