Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
The purpose of Imam Bukhari is to establish that Allah’s speech is true (haqq). In this hadith as well, Allah’s speech is mentioned concerning a sinner, and it is also intended to clarify that the Noble Qur’an is the speech of Allah, but besides the Qur’an, Allah also speaks. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is the most truthful and trustworthy. He has conveyed this speech. Those who deny Allah’s speech, according to them, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is not the most truthful and trustworthy.

From this hadith, the great virtue of seeking forgiveness (istighfar) is also established, provided that one repents from sins and continues to seek forgiveness, then no harm will come to him. There are three conditions for seeking forgiveness (istighfar):

➊ To separate oneself from the sin,
➋ To feel remorse,
➌ To make the intention for the future that one will not commit it again.

If, with this intention, one falls into sin again, then he should seek forgiveness again. In another hadith, it is stated that if he commits the same sin seventy times in a day but continues to seek forgiveness, then he has not persisted (in sin). Persistence (israr) means that one does not feel remorse for the sin and intends to commit it again. If one merely continues to seek forgiveness with the tongue, then such seeking forgiveness itself is in need of seeking forgiveness.

O Allah, indeed we seek Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance, so forgive us, O Best of those who forgive. Ameen.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
The purpose of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah in presenting the aforementioned hadith is to establish that Allah, exalted is He, truly speaks (His speech is real). Thus, in this hadith, the speech of Allah regarding a sinner is mentioned. It is also intended to clarify that the Noble Qur’an is the speech of Allah, but besides the Qur’an, Allah also speaks, as the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has mentioned this divine speech. Those who deny the speech of Allah are, in effect, deniers of the ahadith of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

➋
From this hadith, the virtue of seeking forgiveness (istighfar) is also established, and there are three conditions for seeking forgiveness:
To abandon the sin, to feel remorse over it, and then to make a firm resolve (definite intention) not to commit it again. If, with this intention, the sin occurs again, then by seeking forgiveness, that sin will be erased, provided that one does not persist in the sin.
The meaning of persistence (israr) is:
To intend to commit the sin instead of feeling regret over it.
Not to suffice with verbal seeking of forgiveness alone.
Such verbal seeking of forgiveness that does not come from the depths of the heart is itself in need of seeking forgiveness.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues:
This hadith establishes that after Eid al-Fitr, these six fasts should be observed consecutively and in succession.
However, it is also permissible that within the month of Shawwal, one may observe them whenever and however one wishes.
According to Imam Shafi’i rahimahullah,
Imam Ahmad rahimahullah,
and the hadith scholars, these fasts should be observed so that the reward of fasting for a lifetime (sawm al-dahr) may be attained.
Even if the month of Ramadan is of 29 days, by Allah’s grace and bounty, the reward is given as if 30 fasts were observed, and when the six voluntary fasts of Shawwal are added, the total becomes 36. According to Allah the Exalted’s generous principle, and the reward of one good deed being tenfold, ten times 36 equals 360, and the days of the lunar year are fewer than 360.
Therefore, whoever, after fasting in the month of Ramadan, observes the six voluntary fasts of Shawwal,
will, according to this calculation, be deserving of the reward of 360 fasts.
However, according to Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah
and Imam Malik rahimahullah, these fasts are disliked (makruh).
According to Imam Abu Yusuf rahimahullah, it is disliked to observe them immediately and consecutively after Ramadan, but permissible if observed separately later.
Whereas the later Maliki and Hanafi scholars are of the opinion of permissibility.
Ibn Rushd and Ibn Humam rahimahullah have explicitly stated this.