Repentance, reform, integrity, and responsibility (Hadith 23–30)

Read the bilingual lesson for Repentance, reform, integrity, and responsibility (Hadith 23–30) and test your understanding with a focused quiz.

Lesson

1. In this lesson

Eight reports address repentance, examining one’s conduct, affectionate relations, protecting the heart, integrity in trade, promises, trust, and warnings about major sins. Some expressions are longer: read the full report first, then study its parts. The examples teach recognition of conduct. Observing an action differs from deciding someone’s hidden faith. A condition, comparison, or exception is part of the meaning. An exception sets a case apart from a general statement.

2. The hope of repentance

التَّائِبُ مِنَ الذَّنْبِ كَمَنْ لَا ذَنْبَ لَهُ (رواه ابن ماجة) Translation One who repents from sin is like one who has no sin. Arabic word or phraseMeaning التَّائِبُone who repents مِنَ الذَّنْبِfrom the sin كَمَنْlike one who لَا ذَنْبَ لَهُwho has no sin Repentance means turning away from sin and seeking Allah’s forgiveness. الذَّنْبِ and ذَنْبَ both refer to sin here. In كَمَنْ, كَ means “like” and مَنْ means “one who.” لَا means “no/not,” and لَهُ means “for him/he has”; together لَا ذَنْبَ لَهُ means that he has no sin.

3. In what respect is there no sin?

The explanation specifies the comparison in respect of not being held to account for that sin after repentance. It expresses hope of forgiveness. Teaching example: someone breaks another person’s cup in anger and then repents of the sin. Forgiveness does not mean that the cup has physically repaired itself or the other person’s loss has vanished. Not being held to account for a sin and a worldly consequence remaining are distinct matters. This short report does not give a complete procedure for restoring others’ rights in every situation.

4. Reform through action

الْكَيِّسُ مَنْ دَانَ نَفْسَهُ وَعَمِلَ لِمَا بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ، وَالْعَاجِزُ مَنْ أَتْبَعَ نَفْسَهُ هَوَاهَا وَتَمَنَّى عَلَى اللَّهِ (رواه الترمذي وابن ماجه) Translation The prudent person is one who brings the self under control and works for what comes after death; the heedless person follows the self’s desire and entertains wishes concerning Allah. The self here means oneself. The report contrasts examining and correcting one’s conduct with continuing to follow desire while wishing for forgiveness without action. The next two parts explain the words separately.

5. Examining one’s conduct

الْكَيِّسُ مَنْ دَانَ نَفْسَهُ وَعَمِلَ لِمَا بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ Arabic word or phraseMeaning الْكَيِّسُprudent; discerning مَنْone who دَانَ نَفْسَهُbrought oneself under control and examined oneself وَعَمِلَand acted لِمَا بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِfor what comes after death In الْكَيِّسُ, ك has a fathah and ي has a shaddah. دَانَ here concerns bringing under control; نَفْسَهُ means “his own self.” The explanation includes examining one’s deeds and bringing oneself into obedience to Allah. وَ means “and.” لِمَا means “for what,” بَعْدَ means “after,” and الْمَوْتِ means “death.” The whole phrase directs action toward life after death.

6. Wishes without action

وَالْعَاجِزُ مَنْ أَتْبَعَ نَفْسَهُ هَوَاهَا وَتَمَنَّى عَلَى اللَّهِ Arabic word or phraseMeaning وَالْعَاجِزُand here, the heedless person أَتْبَعَ نَفْسَهُmade the self follow its desire (the desire is supplied by the next word هَوَاهَا) هَوَاهَاits desire; the self’s desire وَتَمَنَّىand entertained wishes عَلَى اللَّهِconcerning Allah; here, wishing for forgiveness from Allah أَتْبَعَ means making something follow. نَفْسَهُ is the same self, and “its” in هَوَاهَا refers back to that self. The whole expression describes allowing desire to lead one’s conduct. الْعَاجِزُ here concerns heedlessness of the outcome, not physical disability or illness. The warning concerns neglecting right action while relying on wishes for forgiveness; it does not condemn every hope or effort to reform.

7. Join hope with action

Teaching example: someone recognizes speaking harshly to a colleague, examines that conduct, asks forgiveness, and tries to change the tone of the next conversation. This joins reform with action. Another deliberately continues the same conduct while saying, “I need not change; I hope to be forgiven.” That wish accompanies neglect. Someone making an effort without immediate success is not shown to be the same as the second person merely by that setback.

8. A relationship of affection

الْمُؤْمِنُ مَأْلَفٌ وَلَا خَيْرَ فِيمَنْ لَا يَأْلَفُ وَلَا يُؤْلَفُ (رواه البيهقي) Translation A believer is a source of affection, and there is no good in one who neither forms friendly bonds nor is befriended. Arabic word or phraseMeaning الْمُؤْمِنُthe believer مَأْلَفٌa source or meeting place of affection وَلَا خَيْرَand there is no good Affection here means warmth and friendly closeness. مَأْلَفٌ describes a relationship in which affection can develop. خَيْرَ means good, and لَا negates it: “there is no good.” The next part distinguishes two similar-looking verbs.

9. Befriending and being befriended

فِيمَنْ لَا يَأْلَفُ وَلَا يُؤْلَفُ Arabic word or phraseMeaning فِيمَنْin one who لَا يَأْلَفُhe does not form friendly bonds وَلَا يُؤْلَفُand he is not befriended In فِيمَنْ, فِي means “in” and مَنْ means “one who.” With يَأْلَفُ, the person forms bonds with others; with يُؤْلَفُ, others’ affection is directed toward that person. لَا means “not” in both places. Teaching example: someone speaks warmly to a neighbour, who also approaches them affectionately. These are two directions of a relationship. Having few friends, sitting alone, or being shy does not by itself establish the condemned conduct. Being excluded by others is not itself grounds for blame.

10. A warning about hypocrisy growing in the heart

الْغِنَاءُ يُنْبِتُ النِّفَاقَ فِي الْقَلْبِ كَمَا يُنْبِتُ الْمَاءُ الزَّرْعَ (رواه البيهقي) Translation Singing causes hypocrisy to grow in the heart, as water causes crops to grow. Arabic word or phraseMeaning الْغِنَاءُsinging يُنْبِتُcauses to grow النِّفَاقَhypocrisy; hypocritical duplicity فِي الْقَلْبِin the heart النِّفَاقَ means hypocrisy. A later report in this lesson names lying, breaking promises and betraying trust among the hypocrite’s signs; hypocrisy is not every difference between what is shown and what is felt. This is a brief vocabulary explanation, not a method for discovering someone’s heart. فِي means “in” and الْقَلْبِ means “heart.” Next, identify the same verb on both sides of the comparison.

11. The growth comparison

كَمَا يُنْبِتُ الْمَاءُ الزَّرْعَ Arabic word or phraseMeaning كَمَاjust as الْمَاءُwater الزَّرْعَcrops يُنْبِتُ means “causes to grow” on both sides. One side concerns singing, the heart, and hypocrisy; the other concerns water and crops. Growth is the comparison. Teaching example: a learner writes “causes to grow” beneath both parts to understand their relationship. This helps explain the warning, but does not reveal how much hypocrisy is in a listener’s heart. It is not a final verdict on someone’s faith or a measurement of physical illness. This lesson teaches the report’s wording and growth comparison. It does not teach how to classify particular singing, sounds or occasions; those judgments cannot be established from the one-word gloss “singing” alone.

12. The warning and exception for merchants

التُّجَّارُ يُحْشَرُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فُجَّارًا إِلَّا مَنِ اتَّقَى وَبَرَّ وَصَدَقَ (رواه الترمذي) Translation Merchants will be gathered as wrongdoers on the Day of Resurrection, except those who are mindful of Allah, act uprightly and speak truthfully. Arabic word or phraseMeaning التُّجَّارُmerchants; people who trade يُحْشَرُونَwill be gathered يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِon the Day of Resurrection فُجَّارًاas wrongdoers يُحْشَرُونَ says that merchants will be gathered, not that they gather others. يَوْمَ means “day” and الْقِيَامَةِ means “Resurrection.” فُجَّارًا describes the state of wrongdoers. The report ends by setting some people apart from the general warning; study all three qualities next.

13. Three qualities in the exception

إِلَّا مَنِ اتَّقَى وَبَرَّ وَصَدَقَ Arabic word or phraseMeaning إِلَّا مَنِexcept one who اتَّقَىwas mindful of Allah and avoided wrong وَبَرَّand acted uprightly وَصَدَقَand spoke truthfully إِلَّا means “except,” and مَنِ means “one who”; مَنْ and مَنِ refer to the person in this context. The explanation connects اتَّقَى with avoiding deception and short measure, بَرَّ with uprightness in oaths, and صَدَقَ with truthful speech. Teaching example: a seller gives full weight, does not conceal a defect, and does not swear falsely to secure a sale. This describes fuller conduct than saying one true thing once. Omitting the exception and condemning every merchant loses the full meaning.

14. The truthful, trustworthy merchant

التَّاجِرُ الصَّدُوقُ الْأَمِينُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ (رواه الترمذي) Translation The consistently truthful, trustworthy merchant will be with the prophets, the steadfastly truthful and the martyrs. Arabic word or phraseMeaning التَّاجِرُthe merchant; one who trades الصَّدُوقُconsistently truthful الْأَمِينُtrustworthy النَّبِيِّينَthe prophets وَالصِّدِّيقِينَand the steadfastly truthful وَالشُّهَدَاءِand the martyrs مَعَ is the familiar “with.” Retain all three groups; the steadfastly truthful are people eminent in truthfulness. وَالشُّهَدَاءِ means “and the martyrs,” the third group after the prophets and the steadfastly truthful. وَ connects the groups with “and.” “With” does not mean “exactly equal in rank.” Trading alone, or conducting one transaction honestly, does not establish the whole description of consistent truthfulness and trustworthiness.

15. A warning about three forms of conduct

آيَةُ الْمُنَافِقِ ثَلَاثٌ: إِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ، وَإِذَا وَعَدَ أَخْلَفَ، وَإِذَا اؤْتُمِنَ خَانَ (رواه البخاري) Translation A hypocrite has three signs: when speaking, he lies; when promising, he breaks the promise; and when entrusted, he betrays the trust. Arabic word or phraseMeaning آيَةُa sign الْمُنَافِقِthe hypocrite; a person with hypocrisy ثَلَاثٌthree آيَةُ means a sign here, not the number of a Quranic verse. The word hypocrisy appeared earlier; now study the report’s three signs of the hypocrite separately. إِذَا means “when”; each occurrence introduces a situation followed by wrongful conduct. وَ joins the three parts with “and.” Study each pair separately next.

16. Speech, promises, and trust

Arabic word or phraseMeaning حَدَّثَspoke كَذَبَlied وَعَدَpromised أَخْلَفَbroke the promise اؤْتُمِنَwas entrusted; was trusted خَانَbetrayed the trust إِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ: when speaking, he lies. إِذَا وَعَدَ أَخْلَفَ: when promising, he breaks the promise. إِذَا اؤْتُمِنَ خَانَ: when entrusted, he betrays the trust. With اؤْتُمِنَ, trust was placed in that person; it does not say they entrusted somebody else. خَانَ concerns betrayal of that trust. Reading the whole pair keeps the situation and response connected.

17. Recognize conduct without judging the heart

Teaching examples: someone knows the truth but reports its opposite: lying. Someone promises to do a task and then deliberately abandons that commitment: breaking a promise. Someone receives a key for safekeeping but misuses it: betraying trust. The report seriously warns against these forms of conduct, calling for self-correction. Recognizing an event does not provide certain knowledge of the person’s hidden faith. This brief statement does not decide every situation involving error, inability, or intention.

18. A warning about major sins

الْكَبَائِرُ: الْإِشْرَاكُ بِاللَّهِ، وَعُقُوقُ الْوَالِدَيْنِ، وَقَتْلُ النَّفْسِ، وَالْيَمِينُ الْغَمُوسُ (رواه البخاري) Translation Major sins: associating partners with Allah, grave mistreatment of parents, unlawfully killing a person, and the engulfing false oath. Arabic word or phraseMeaning الْكَبَائِرُmajor sins الْإِشْرَاكُ بِاللَّهِassociating partners with Allah وَعُقُوقُ الْوَالِدَيْنِand grave mistreatment and disobedience of parents Four major sins are named here; the expression does not say these are the only major sins. الْإِشْرَاكُ means associating partners, and بِاللَّهِ gives the relation “with Allah.” عُقُوقُ concerns harm and disobedience; الْوَالِدَيْنِ means both parents. The explanation includes harming parents and disobeying them in matters to which religion has no objection. It does not mean complying with every harmful request or treating every disagreement as عُقُوق. Teaching example: deliberately insulting and humiliating a parent is hurtful and disrespectful. Respectfully expressing a different view on a matter is not the same conduct as that insult. The religious qualification on obedience explained above remains in place.

19. Life and the false oath

Arabic word or phraseMeaning وَقَتْلُ النَّفْسِand killing a person; here, unlawfully وَالْيَمِينُ الْغَمُوسُand the engulfing false oath قَتْلُ means killing; النَّفْسِ here means a life or person, a different relationship from “his own self” in نَفْسَهُ. الْيَمِينُ here means an oath, and الْغَمُوسُ means engulfing. The explanation says that this false oath plunges its speaker into sin and then the Fire: a warning of its seriousness. Teaching example: someone knowingly swears falsely to conceal a mistake, even without taking anyone’s property. Do not limit the false oath to seizing property. Deliberate lying differs from an unintended slip; detailed rules for every kind of oath are not taught here.

20. Recap

The repentance comparison concerns not being held to account for sin, not every worldly consequence automatically vanishing. الْكَيِّسُ examines the self and acts. يَأْلَفُ concerns befriending; يُؤْلَفُ concerns being befriended. A warning about the heart is not a final judgment on a particular heart. Read the merchant warning with its threefold exception. The truthful, trustworthy merchant is mentioned with prophets, the steadfastly truthful, and martyrs; being with them does not mean equal rank. Connect the three signs with speech, promises, and trust. Retain the explanations of parents’ rights and the false oath. Give an example and a similar but different case in your own words.

Practice questions

Question 1: Check your understanding

After repentance someone says, “The other person’s loss remains, so the comparison about not being held to account makes no sense.” Which distinction resolves this?

  • Forgiveness has meaning only when every outward trace disappears
  • Accountability for sin and a remaining worldly loss are distinct
  • Not being held to account for sin means the other person’s right has automatically ended

Question 2: Check your understanding

Someone reviews their false daily reports, corrects the records, and works to report truthfully next time. How does this relate to دَانَ نَفْسَهُ?

  • They are merely wishing to feel pleased with themselves
  • They are placing their affairs under others’ control
  • They are examining their conduct and bringing the self under control

Question 3: Check your understanding

Despite illness, someone tries to do good within their ability. How should applying the blame in الْعَاجِزُ merely to the illness be assessed?

  • The blame concerns heedlessness of action; illness alone does not establish it
  • The word includes every physical weakness in exactly the same way
  • If effort is not fully successful, count it as a mere wish

Question 4: Check your understanding

Zayd approaches a new colleague warmly. In this sentence Zayd is the one forming the friendly bond. Which Arabic word expresses that direction?

  • يُؤْلَفُ
  • مَأْلَفٌ
  • يَأْلَفُ

Question 5: Check your understanding

Someone has moved to a new city and has not yet made friends. What does this information establish in relation to the report about affection?

  • Having no friends sufficiently establishes bad character
  • That fact alone does not establish the person’s friendly conduct
  • Having many friends necessarily proves good character

Question 6: Check your understanding

Which repeated word gives the water-and-crop part the same relationship as the warning concerning the heart?

  • يُنْبِتُ
  • الْقَلْبِ
  • الْمَاءُ

Question 7: Check your understanding

In an online sale, describing the item’s condition, supplying the full quantity, and keeping an oath truthful relate how to the studied exception?

  • Only the description must be true; quantity and oaths are unrelated
  • Avoiding deception, uprightness in oaths, and truthful speech go together
  • Full quantity removes the distinction about concealing defects or oaths

Question 8: Check your understanding

What is the direction of the gathering in التُّجَّارُ يُحْشَرُونَ?

  • The merchants will gather other people
  • The merchants themselves are the ones gathering themselves
  • The merchants will be gathered

Question 9: Check your understanding

مَعَ in the report about the truthful, trustworthy merchant is translated as “all will have equal rank.” Which response is correct?

  • مَعَ expresses being with; equal rank is not its meaning
  • When groups follow مَعَ, it always means equal rank
  • مَعَ necessarily establishes identical reward for everyone

Question 10: Arrange the complete expression

Arrange the full studied Arabic expression about the truthful, trustworthy merchant and the three groups.

Question 11: Situation and expression

Match each fresh situation with the relevant part of the report.

Question 12: Check your understanding

One known lie has been identified. Which conclusion from the report of three signs stays within this lesson’s scope?

  • Every aspect of the person’s heart is now certainly known
  • This lie is condemned; a final judgment on hidden faith is separate
  • The heart is unknown, so the lie cannot be condemned either

Question 13: Check your understanding

Parents ask their child to make a statement the child knows is false. Which point matters in the studied explanation of obedience to parents?

  • Every request must be followed even when known to be false
  • Disagreement removes the need to respect the parents
  • The obedience described is qualified by there being no religious objection

Question 14: Check your understanding

Someone knowingly swears falsely that they did not alter a file, although they did; no property was taken. What follows from the studied meaning of the false oath?

  • Not taking property does not exclude it from the meaning of a false oath
  • Without taking property, the oath must be only a slip of the tongue
  • A false oath occurs only in buying and selling

Question 15: Check your understanding

What do نَفْسَهُ in دَانَ نَفْسَهُ and النَّفْسِ in قَتْلُ النَّفْسِ mean in their respective contexts?

  • Both refer only to one’s desire
  • The first means a person’s life; the second means one’s desire
  • The first means one’s own self; the second means a person’s life

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