A Summary of the Explanation of the Ḥadīth of ‘The Leading Supplication for Seeking Forgiveness’ by Sheikh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah – Rahimahullah –
Translated by Abbas Abu Yahya
On the authority of Shaddad bin Aws – Radi Allahu anhu – from the Messenger of Allah – sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam – who said:
‘Indeed, the major supplication for forgiveness is:
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَىَّ وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي، فَاغْفِرْ لِي، فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ
Allahumma anta Rabbi la ilaha illa anta, Khalaqtani wa ana `Abduka, wa ana `ala `ahdika wa wa`dika mastata`tu, A`udhu bika min Sharri ma sana`tu, abu’u Laka bini`matika `alaiya, wa abu’u laka bidhanbi faghfir lee fa innahu la yaghfiru adhdhunuba illa anta.
“O Allah, You are my Lord. There is no God but You. You created me and I am Your servant, I am committed to You and Your promise, as much as I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil I have done. I acknowledge Your favors and I acknowledge my sins, so forgive me. Verily, no one forgives sins but You.”
If somebody recites it during the day with firm faith in it, and dies on the same day before the evening, he will be from the people of Paradise; and if somebody recites it at night with firm faith in it, and dies before the morning, he will be from the people of Paradise.’
[Narrated by Bukhari, an-Nisa’ee & Tirmidhi.]
Sheikh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah – Rahimahullah – said about the preceding ḥadīth:
Regarding the saying of the Messenger – sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam – about the Leading Supplication for Seeking Forgiveness, it is said that when the slave of Allah says: ‘O Allah, You are my Lord, there is none worthy of worship in truth except You.’ This ḥadīth comprises well-known, magnificent matters and is therefore rightfully the Leading Supplication for Seeking Forgiveness, since it commences with the slave of Allah acknowledging ar-Rubūbiyyah (The Lordship) of Allah.
Then, the slave of Allah follows that up with Tawḥīdu al-Ulūhiyyah (Allah’s sole right to be worshipped) by saying, ‘There is none worthy of worship in truth except You.’ So, here he acknowledges that it is Allah who created him and brought him into existence when he was nothing. Therefore, Allah is rightfully the One who takes charge of complete beneficence to His slave, providing forgiveness for his sins, just as He – Subhanahu wa Ta’ala – began with beneficence to him by creating him.
The slave of Allah then says, ‘I am Your slave,’ by which he acknowledges that servitude of worship is only for Allah, since Allah – Ta’ala – created the son of Adam for Himself and for His worship, as mentioned in some narrations. So, if a slave of Allah leaves that for which Allah created him, which is obedience to Allah, knowing Him, loving Him, turning repentantly to Him, and relying upon Him, then he has fled from his Master.
When the slave of Allah repents to Allah and returns to Him, then he has repented to that which Allah loves from the slave, and so Allah is pleased with this return. This is why the Messenger – sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam – mentioned regarding Allah Ta’ala that: ‘Allah is greater in happiness with the repentance of His slave than that of a slave finding his lost ride, which had his food and his drink on it, in a perilous land after he had given up hope of recovering it.’
Allah – Subhanahu – is The One who is capable of returning his ride, and Allah was The One who returned it to him. This is the height of excellence and beneficence, worthy of He who is in this circumstance, and there is nothing more beloved to the slave than Allah.
The slave of Allah then says, ‘And I abide by Your covenant and promise as best as I can.’ So Allah – Subhanahu wa Ta’ala – made a contract with His slaves, wherein He set out commands and prohibitions. Allah promised them that if they fulfilled His contract, He would reward them with the highest of rewards. So the slave of Allah continues moving between fulfilling his contract to Allah and attesting to Allah’s promise, meaning: I fulfill Your contract, attesting to Your promise.
This meaning was mentioned by the Prophet – sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam – in his saying: ‘Whoever fasts Ramadan with Īmān and (al-Iḥtisāb) hoping for a reward, then he is forgiven for his previous sins.’ Īmān here refers to the action that is the contract Allah contracted with His worshippers. Al-Iḥtisāb (hoping for a reward) means hoping for Allah’s reward by doing this action, which is not fitting except when attesting to His promise.
As for his – sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam – saying, ‘Īmān and al-Iḥtisāb (hoping for a reward),’ then the slave of Allah is driven to do this due to his Īmān. Allah legislated and obligated it, was pleased with it, and commanded it. Al-Iḥtisāb (hoping) refers to the reward with Allah, which means the slave of Allah does this action sincerely for Allah, hoping for His reward.
As for his saying, ‘as best as I can,’ then this means: I fulfill this according to my ability and that which Allah has made rightful upon me, not according to that which befits You, O Allah. In this statement, there is proof that establishes the slave of Allah has strength and capability and is not compelled by destiny; rather, he himself has the capability, which is his being entrusted with commands and prohibitions, reward, and punishment.
Also, from this statement is a refutation of the Qadariyyah al-Mujbirah (a sect who believe that destiny means that actions are due to compulsion), who say that the slave of Allah has neither capability nor potential by himself and that he has no decision over actions whatsoever, but rather that Allah will punish due to Allah’s own action and not due to the action of Allah’s slave. This part of the supplication is also a refutation of the al-Majūsiyyah (fire worshippers) and others like them.
The slave of Allah then says, ‘I acknowledge Your favors upon me,’ which means I acknowledge this matter; i.e., I affirm this – that I acknowledge You with Your blessings upon me. You are the One deserving of this because You are the One who is praised, and I seek forgiveness from You for my sins.
This is why some of the righteous people said, ‘It is a must that every breath the slave of Allah takes is one of two types: one breath where he praises his Lord, and in the next one, one where he seeks forgiveness from his sins.’
Then the slave of Allah says, ‘I seek refuge in You from the evil that I have committed.’ So the slave of Allah seeks refuge, protection, and fortification with Allah, fleeing to Him from that which one seeks refuge from, just like the refugee who secures himself from the enemy in a fortress that will save him from them.
There is affirmation of the actions of the slave of Allah and his seeking his own livelihood, and also that evil is attributed to his own actions and not to his Lord, in his saying, ‘I seek refuge in You from the evil that I have committed.’ So evil, in itself, is indeed from the slave of Allah. As for our Lord (Allah), then He has Beautiful Names, all His Attributes are attributes of perfection, and all His Actions are Wise and for a just purpose.
What supports this is the saying of the Messenger – sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam – : ‘Evil is not attributed to You,’ as mentioned in the hadeeth narrated by Muslim in the supplication for beginning the prayer.
When the slave of Allah testifies to these two matters, then his Ubūdiyyah (servitude to Allah) becomes correct, he is raised in degrees of goodness and Īmān, his own self is diminished, and he humbles himself for his Lord. This is the perfection of Ubūdiyyah by which he becomes free of being amazed by himself, of pride, and of beautifying actions in order to show off. Allah is The One who gives success, and He is The One Who Guides.
All praise be to Allah Alone, and may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our leader Muhammad, his Family, and his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all. Allah is sufficient for us, and He is The Best Guardian.
End quote.
Taken from al-Majmūʿ al-ʿĀliyyah min Kutub wa Rasāʾil wa Fatāwā Sheikh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (1/54–59).
May Allah ﷻ forgive us.
Aameen!
The Enduring Good Deeds 