Silsilah Sahihah

Benefits:

Imam al-Albani rahimahullah says:

In narrating this hadith, Bahz ibn Hakim, from his father [مسند احمد: 5/5], has followed Abu Qaza‘ah, but in his narration, instead of «تَوْبَةَ», there is «عملا».

Bahz ibn Hakim is trustworthy and a proof, especially when he narrates from his father. The narration of Bahz explains the narration of Abu Qaza‘ah and removes the objection that arises upon it. The meaning of this hadith is the same as what is presented in this verse:

«اِنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بَعْدَ إِيْمَانِهِمْ ثُمَّ ازْدَادُوا كُفْرًا لَنْ تُقْبَلَ تَوْبَتَهُمْ» [سورة آل عمران: 90]

“Indeed, those who disbelieve after having believed, and then increase in disbelief, never will their repentance be accepted.”

Most of the commentators have found difficulty in understanding this verse, because the definitive law of Islam is that the repentance of a disbeliever and an apostate is accepted, but this verse, on its apparent meaning, seems to contradict this rule. The entire subject is presented in Surah Aal ‘Imran as follows:

«كَيْفَ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ قَوْمًا كَفَرُوا بَعْدَ إِيمَانِهِمْ وَشَهِدُوا أَنَّ الرَّسُولَ حَقٌّ وَجَاءَهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ ‎﴿٨٦﴾‏ أُولَٰئِكَ جَزَاؤُهُمْ أَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ لَعْنَةَ اللَّهِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ ‎﴿٨٧﴾‏ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا لَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَلَا هُمْ يُنظَرُونَ ‎﴿٨٨﴾‏ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ تَابُوا مِن بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ وَأَصْلَحُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ‎﴿٨٩﴾‏ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بَعْدَ إِيمَانِهِمْ ثُمَّ ازْدَادُوا كُفْرًا لَّن تُقْبَلَ تَوْبَتُهُمْ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الضَّالُّونَ ﴿٩٠﴾‏» [سورة آل عمران: 86 تا 90]

“How shall Allah guide a people who disbelieved after their belief and [after] they had witnessed that the Messenger is true and clear proofs had come to them? And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people. The recompense of such is that upon them is the curse of Allah and the angels and all people, abiding eternally therein. The punishment will not be lightened for them, nor will they be reprieved. Except for those who repent after that and correct themselves, for indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. Indeed, those who disbelieve after their belief and then increase in disbelief—never will their [claimed] repentance be accepted, and they are the ones astray.”

Dear readers! Reflect that where in verses (86, 87, 88, 90) repentance is negated, in verse (89) repentance is made possible and those who repent are made an exception.

How can the apparent contradiction found in these two types of verses be resolved? How can reconciliation and harmonization be achieved between them? How can this objection be removed? In response, many statements have appeared, but there is no room to mention them all at this point.

In my opinion, if the narration of Bahz ibn Hakim with the wording of «عمله» is taken into consideration, then the objection arising from the narration of Abu Qaza‘ah and these verses is resolved. Thus, the meaning of the hadith of Abu Qaza‘ah

«إِنَّ اللهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى لَا يَقْبَلُ تَوْبَةَ عَبْدِ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ إِسْلَامِهِ» will be that when such a person, during his disbelief, repents from some sin, Allah does not accept it, because repentance is also an action, and shirk (polytheism) nullifies every kind of action, as Allah says:

«لئن اشْرَكُتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ» “If you associate [others with Allah], your deeds will surely become worthless.”

Similarly, in Surah Aal ‘Imran, verse (90), the meaning of «لَنْ تُقْبَلَ تَوْبَتُهُم» is also that if, in the state of such disbelief, they wish to repent from some sins, their repentance will not be accepted.

In summary, the repentance whose acceptance is negated in the verses and hadiths refers to repenting from some sins while in a state of disbelief, not repentance from disbelief itself, because whenever a disbeliever or apostate repents from his disbelief and shirk, his repentance will be accepted immediately. Some of the Salaf have also explained such verses in this way, as Allamah Alusi, after mentioning various statements in [تفسير روح المعاني], says:

One statement is: Some people, while in a state of disbelief, commit certain sins, then regret them and repent from them, but persist in their disbelief. The acceptance of this type of repentance is negated in this verse. This statement is also supported by the tafsir of Abu al-‘Aliyah, who says: The Jews and Christians disbelieved after believing, then committed such sins that increased their disbelief. Then, while persisting in their disbelief, they wished to repent from some sins, but their repentance was not accepted. This means that these people were astray; if they had been upon guidance, their repentance would have been accepted.

I (al-Albani) say: This is the view chosen by the Imam of the commentators, Ibn Jarir rahimahullah. Whoever desires more information should study his tafsir himself. [صحيحه: 2545]