Hadith 4009

أَخْبَرَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الزَّعْفَرَانِيُّ ، قَالَ : حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ ، قَالَ ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ : أَخْبَرَنِي يَعْلَى ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ : " أَنَّ نَاسًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الشِّرْكِ أَتَوْا مُحَمَّدًا ، فَقَالُوا : إِنَّ الَّذِي تَقُولُ وَتَدْعُو إِلَيْهِ لَحَسَنٌ , لَوْ تُخْبِرُنَا أَنَّ لِمَا عَمِلْنَا كَفَّارَةً ، فَنَزَلَتْ : وَالَّذِينَ لا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ سورة الفرقان آية 68 وَنَزَلَتْ قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ سورة الزمر آية 53 " .
´It was narrated from Ibn 'Abbas that :` Some of the people of Shirk came to Muhammad [SAW] and said: "What you say and call people to is good, if only you could tell us that there is any expiation for what we have done." Then the Verses: "And those who invoke not any other ilah (god) along with Allah, or kill such a person as Allah has forbidden, except by right." And "Say: O 'Ibadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)" were revealed.
Hadith Reference سنن نسائي / كتاب تحريم الدم / 4009
Hadith Grading الألبانی: صحيح  |  زبیر علی زئی: متفق عليه
Hadith Takhrij «صحیح البخاری/تفسیرسورة الزمر1(4810)، صحیح مسلم/الإیمان54(122)، سنن ابی داود/الفتن6(4274 مختصرا)، (تحفة الأشراف: 5652) (صحیح)»
Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:

The meaning of this verse is certainly not that, relying on Allah’s mercy and forgiveness, one should continue to commit sins freely, pay absolutely no heed to His commands and obligations, and trample His limits mercilessly.
To invite His wrath and retribution in this way while hoping for His mercy and forgiveness is utter foolishness and delusion.
Such people should remember that just as He is Forgiving and Merciful (Ghafur wa Rahim) to His servants, He is also Mighty and Possessor of Retribution (Aziz Dhul-Intiqam) for the disobedient.


In any case, there are two conditions for Allah’s pardon:
First, one must turn towards Him (make tawbah), and second, one must fulfill His commands. Then, the proclamation of pardon from Allah is general. Therefore, one should hasten to benefit from this proclamation of Allah as soon as possible. Furthermore, this address is not only for the polytheists of Makkah, but its ruling is general for every non-Muslim and sinner.
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 4810
Shaykh Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi
Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues:
In order to understand the meaning of the hadith, it is necessary to read the verses that come after these two verses, so that it becomes clear that through repentance (accepting Islam is also repentance from disbelief and polytheism), all sins are forgiven.
Source: Tuhfat al-Muslim: Commentary on Sahih Muslim, Page: 322