Story of the Man who Killed ninety-nine people

It was narrated on the authority of Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Prophet of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, said:  «There was among the people who came before you a man who killed ninety-nine people. Then he asked about the most knowledgeable person on earth, and was directed to a hermit, so he went to him, told him that he had killed ninety-nine people, and asked if he could be forgiven. The hermit said, ‘No,’ so he killed him, thus completing one hundred. Then he asked about the most knowledgeable person on earth and was directed to a scholar. He told him that he had killed one hundred people, and asked whether he could be forgiven. The scholar said, ‘Yes, what could possibly come between you and repentance? Go to such-and-such a town, for in it there are people who worship Allaah. Go and worship with them, and do not go back to your own town, for it is a bad place.” So the man set off, but when he was halfway there, the angel of death came to him, and the angels of mercy and the angels of wrath began to argue over him. The angels of mercy said: ‘He had repented and was seeking Allaah.’ The angels of wrath said: ‘He never did any good thing.’ An angel in human form came to them, and they asked him to decide the matter. He said: ‘Measure the distance between the two lands (his home town and the town he was headed for), and whichever of the two he is closest to is the one to which he belongs.’ So they measured the distance, and found that he was closer to the town for which he had been headed, so the angels of mercy took him» . Qataadah, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: Al-Hasan, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: "When death came to him, he leaned with his chest towards it." (1).

Explanation of the Hadeeth:

An-Nawawi, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: "Scholars, except Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allaah be pleased with them, have agreed that the repentance of the one who did intentional killings is valid."

As for the prophets saying: «And do not go back to your own town, for it is a bad place» «» , scholars said; this implies that it is recommended for the one who repents to leave the place in which he committed sins and those who help him doing so, and thus he should boycott them as long as they adhere to their evil deeds. Instead of them, he should have good companions, righteous people, scholars, devoted worshipers and those who follow them, and get benefit of their companionship. This actually substantiates his repentance." (2).

Amongst the lessons drawn from the above-mentioned Hadeeth:

1- It is permissible for everyone to repent from all major and minor sins even killing. This can mean that if Allaah The Almighty accepts the repentance of the killer, then He The Exalted will take upon Himself to please his opponents.

2- Hadeeth refers to the superiority of the one who has knowledge over the one who merely worships. That is because he only does great deal of worship and have little knowledge and thus he cannot believe that what the killer did may be forgiven for he killed so many people. However, the other is a scholar who had great amount of knowledge and thus he gave him the right opinion and guided him to the right path.

3- Hadeeth indicates the low acumen of the hermit because he should have to take care about the one who took the matter of killing people light until he get used to killing and thus he should not say something contrary to his desires and use indirect words to protect himself from him. This is can be if the ruling, according to his opinion, is clear and decisive regarding declining the repentance of the killer; however, the ruling is merely something doubtful.

4- Virtue of moving from the land in which one committed sins for one may return to committing such sins again, whether because he may remember his previous sins or tempted with them because there are those who used to help and encourage him to do so. Thus, the scholar told him: "And do not go back to your own town, for it is a bad place.". This actually indicates that the repentant should abandon completely the circumstances he used to during the time of committing sins. (3).

5- Door of repentance is usually widely open until death approaches one or sun rises from the west. Allaah The Almighty Says:

{إِنَّمَا التَّوْبَةُ عَلَى اللَّـهِ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السُّوءَ بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ يَتُوبُونَ مِن قَرِ‌يبٍ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ يَتُوبُ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْهِمْ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّـهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا . وَلَيْسَتِ التَّوْبَةُ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا حَضَرَ‌ أَحَدَهُمُ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ إِنِّي تُبْتُ الْآنَ وَلَا الَّذِينَ يَمُوتُونَ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ‌ ۚ أُولَـٰئِكَ أَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا}

'Translation' {Allaah accepts only the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and foolishness and repent soon afterwards; it is they to whom Allaah will forgive and Allaah is Ever All¬ Knower, All¬ Wise. And of no effect is the repentance of those who continue to do evil deeds until death faces one of them and he says: "Now I repent;" nor of those who die while they are disbelievers. For them We have prepared a painful torment.} [An-Nisa:17-18].

It was also narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar, may Allaah be pleased with them, that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: «Allaah will accept the repentance of His slave so long as the death-rattle has not yet reached his throat» (4).

It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, said: «Whoever repents before the sun rises from the west, Allaah will accept his repentance» (5).

So the one who indulges himself in sin should give up his negligence and wake up from his long sleeping and make haste to repent because he does not know when death will overcome him. Allaah The Almighty Says:

{أَيْنَمَا تَكُونُوا يُدْرِ‌ككُّمُ الْمَوْتُ وَلَوْ كُنتُمْ فِي بُرُ‌وجٍ مُّشَيَّدَةٍ}

'Translation' {"Wheresoever you may be, death will overtake you even if you are in fortresses built up strong and high!"} [An-Nisa:78].

He The Almighty also says:

{وَمَا تَدْرِ‌ي نَفْسٌ مَّاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَدًا ۖ وَمَا تَدْرِ‌ي نَفْسٌ بِأَيِّ أَرْ‌ضٍ تَمُوتُ}

'Translation' {No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die.} [Luqman:34].

He The Almighty also says:

{وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ اللَّـهُ النَّاسَ بِظُلْمِهِم مَّا تَرَ‌كَ عَلَيْهَا مِن دَابَّةٍ وَلَـٰكِن يُؤَخِّرُ‌هُمْ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۖ فَإِذَا جَاءَ أَجَلُهُمْ لَا يَسْتَأْخِرُ‌ونَ سَاعَةً ۖ وَلَا يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ}

'Translation' {And if Allaah were to impose blame on the people for their wrongdoing, He would not have left upon the earth any creature, but He defers them for a specified term. And when their term has come, they will not remain behind an hour, nor will they precede [it].} [An-Nahl:61].

6- The repentance that Allaah The Almighty accepts is the sincere one as Allaah The Almighty Says:

{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّـهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحًا عَسَىٰ رَ‌بُّكُمْ أَن يُكَفِّرَ‌ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَيُدْخِلَكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِ‌ي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ‌ يَوْمَ لَا يُخْزِي اللَّـهُ النَّبِيَّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ ۖ نُورُ‌هُمْ يَسْعَىٰ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَبِأَيْمَانِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَ‌بَّنَا أَتْمِمْ لَنَا نُورَ‌نَا وَاغْفِرْ‌ لَنَا ۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ‌ }

'Translation' {O you who have believed, repent to Allaah with sincere repentance. Perhaps your Lord will remove from you your misdeeds and admit you into gardens beneath which rivers flow [on] the Day when Allaah will not disgrace the Prophet and those who believed with him. Their light will proceed before them and on their right; they will say, "Our Lord, perfect for us our light and forgive us. Indeed, You are over all things competent."} [At-Tahrim:8].

Sincere repentance should meet three conditions. Imam An-Nawawi, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: There are three pillars of repentance. They are as follows:

1- One should give up the sin.

2- One should regret having done it.

3- One should resolve never to go back to it.

If a person repents from sin then goes back to it, that does not invalidate his repentance, and if he repents from one sin then commits another, his repentance is still valid. This is the correct view." Allaah The Almighty knows best. End quote. (6).

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(1)         Reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhaari No. (3470) and Saheeh Muslim No. (2766).  

(2)         Sharh An-Nawawi of Saheeh Muslim 17/82-83.

(3)         Fat-h Al-Baari Sharh Saheeh Al-Bukhaari by Ibn Hajar Al-‘Asqalaani 6/517.

(4)         Reported in Jaami‘ At-Tirmithi, Kitaab Ad-Da‘awaat chapter called: Allaah will accept the repentance of His slave so long as the death-rattle has not yet reached his throat, No. (3537), p. 807, and Imam At-Tirmithi, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: This is a Hasan Ghareeb (good and strange) Hadeeth and we do not know it except from this route.

(5)         Reported in Saheeh muslim, chapter called: Recommendation of Istighfaar (ask Allaah The Almighty for forgiveness) and doing great deal of it, No. (2703), p. 1174.

(6)         Sharh An-Nawawi of Saheeh Muslim 2/45.