(51) Chapter: Hope in Allah's Mercy

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "By the One in Whose Hand my soul is, were you not to commit sins, Allah would replace you with a people who would commit sins and then seek forgiveness from Allah; and Allah would forgive them". [Muslim]. Commentary: This Hadith also tells us that Allah has a profound liking for such people who are penitent and seek pardon for their sins from Him. So much so that if such people cease to exist who neither commit sins nor seek pardon from Him, He will create people who will do so. It does not, however, mean that He likes sins or the sinful persons. What it really means is that He likes penitence and the penitents. This is the true purport of this Hadith. It also means that it is natural for man to commit sins, and that Allah loves whenever a slave commits a sin to rush and beg for His forgiveness. (Editor's Note).