Dr. As-Sayyid bin Husayn al-`Affani
"That is the grace of Allah which He bestows on whom He pleases. And Allah is the Owner of Great Bounty." [57:21]
1. Perfecting one’s ablution
“No worshipper perfects his ablution except that his past
and future sins are forgiven.” [Hasan, al-Bazzaar. Al-Haythami and
al-Mundhiri agreed.]
2. Fasting the month of Ramadan with belief and seeking Allah’s
reward
"Whoever fasts Ramadhan out of Iman and seeking Allah’s
reward then his past and future sins are forgiven." [Hasan, Ahmad.
Declared Hasan by adh-Dhahabi, as mentioned in al-Mughni (5876).]
3. Performing the night prayer in Ramadan with belief and seeking Allah’s
reward
"Whoever stands (in prayer) in Ramadan out of Iman and
seeking Allah’s reward then his past and future sins are forgiven." [Saheeh. an-Nasaa’i.]
4. Performing the night prayer on the Night of Qadar with belief and seeking
Allah’s reward
"It (Laylatul-Qadr) is in Ramadan, and expect it in the last ten days; it is on an odd night: on the 21st, or the 23rd, or the 25th, or the 27th, or the 29th, or on the last night (of Ramadan). He who performs the night prayer on it out of belief and seeking Allah's reward his past and future sins are forgiven."
[Narrated by Ahmad. There is a difference of opinion among scholars regarding this hadeeth, some declaring it weak and some Hasan. Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajr said in Al-Fath (4/116), "This addition – meaning, 'and future (sins)' – is also in `Ubadah bin as-Samit's Hadeeth, in (the Musnad of) Ahmad, in two narrations. Its chain is Hasan and it is supported by the previous chain."]
5. Praising and thanking Allah after eating and putting one’s clothes
on.
“Whoever ate a food and then said, ‘Praise be to Allah
who has fed me this food and provided it for me, without any strength or power
on my part’, is forgiven his past [and future*] sins. And whoever wears a
garment and says, ‘Praise be to Allah who has clothed me with this (garment) and
provided it for me, without any strength or power on my part’, is forgiven his
past and future sins.” [Ibn Majah, Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi,
an-Nasa’i, al-Bukhari in al-Kabeer, al-Hakim, ibn Sunni and Ahmad. The addition
marked by (*) is related by Abu Dawud. Shaykh Al-Albani declared the hadeeth
Hasan in Saheeh al-Jaami` (6086) and in al-Irwaa’ (1989). He said in al-Irwaa’,
“Such a hadeeth causes hesitation between making it Hasan (good) and Da`eef
(weak). Maybe the first one is closer to be the truth, because those who made it
weak didn’t explain it and didn’t explain the reason for its weakness. Allah
knows best.”]
6. Getting old in Islam
“No one reaches forty years in Islam except that Allah
protects him from madness, leprosy and leucoderma. When he is fifty, Allah makes
easy his reckoning. When he reaches sixty, Allah grants him repentance. And when
he reaches seventy, Allah loves him and the inhabitants of the heavens love him.
And when he reaches eighty, Allah accepts his good deeds and overlooks his sins.
When he reaches ninety, Allah forgives his past and future sins, he is named
‘the prisoner of Allah on earth’ and is granted intercession (for forgiveness)
for his family.” [Hasan, Ibn `Asakir. Ahmad Shakir said in his
notes to Al-Musnad (8/23,25): “Its chain is at least Hasan. It is supported with
other chains which raise it to the level of Saheeh.”]
7. Leaving the following: performing ruqya (curing with Qur’an), seeking
having ruqya performed on one, cauterization, believing in bad
omens.
Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas, radhiallahu `anhu: Allah’s Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi
wa sallam, said, “…I was told: ‘These are your people and amongst them there are
seventy thousand who shall enter Paradise without being taken to either
account or torment.’ …'They are those who do not make Ruqya nor seek it,
nor believe in bad omens, but trust in their Lord (Allah).'” [Bukhari and Muslim]
8. Whose two or three children die and he remains patient
“Whoever buries three children, Allah will forbid the
Fire for him.” [Saheeh, Tabarani in al-Kabeer, Al-Albani
authenticated it in Saheeh Al-Jaami` (6238)]
“There are no two Muslim parents whose three children die
before reaching puberty except that Allah will enter them into Paradise due to
His mercy to the children. It will be said to them, “Enter the Paradise”, so
they will say, “Not until our parents enter first”. It will be said, “Enter the
Paradise you and your parents.” [Ahmad, an-Nasaa’i, and Al-Albani
authenticated it in Saheeh al-Jaami` (5780)]
“’Whoever iHtasaba (remains content and patient after the
death of) three of his offspring will enter Jannah.’ A woman said, ‘What about
two?’ He said, ‘And two’”. [Saheeh, an-Nasaa’i, Ibn Hibban,
authenticated by al-Albani in Saheeh al-Jaami` (5969)]
“To no woman three children die and she remains patient
and content, except that she will enter Jannah. Or two (children).” [Muslim]
9. Who raises three daughters or
sisters and is nice to them
“There is no one from my Ummah who takes care of three
daughters or three sisters, and is nice to them, except that they will be a veil
(protection) for him from the Fire.” [Saheeh, al-Bayhaqi and
Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab, authenticated by Al-Albani in Saheeh Al-Jaami`
(5372)]
10. Defending the honor of a Muslim
“Whoever defends the honor of his brother in absence has
the right over Allah to be freed from the Fire.” [Saheeh, Ahmad,
al-Tabarani. Authenticated by Al-Albani in Saheeh al-Jaami` (6240)]. Al-Manaawi
commented, “’Whoever’ is limited to other than the disbeliever and public
wrongdoer.” [Fayd al-Qadeer 6:136]
11. Sincerity to Allah
No servant who says ‘la ilaha ill Allah’, seeking the
pleasure of Allah, will reach the Day of Judgment, except that Allah will forbid
the Fire for him. [Ahmad, al-Bukhari]
Hafidh Ibn Hajr said, “It’s not like that (i.e. not entering
the Fire at all) for everyone who believed in tawheed and worshipped, but it is
specific for the sincere, and sincerity (ikhlas) requires the realization of its
meaning by the heart. One cannot imagine that the heart will reach that while
persisting upon sins, as the heart would be filled with the love and fear of
Allah, whereupon limbs will embark upon obedience and leave disobedience.”
12. Crying out of fear of Allah
“No man who cried out of fear of Allah will enter the
Fire until the milk returns to the udder, and dust in the path of Allah (jihad)
and the smoke of the Fire cannot go together.” [Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi,
an-Nasaa’i and Hakim who authenticated it. Authenticated by Al-Albani in Saheeh
al-Jaami` (7778)]
13. Performing the prayer in congregation for forty days while reaching the
opening takbeer
“Whoever prays to Allah for four days in congregation,
reaching the opening takbeer, will have two written for him: freedom from the
Fire and freedom from hypocrisy.” [Hasan. at-Tirmidhi, declared
Hasan by al-Albani in Saheeh al-Jaami` (6365)]
14. Being consistent in praying four rak`ats before Dhuhr and after
it
“Whoever is consistent in praying four units of prayer
before Dhuhr and four after it, Fire will be forbidden for him.” [Saheeh. Abu Dawood, An-Nasaa’i, at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, al-Hakim who
authenticated it. Al-Albani authenticated it in Saheeh al-Jaami`
(6195)]
15. Being consistent in praying before sunrise and before
sunset.
“No one will enter Fire who prays before sunrise and
after sunset.” [Ahmad, Muslim, Abu Dawud, an-Nasaa’i]
Meaning, Fajr and `Asr prayers.
16. Dust of Jihad
“The dust of Jihad and the smoke of the Fire will never
coexist within a servant, and greed and Iman will never coexist in the heart of
a servant.” [Saheeh. An-Nasaa’i and al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak.
Authenticated by al-Albani in Saheeh al-Jaami` (7616)]
17. Killing a mushrik in war
“A kafir and one who killed him will never be together in
the Fire.” [Muslim, Abu Dawud]
18. Good character
“Whoever is easy-going, easy to deal with and
kindhearted, Allah will forbid the Fire for him.” [Saheeh. Al-Hakim
in al-Mustadrak, al-Bayhaqi, at-Tabarani. Al-Albani authenticated it in Saheeh
al-Jaami` (6484)]
19. Freeing slaves
“Whoever frees a believing slave it will be his salvation
from the Fire.” [Saheeh. Ahmad, Abu Dawud, an-Nasaa’i.
Authenticated by al-Albani (6050)]
20. Salat ut-Tasbeeh (Tasbeeh Prayer)
There is an unusual difference of opinion about this one.
Scholars have greatly differed about the authenticity of the relevant
narrations, with their rulings ranging from fabricated to authentic. In a
narration, Al-Mustamir ar-Rayan relates, “Whoever prays it will be forgiven his
past and future sins, what he did secretly and what he did openly.” [Mentioned by Ibn Hajar in Ma`rifat al-Khisal al-Mukaffirah, p. 48, who
said it was Hasan due to supporting narrations. Allah knows
best.]
