Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
Muhammad ibn Bashar narrated to us, Muhammad ibn Abi ‘Adi narrated to us, from Shu‘bah, from Qatadah, from Abu Sadiq Naji Bakr ibn Qays, and from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri, who said that the Noble Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: Among the Children of Israel there was a man (his name is unknown) who had killed ninety-nine innocent people. Then he (became remorseful and) set out to ask about the matter.

He came to a dervish and asked him, “Is there any way for repentance to be accepted for this sin?” The dervish replied, “No.” Upon hearing this, he killed that dervish as well (thus completing one hundred murders).

Then he began to ask (others).

Eventually, a dervish told him, “Go to such-and-such a town.” (He had not even reached halfway when) death overtook him.

As he was dying, he turned his chest towards that town.

Then the angels of mercy and the angels of punishment began to dispute with each other (as to who should take him).

(Who should take him away?)

But Allah, the Exalted, commanded the town called Nasrah (to which he was going for repentance) to come closer to his corpse, and commanded the other town (from which he had set out) to move farther away from his corpse.

Then Allah, the Exalted, said to the angels, “Now measure the distance between the two.” (When it was measured,) that town (to which he was going for repentance) was found to be a handspan closer to his corpse, so he was forgiven.

Hadith Commentary:
1.
The word "monk" (rahib) indicates that this incident took place after Jesus (alayhis salam) was raised to the heavens, because monasticism (rahbaniyyah) began with those who were followers of Jesus (alayhis salam).

2.
Apparently, it seems that Allah Ta’ala, as a result of his repentance, forgave all his sins, even those sins that pertain to the rights of other people (huquq al-‘ibad), because Allah Ta’ala became pleased with this person, so those people whose rights he had usurped will also become pleased with him. Allah Ta’ala will Himself compensate the rightful claimants with a good reward from His own side and thus make them pleased. Accordingly, it is mentioned in a hadith:
“The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) supplicated to Allah Ta’ala in the latter part of the Day of ‘Arafah for the forgiveness of his ummah, so Allah Ta’ala granted him the honor of acceptance and said: ‘I have forgiven all their sins except those relating to the rights of others (huquq al-‘ibad). I will certainly take the right from the oppressor and give it to the oppressed.’ The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) again pleaded to Allah Ta’ala: ‘O Allah! If You will, please make the oppressed pleased by giving him a share from Paradise and forgive the oppressor.’ But at that time, this supplication was not accepted. Eventually, when he reached Muzdalifah in the morning and repeated this supplication, Allah Ta’ala accepted it, that is, He promised to forgive even the rights of others (huquq al-‘ibad).” (Sunan Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Manasik, Hadith: 3013)
However, ‘Allamah al-Albani (rahimahullah) has declared this hadith weak (da‘if).
(Da‘if Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith: 651)

3.
In any case, there are a few conditions for the forgiveness of major sins (kabirah):
(a)
Major crimes should not be committed considering them to be lawful (halal).
(b)
He should perform abundant good deeds.
(c)
He should abandon those places and occasions where he used to commit sins, so that through this separation and distancing, his repentance becomes firm. In any case, those who hold the view that the repentance of a murderer of a believer is accepted have used this hadith as evidence.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:

Benefits and Issues:
This murderer was an individual from the Children of Israel. To inquire about the legal ruling, he first went to a monk upon whom the awe and majesty of Allah prevailed, and who considered sin extremely abhorrent. He only took into account the repulsiveness of the sin and did not consider the acceptance and belovedness of repentance with Allah, nor did he understand the wisdom and expediency of the situation and circumstance. Therefore, he said, "There is no scope for your repentance." Becoming hopeless, he killed him as well. However, since he had become sincerely inclined towards repentance from the depths of his heart, due to the restlessness and anxiety of his heart, he again tried to find out whether there was any way for his repentance to be accepted or not. Therefore, he then went to a scholar who was a person of insight and presented himself before him. He informed him of the way of repentance: that in the town where, due to the love and companionship of evil people, you committed these murders, separate yourself from that town and its inhabitants. Otherwise, you will not be able to remain steadfast upon repentance. And go to the town whose people are worshippers and obedient servants of Allah, so that by living in their company, you may be able to do good and righteous deeds.

Since he had firmly resolved to repent from this sin from the depths of his heart, and he proved this by his actions, and even while dying, he was heading towards the town of the righteous people, and to the best of his ability, he made his repentance a sincere repentance (tawbah nasuh), therefore, this action of his was made the cause of his success. Although this incident is from the Children of Israel, the majority of the Ummah, in light of the principles of the Qur'an and Sunnah, have accepted that if a murderer sincerely repents from the depths of his heart, his repentance will be accepted. And although this relates to the rights of the servants (huquq al-‘ibad), which cannot be forgiven without the pardon of the one entitled to the right, but if the sinner has no means to fulfill the rights of the people, then he should make a true and firm repentance and request Allah: "O Allah, I have no means to fulfill their rights, so You, from Your side, grant them reward and recompense and make them pleased." Then Allah will make them pleased. But if he is able to fulfill the rights of the people, or can seek their forgiveness, yet despite this he does not fulfill the right or does not seek forgiveness, then this repentance will not be true and sincere (nasuh).

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: Some individuals have deduced from this hadith that if a sinner merely intends to repent by going to the saints (awliya) — even if he has not yet gone there and has not yet repented — he is still forgiven. So, if he actually goes to them, pledges allegiance (bay‘ah) at their hands, repents, and acts upon their prescribed litanies (wazā’if), then what would be his rank and status? However, the reality of the situation is that in this narration, there is no mention at all of going to any elder (buzurg) to repent. He had already repented. Then, in order to save him from the evil town and the company of bad people, he was instructed in this way: that you should live with the pious town and good people, so that you may remain steadfast upon your repentance and be able to worship and obey Allah together with them. Where, then, is it established from this that one should go to an elder to repent or to pledge allegiance (bay‘ah)? The correct view is just this: to a person blinded by the monsoon, everything appears green, and a drowning man clings even to a straw for support, though it can never save him from drowning.