Silsilah Sahihah

Benefits:

The apparent meaning of this hadith is that if a person who embraces Islam does not bring excellence into his Islam and continues to commit evil deeds, then he will also be held accountable for the sins committed during his period of ignorance (jahiliyyah). However, the Muslim ummah is unanimous that, due to the acceptance of Islam, all previous errors are forgiven. As Sayyiduna Amr ibn al-As radi Allahu anhu says: I came to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and said: “Extend your right hand so that I may pledge allegiance to you.” So he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam extended his hand, but I withdrew my hand. He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam asked: “Amr! What happened?” I said: “I want to set a condition.” He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam asked: “What condition?” I said: “That I be forgiven.” He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:

«آمَا عَلِمْتَ يَا عَمَرُوا إِنَّ الْإِسْلامَ يَهْدِمُ مَا كَانَ قَبْلَهُ وَإِنَّ الْهِجَرَة تَهْدِمُ مَا كَانَ قَبْلَهَا وَإِنَّ الْحَج يَهْدِمُ مَا كَانَ قَبْلَهُ»

That is: “O Amr! Do you not know that Islam wipes out all previous sins, and indeed migration (hijrah) wipes out previous sins, and Hajj wipes out previous sins.” [مسلم: 321]

Hafiz Ibn Hajar said that Imam Khattabi states: This hadith is contrary to the consensus of the Muslim ummah and to the saying of Allah Ta’ala:

«قُل لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِن يَنتَهُوا يغْفَرْ لَهُم مَّا قَدْ سَلَفَ»

“Say to those who disbelieve, if they desist (from disbelief), their past (sins) will be forgiven.”

Therefore, the explanation of this hadith will be that when a disbeliever accepts Islam, he is not held accountable for previous evil deeds. However, if after accepting Islam he becomes immersed in evil and commits grave crimes, then he will be held accountable for the evil deeds committed in the state of Islam, and he will be reproached for the evil deeds committed in the state of disbelief. That is, it will be said to him: Did you not commit such and such sins during the time of disbelief? Then why did your Islam not prevent you from these evils?

The summary of Imam Khattabi’s explanation is that he will be reproached for the evil deeds committed in the state of disbelief, and he will be held accountable for the evil deeds committed in the state of Islam. However, the following detail regarding this hadith is more correct:

«وَمَنْ أَسَاءَ فِي الإِسلام، أُخِذ بالأول والآخر» (Whoever continues to commit evil even after accepting Islam, he will be questioned about both his previous and later sins) refers to disbelief, because that is the greatest evil and the gravest disobedience.

Thus, the meaning of this hadith is that the person who, after embracing Islam, becomes an apostate and dies in a state of disbelief, it will be as if he never accepted Islam at all. Such a person will be held accountable for all the evil deeds of his life.

Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, alluding to this meaning, mentioned this hadith after the hadith of «اكبر الكبائر الشرك» and included both in the chapters regarding apostates.

Ibn Battal narrated the statement of Muhallab: The meaning and understanding of this hadith is that the person who, after accepting Islam, carefully observes the rulings and conditions of Islam, will not be held accountable for the misdeeds of the period of ignorance. But the person who abandons tawhid (monotheism), he will be held accountable for all previous evils.

Ibn Battal says: I presented this hadith before several scholars, and all of them said that the meaning of this hadith is as Muhallab has stated, and the evil mentioned in it refers to disbelief. [فتح الباري: 12 - 329 - 330]