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.