The Joy of Repentance

From Abu Sa'id Sa'd ibn Malik ibn Sinan al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him.

That the Prophet of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said:

There were among those who were before you.

A man killed ninety-nine people.

So he asked about the most learned of the people of the earth.

So he was directed to a monk.

Then he went to him.

He said, "Indeed, he killed ninety-nine people."

Is there any repentance for him?

He then said, "No."

So he killed him, bringing the total to one hundred.

Then he asked about the most learned person on earth.

Then he pointed to a learned man.

Then he said, 'He killed one hundred people.'

So is there repentance for him?

He said, "Yes."

And who could come between him and repentance?

Set out for such-and-such a land.

Indeed, there are people in it who worship Allah, the Exalted.

So worship Allah with them.

Do not return to your land.

For it is an evil land.

Then he set out and continued until he reached the middle of the road.

Death came to him.

Then the angels of mercy disputed over him.

And the angels of punishment.

Then the angels of mercy said:

He came repentant.

with his heart turned to God the Exalted,

And the angels of punishment said:

He never did any good at all.

Then an angel came to them in the form of a human.

So they appointed him a judge among them.

He said, "Measure what is between the two lands."

So whichever of the two he was nearer to, it belonged to him.

So they measured and found him.

nearer to the ground that he intended,

Then the angels of mercy seized him.

And in a narration in the authentic collection:

So he was an inch closer to the righteous village and was made one of its people.

And in a narration in the authentic collection:

So Allah, the Exalted, revealed to this one, "Keep your distance."

And to this one, "Draw near."

And he said, "Measure what is between the two of them."

They found him closer to this one by a finger's breadth, and he was forgiven.

And in a narration:

Then he turned his chest toward her.

And from Abu Hamza, Anas ibn Malik al-Ansari, the servant of the Messenger of God.

May Allah bless him and grant him peace; may Allah be pleased with him, said:

He said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah send blessings upon him and grant him peace:

God rejoices most at the repentance of His servant.

from one of you

He fell onto his camel.

And he had led him astray in a desolate land.

And in a narration by Muslim:

For God is more joyful in the repentance of His servant

When he repents to Him from one of you.

He was on his mount in a land of desolation,

Then it ran away from him.

And on it were his food and his drink.

So he despaired of it,

Then he came to a tree.

Then he lay down in its shade.

And he had already despaired of his departure.

While he was like that.

Just then it stood beside him,

Then he seized its bridle.

Then, out of overwhelming joy, he said:

O Allah, you are my servant and I am your Lord!