10 Ways Allah Forgives

10 ways of forgiveness:

  1. Istighfar (praying for forgiveness)
  2. Tawbah (repentance)
  3. Follow a sin with a good deed
  4. Righteous people making dua for you
  5. When a believer does good deeds on behalf of you
  6. Intercession of the Prophet ﷺ
  7. When Allah tests you with difficulties
  8. The torment, squeezing and terror that happens in the grave
  9. The horrors, distress and hardship of the Day of Resurrection.
  10. The mercy and forgiveness of Allah, with no cause on the part of His slaves.

Evidences for these:

  1. Quran 3:134-135, Bukhari 7507
  2. Quran 5:39
  3. Hadith 18 nawawi, Quran 11:114
  4. Nasai 1992
  5. Abu Dawud 1811, Abu Dawud 3311
  6. Tirmidhi 2600, Abu Dawud 4739
  7. Mishkat masabih 1537
  8. Falls into #7
  9. Falls into #7
  10. Quran 9:117, Hadith 42 Nawawi

1. 

وَٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا۟ فَـٰحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ فَٱسْتَغْفَرُوا۟ لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَن يَغْفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا۟ عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلُوا۟ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ١٣٥

And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allāh and seek forgiveness for their sins – and who can forgive sins except Allāh? – and [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know.

Quran 3:135

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَاصِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ أَبِي عَمْرَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ إِنَّ عَبْدًا أَصَابَ ذَنْبًا ـ وَرُبَّمَا قَالَ أَذْنَبَ ذَنْبًا ـ فَقَالَ رَبِّ أَذْنَبْتُ ـ وَرُبَّمَا قَالَ أَصَبْتُ ـ فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَقَالَ رَبُّهُ أَعَلِمَ عَبْدِي أَنَّ لَهُ رَبًّا يَغْفِرُ الذَّنْبَ وَيَأْخُذُ بِهِ غَفَرْتُ لِعَبْدِي‏.‏ ثُمَّ مَكَثَ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ، ثُمَّ أَصَابَ ذَنْبًا أَوْ أَذْنَبَ ذَنْبًا، فَقَالَ رَبِّ أَذْنَبْتُ ـ أَوْ أَصَبْتُ ـ آخَرَ فَاغْفِرْهُ‏.‏ فَقَالَ أَعَلِمَ عَبْدِي أَنَّ لَهُ رَبًّا يَغْفِرُ الذَّنْبَ وَيَأْخُذُ بِهِ غَفَرْتُ لِعَبْدِي، ثُمَّ مَكَثَ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ أَذْنَبَ ذَنْبًا ـ وَرُبَّمَا قَالَ أَصَابَ ذَنْبًا ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَبِّ أَصَبْتُ ـ أَوْ أَذْنَبْتُ ـ آخَرَ فَاغْفِرْهُ لِي‏.‏ فَقَالَ أَعَلِمَ عَبْدِي أَنَّ لَهُ رَبًّا يَغْفِرُ الذَّنْبَ وَيَأْخُذُ بِهِ غَفَرْتُ لِعَبْدِي ـ ثَلاَثًا ـ فَلْيَعْمَلْ مَا شَاءَ ‏”‏‏.‏

Narrated Abu Huraira: I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, “If somebody commits a sin and then says, ‘O my Lord! I have sinned, please forgive me!’ and his Lord says, ‘My slave has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for it, I therefore have forgiven my slave (his sins).’ Then he remains without committing any sin for a while and then again commits another sin and says, ‘O my Lord, I have committed another sin, please forgive me,’ and Allah says, ‘My slave has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for it, I therefore have forgiven my slave (his sin). Then he remains without Committing any another sin for a while and then commits another sin (for the third time) and says, ‘O my Lord, I have committed another sin, please forgive me,’ and Allah says, ‘My slave has known that he has a Lord Who forgives sins and punishes for it I therefore have forgiven My slave (his sin), he can do whatever he likes.”

Sahih al-Bukhari 7507

https://sunnah.com/bukhari:7507

أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ جَزَآؤُهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَجَنَّـٰتٌۭ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ وَنِعْمَ أَجْرُ ٱلْعَـٰمِلِينَ ١٣٦

Those – their reward is forgiveness from their Lord and gardens beneath which rivers flow [in Paradise], wherein they will abide eternally; and excellent is the reward of the [righteous] workers.

Quran 3:136

2. 

فَمَن تَابَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ظُلْمِهِۦ وَأَصْلَحَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَتُوبُ عَلَيْهِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌ ٣٩

But whoever repents after his wrongdoing and reforms, indeed, Allāh will turn to him in forgiveness. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.

Quran 5:39

3.

عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ جُنْدَبِ بْنِ جُنَادَةَ، وَأَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم قَالَ: “اتَّقِ اللَّهَ حَيْثُمَا كُنْت، وَأَتْبِعْ السَّيِّئَةَ الْحَسَنَةَ تَمْحُهَا، وَخَالِقْ النَّاسَ بِخُلُقٍ حَسَنٍ” . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ [رقم: 1987] وَقَالَ: حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ، وَفِي بَعْضِ النُّسَخِ: حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ.

On the authority of Abu Dharr Jundub ibn Junadah, and Abu Abdur-Rahman Muadh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Have taqwa (fear) of Allah wherever you may be, and follow up a bad deed with a good deed which will wipe it out, and behave well towards the people.

It was related by at-Tirmidhi, who said it was a hasan (good) hadeeth, and in some copies it is stated to be a hasan saheeh hadeeth.

Hadith 18, 40 Hadith an-Nawawi

https://sunnah.com/nawawi40:18

11:114

وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ طَرَفَىِ ٱلنَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًۭا مِّنَ ٱلَّيْلِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلْحَسَنَـٰتِ يُذْهِبْنَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ذِكْرَىٰ لِلذَّٰكِرِينَ ١١٤

And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds. That is a reminder for those who remember.

4.

أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ زُرَارَةَ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ أَبِي قِلاَبَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، – رَضِيعٌ لِعَائِشَةَ رضى الله عنها – عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ لاَ يَمُوتُ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَيُصَلِّي عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ فَيَبْلُغُوا أَنْ يَكُونُوا مِائَةً فَيَشْفَعُوا إِلاَّ شُفِّعُوا فِيهِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

It was narrated from ‘Aishah that the Prophet said: “No Muslim dies and a group of people whose number reaches one hundred offers the funeral prayer for him, interceding fro him, but their intercession for him will be accepted.”

Sunan an-Nasa’i 1992

https://sunnah.com/nasai:1992

5.

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ الطَّالْقَانِيُّ، وَهَنَّادُ بْنُ السَّرِيِّ، – الْمَعْنَى وَاحِدٌ – قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ – حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَةُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عَرُوبَةَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ عَزْرَةَ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَمِعَ رَجُلاً يَقُولُ لَبَّيْكَ عَنْ شُبْرُمَةَ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏”‏ مَنْ شُبْرُمَةَ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَخٌ لِي أَوْ قَرِيبٌ لِي ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏”‏ حَجَجْتَ عَنْ نَفْسِكَ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ لاَ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏”‏ حُجَّ عَنْ نَفْسِكَ ثُمَّ حُجَّ عَنْ شُبْرُمَةَ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:

The Prophet (ﷺ) heard a man say: Labbayk (always ready to obey) on behalf of Shubrumah. He asked: Who is Shubrumah? He replied: A brother or relative of mine. He asked: Have you performed hajj on your own behalf? He said: No. He said: perform hajj on your own behalf, then perform it on behalf of Shubrumah.

Sunan Abi Dawud 1811

https://sunnah.com/abudawud:1811

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ الْحَارِثِ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏: ‏ ‏ “‏ مَنْ مَاتَ وَعَلَيْهِ صِيَامٌ صَامَ عَنْهُ وَلِيُّهُ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

Narrated ‘Aishah: The Prophet (ﷺ) as saying: If anyone dies when some fast due from him has been unfulfilled, his heir must fast on his behalf.

Sunan Abi Dawud 3311

https://sunnah.com/abudawud:3311

6.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ ذَكْوَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي رَجَاءٍ الْعُطَارِدِيِّ، عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ حُصَيْنٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ لَيَخْرُجَنَّ قَوْمٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي مِنَ النَّارِ بِشَفَاعَتِي يُسَمَّوْنَ الْجَهَنَّمِيُّونَ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.‏ وَأَبُو رَجَاءٍ الْعُطَارِدِيُّ اسْمُهُ عِمْرَانُ بْنُ تَيْمٍ وَيُقَالُ ابْنُ مِلْحَانَ ‏.‏

Imran bin Husain narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w) said: ‘A group from my Ummah will depart from the Fire through my intercession, and they will be called the Jahannamiyyun.”

Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2600
https://sunnah.com/tirmidhi:2600

حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا بِسْطَامُ بْنُ حُرَيْثٍ، عَنْ أَشْعَثَ الْحُدَّانِيِّ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏: ‏ ‏ “‏ شَفَاعَتِي لأَهْلِ الْكَبَائِرِ مِنْ أُمَّتِي ‏”‏ ‏.‏

Narrated Anas ibn Malik:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: My intercession will be for those of my people who have committed major sins.

Sunan Abi Dawud 4739
https://sunnah.com/abudawud:4739

7.

وَعَن أبي هُرَيْرَة وَأبي سَعِيدٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «مَا يُصِيبُ الْمُسْلِمَ مِنْ نَصَبٍ وَلَا وَصَبٍ وَلَا هَمٍّ وَلَا حُزْنٍ وَلَا أَذًى وَلَا غَمٍّ حَتَّى الشَّوْكَةُ يُشَاكُهَا إِلَّا كَفَّرَ اللَّهُ بهَا من خطاياه»

He and Abu Sa’id reported the Prophet as saying, “No Muslim is afflicted by difficulty, continuous pain, anxiety, grief, injury, or care, or even by a thorn with which he is pierced, without God thereby making an atonement for his sins.”

(Bukhari and Muslim.)

Mishkat al-Masabih 1537

https://sunnah.com/mishkat:1537

10. 

لَّقَد تَّابَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىِّ وَٱلْمُهَـٰجِرِينَ وَٱلْأَنصَارِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُ فِى سَاعَةِ ٱلْعُسْرَةِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا كَادَ يَزِيغُ قُلُوبُ فَرِيقٍۢ مِّنْهُمْ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِهِمْ رَءُوفٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ ١١٧

Allāh has already forgiven the Prophet and the Muhājireen and the Anṣār who followed him in the hour of difficulty after the hearts of a party of them had almost inclined [to doubt], and then He forgave them. Indeed, He was to them Kind and Merciful.

Quran 9:117

عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: سَمِعْت رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم يَقُولُ: قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: “يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ! إِنَّكَ مَا دَعَوْتنِي وَرَجَوْتنِي غَفَرْتُ لَك عَلَى مَا كَانَ مِنْك وَلَا أُبَالِي، يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ! لَوْ بَلَغَتْ ذُنُوبُك عَنَانَ السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ اسْتَغْفَرْتنِي غَفَرْتُ لَك، يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ! إنَّك لَوْ أتَيْتنِي بِقُرَابِ الْأَرْضِ خَطَايَا ثُمَّ لَقِيتنِي لَا تُشْرِكُ بِي شَيْئًا لَأَتَيْتُك بِقُرَابِهَا مَغْفِرَةً” . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ [رقم: 3540]، وَقَالَ: حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ.

On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say, “Allah the Almighty has said: ‘O Son of Adam, as long as you invoke Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O Son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and you then asked forgiveness from Me, I would forgive you. O Son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the Earth, and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it [too].’ ”

It was related by at-Tirmidhi, who said that it was a hasan hadeeth.

Hadith 42, 40 Hadith an-Nawawi

https://sunnah.com/nawawi40:42