Hadith 2990

This hadith is listed as number 7485 in Maktaba Shamila

حَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمٍ ، وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حميد ، قَالَ وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حميدٍ : حَدَّثَنِي ، وقَالَ الْآخَرَانِ : حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَخِي ابْنِ شِهَابٍ ، عَنْ عَمِّهِ ، قَالَ : قَالَ سَالِمٌ ، سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ، يَقُولُ : سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، يَقُولُ : " كُلُّ أُمَّتِي مُعَافَاةٌ إِلَّا الْمُجَاهِرِينَ ، وَإِنَّ مِنَ الْإِجْهَارِ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ الْعَبْدُ بِاللَّيْلِ عَمَلًا ، ثُمَّ يُصْبِحُ قَدْ سَتَرَهُ رَبُّهُ ، فَيَقُولُ يَا فُلَانُ : قَدْ عَمِلْتُ الْبَارِحَةَ كَذَا وَكَذَا ، وَقَدْ بَاتَ يَسْتُرُهُ رَبُّهُ ، فَيَبِيتُ يَسْتُرُهُ رَبُّهُ ، وَيُصْبِحُ يَكْشِفُ سِتْرَ اللَّهِ عَنْهُ " ، قَالَ زُهَيْرٌ : وَإِنَّ مِنَ الْهِجَارِ .
Abu Hurairah (RA) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: All the people of my Ummah would get pardon for their sins except those who publicise them. And (it means) that a servant should do a deed during the night and tell the people in the morning that he has done so and so, whereas Allah has concealed it. And he does a deed during the day and when it is night he tells the people, whereas Allah has concealed it. Zuhair has used the word jihar for publicising.
Hadith Reference صحيح مسلم / كتاب الزهد والرقائق / 2990
Hadith Grading محدثین: أحاديث صحيح مسلم كلها صحيحة
Hadith Takhrij «أحاديث صحيح مسلم كلها صحيحة»
Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Sahih Muslim Sharh Nawawi
Explanation:
To reveal hidden sins to people is such a severe major sin that it will not be forgiven, because in this there is evidence of audacity and indifference towards sin, and it is clearly apparent that the one who reveals it does not fear Allah Ta'ala. And as for those ignorant people who say, "If Allah does not conceal it, then what is the need for a person to conceal it from people?"—they are mistaken, because if he had felt shame and not revealed it, then indeed Allah Ta'ala would have concealed it for him. But when he shamelessly exposed his own sin, he was no longer worthy of forgiveness and concealment. And it is mentioned in the hadith that one should repent secretly for a hidden sin, and repent openly for an open sin, so that the righteous may be pleased and bear witness to his repentance, or so that other sinners, seeing him, may be encouraged to repent. [تحفته الاخيار]
Source: Mukhtasar Sharh Nawawi, Page: 7485
Shaykh Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi
Hadith Commentary:
Benefits and Issues:
From this hadith it is understood that a person who commits a sin secretly and in concealment still possesses modesty and shame, and he still considers this act to be wrong.
Therefore, he can refrain from this act,
he can repent. But a person who commits a sin openly and publicly,
this means
he is devoid of modesty and shame and does not even consider the sin to be a sin.
Rather, acting with brazenness, he does it as if it is a good deed,
or he challenges the honor of others,
or tramples upon their emotions.
Therefore, refraining from this act or repenting becomes impossible for him.
Source: Tuhfat al-Muslim: Commentary on Sahih Muslim, Page: 7485
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
(1)
Among the attributes of Allah Ta’ala is the attribute of "Sitteer" (the Concealer), meaning He covers faults. Allah Ta’ala conceals many of His servant’s sins in this world, and likewise, in the Hereafter, He will not disgrace or expose His servants. However, there are some people who themselves expose their own faults; they commit sins and then, with brazenness and arrogance, publicize their sins, saying, “Last night I committed such-and-such sins.” This is shamelessness and audacity, which Allah Ta’ala will not forgive.

(2)
Allah Ta’ala covers a servant’s sins only when the servant himself also covers his own sins. On the contrary, a person who publicizes his sins angers Allah Ta’ala. Allah Ta’ala will not cover his sins either. A person should, out of modesty before Allah Ta’ala and before people, refrain from publicizing his sins, so that Allah Ta’ala may grant him protection on the Day of Resurrection and not disgrace or humiliate him.
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 6069