There was a person before you who had killed ninety-nine persons and then made an inquiry about the learned persons of the world (who could show him the way to salvation). He was directed to a monk. He came to him and told him that he had killed ninety-nine persons and asked him whether there was any scope for his repentance to be accepted. He said: No. He killed him also and thus completed one hundred. He then asked about the learned persons of the earth and he was directed to a scholar, and he told him that he had killed one hundred persons and asked him whether there was any scope for his repentance to be accepted. He said: Yes; what stands between you and the repentance? You better go to such and such land; there are people devoted to prayer and worship and you also worship along with them and do not come to the land of yours since it was an evil land (for you). So he went away and he had hardly covered half the distance when death came to him and there was a dispute between the angels of mercy and the angels of punishment. The angels of mercy said: This man has come as a penitant and remorseful to Allah and the angels of punishment said: He has done no good at all. Then there came another angel in the form of a human being in order to decide between them. He said: You measure the land to which he has drawn near. They measured it and found him nearer to the land where he intended to go (the land of piety), and so the angels of mercy took possession of it. Qatada said that Hasan told him that it was said to them that as death approached him, he crawled upon his chest (and managed) to slip in the land of mercy. (Using translation from Muslim 2766a)   

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ «كَانَ فِيمَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ رَجُلٌ قَتَلَ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ نَفْسًا فَسَأَلَ عَنْ أَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ فَدُلَّ عَلَى رَاهِبٍ فَأَتَاهُ فقَالَ إِنَّهُ قَتَلَ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ نَفْسًا فَهَلْ لَهُ مِنْ تَوْبَةٍ؟ قَالَ لَا فَقَتَلَهُ وَكَمَّلَ بِهِ مِائَةً ثُمَّ سَأَلَ عَنْ أَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ فَدُلَّ عَلَى رَجُلٍ فقَالَ أَنَّهُ قَتَلَ مِئَةً فَهَلْ لَهُ تَوْبَةٌ؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ مَنْ يَحُولُ بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَ التَّوْبَةِ؟ ائْتِ أَرْضَ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَإِنَّ بِهَا نَاسًا يَعْبُدُونَ اللَّهَ فَاعْبُدِ اللَّهَ وَلَا تَرْجِعْ إِلَى أَرْضِكَ فَإِنَّهَا أَرْضُ سُوءٍ فَانْطَلَقَ حَتَّى إِذَا انْتَصَفَ الطَّرِيقَ أَتَاهُ الْمَوْتُ فَاخْتَصَمَتْ فِيهِ مَلَائِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ وَمَلَائِكَةُ الْعَذَابِ فَقَالَتْ مَلَائِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ جَاءَنَا تَائِبًا مُقْبِلًا بِقَلْبِهِ إِلَى اللَّهِ جَلَّ وَعَلَا وَقَالَتْ مَلَائِكَةُ الْعَذَابِ إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَعْمَلْ خَيْرًا قَطُّ فَأَتَاهُ مَلَكٌ فِي صُورَةِ آدَمِيٍّ فَجَعَلُوهُ بَيْنَهُمْ فقَالَ قِيسُوا مَا بَيْنَ الْأَرْضَيْنِ أَيُّهُمَا كَانَ أَقْرَبَ فَهِيَ لَهُ فَقَاسُوهُ فَوَجَدُوهُ أَدْنَى إِلَى الْأَرْضِ الَّتِي أَرَادَ فَقَبَضَتْهُ بِهَا مَلَائِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ»  

[Machine] I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, "Remorse is repentance." He (the person being addressed) said, "Yes."  

سَمِعْتَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ «النَّدَمُ تَوْبَةٌ»؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Regret is repentance." He ﷺ said, "Yes."  

أَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «النَّدَمُ تَوْبَةٌ»؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ  

[Machine] Regarding the Prophet (PBUH), he said, "Regret is repentance."  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ «النَّدَمُ تَوْبَةٌ»  

[Machine] About the Prophet ﷺ , he said, "There was a man among the children of Israel who killed ninety-nine people. Then he went out seeking repentance and came across a monk. He asked him if there was any chance for repentance for him. The monk replied, 'No,' so he killed him. He continued asking and was directed to a certain village. However, death overtook him before he could reach it. So, the angels of mercy and the angels of punishment disputed over him. Allah then inspired to them to measure the distance between him and the two villages. The village he intended to reach was found closer to him by a hand-span, so he was forgiven."  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ «كَانَ فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ رَجُلٌ قَتَلَ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ إِنْسَانًا ثُمَّ خَرَجَ يَسْأَلُ فَأَتَى رَاهِبًا فَسَأَلَهُ هَلْ لَهُ مِنْ تَوْبَةٍ؟ قَالَ لَا فَقَتَلَهُ وَجَعَلَ يَسْأَلُ فقَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ ائْتِ قَرْيَةَ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَأَدْرَكَهُ الْمَوْتُ فَمَاتَ فَاخْتَصَمَتْ فِيهِ مَلَائِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ وَمَلَائِكَةُ الْعَذَابِ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَى هَذِهِ تَقَرَّبِي وَإِلَى هَذِهِ تَبَاعَدِي فَوُجِدَ أَقْرَبَ إِلَى هَذِهِ بِشِبْرٍ فَغُفِرَ لَهُ»  

[Machine] On the authority of the Prophet ﷺ , he said, "The likeness of a believer and the likeness of faith is like a horse tied to its stake, roaming freely and then returning to its stake. And indeed, a believer slips and then returns to faith. So feed your food to the righteous and treat the believers kindly."  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ «مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَمَثَلُ الْإِيمَانِ كَمَثَلِ الْفَرَسِ فِي آخِيَّتِهِ يَجُولُ ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَى آخِيَّتِهِ وَإِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ يَسْهُو ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَى الْإِيمَانِ فَأَطْعِمُوا طَعَامَكُمُ الْأَتْقِيَاءَ وَوَلُّوا مَعْرُوفَكُمُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ»  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than one of you who finds his lost camel in a vast desert."  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ «اللَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ مِنْ أَحَدِكُمْ يَسْتَيْقِظُ عَلَى بَعِيرِهِ أَضَلَّهُ بِأَرْضٍ فَلَاةٍ»  

"Allah is more pleased with the repentance of one of you that a man in a desolate, barren, destructive wasteland, who has his mount carrying his provisions, his food, and his drink and what he needs with him. Then it wanders away. So he goes to find it until he is on the brink of death. He says: 'I will return to the place where I lost it, to die.' So he returns to his place and his eyes become heavy (falling asleep). Then he awakens to find his mount at his head carrying his food, drink and what he needs." Other chains report similar narrations. (Using translation from Tirmidhī 2498)   

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «اللَّهُ أَفْرَحُ بِتَوْبَةِ أَحَدِكُمْ مِنْ رَجُلٍ بِأَرْضٍ دَوِّيَّةٍ مَهْلَكَةٍ وَمَعَهُ رَاحِلَتُهُ عَلَيْهَا زَادُهُ وَطَعَامُهُ وَمَا يُصْلِحُهُ فَأَضَلَّهَا فَخَرَجَ فِي طَلَبِهَا حَتَّى إِذَا أَدْرَكَهُ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ أَرْجِعُ إِلَى مَكَانِي فَأَمُوتُ فِيهِ فَرَجَعَ إِلَى مَكَانِهِ الَّذِي أَضَلَّهَا فِيهِ فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ غَلَبَتْهُ عَيْنُهُ فَاسْتَيْقَظَ فَإِذَا رَاحِلَتُهُ عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ عَلَيْهَا زَادُهُ وَمَا يُصْلِحُهُ فَاللَّهُ أَفْرَحُ بِتَوْبَةِ أَحَدِكُمْ مِنْ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ»  

[Machine] "On the authority of Allah, the Exalted and High, who said: 'O my servants, I have forbidden oppression upon myself, and I have made it forbidden among you, so do not oppress one another. O my servants, all of you are astray except for those whom I have guided, so seek guidance from me and I will guide you. O my servants, all of you are hungry except for those whom I have fed, so seek food from me and I will feed you. O my servants, all of you are naked except for those whom I have clothed, so seek clothing from me and I will clothe you. O my servants, you commit sins by day and by night, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness from me and I will forgive you.'" (Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)  

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنِ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى قَالَ «يَا عِبَادِي إِنِّي حَرَّمْتُ الظُّلْمَ عَلَى نَفْسِي وَجَعَلْتُهُ بَيْنَكُمْ مُحَرَّمًا فَلَا تَظَّالَمُوا يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّكُمْ تُخْطِئُونَ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَأَنَا الَّذِي أَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ وَلَا أُبَالِي»  

[Machine] Ibn Umar, tell us about the most amazing thing you saw from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . He remained silent for a while and then said, "One night, Aisha asked me, 'O Ibn Umar, can you let me worship my Lord tonight?' I said, 'By Allah, I love being close to you and I love what makes you happy.' He then got up and performed ablution, and then he stood to pray. Aisha said, 'He kept crying until his tears wetted his garment.' She added, 'Then he cried even more until his tears reached his beard.' She further said, 'He continued crying even more until his tears flowed on the ground.' Bilal came to announce the prayer and when the Prophet saw him, he cried even more." Bilal asked him, "O Messenger of Allah, why do you cry while Allah has forgiven your past and future sins?" The Prophet replied, "Shouldn't I be a grateful servant? Tonight, an Ayah was revealed to me that says, 'Woe unto the person who recites the verse and does not reflect upon it: Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth...' The entire verse."

Note: Some interpret the end of the verse as "there are signs for those who reflect" rather than "the entire verse."  

ابْنُ عُمَيْرٍ أَخْبِرِينَا بِأَعْجَبِ شَيْءٍ رَأَيْتِهِ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ فَسَكَتَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَتْ لَمَّا كَانَ لَيْلَةٌ مِنَ اللَّيَالِي قَالَ «يَا عَائِشَةُ ذَرِينِي أَتَعَبَّدُ اللَّيْلَةَ لِرَبِّي» قُلْتُ وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لَأُحِبُّ قُرْبَكَ وَأُحِبُّ مَا سَرَّكَ قَالَتْ فَقَامَ فَتَطَهَّرَ ثُمَّ قَامَ يُصَلِّي قَالَتْ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يَبْكِي حَتَّى بَلَّ حِجْرَهُ قَالَتْ ثُمَّ بَكَى فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يَبْكِي حَتَّى بَلَّ لِحْيَتَهُ قَالَتْ ثُمَّ بَكَى فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يَبْكِي حَتَّى بَلَّ الْأَرْضَ فَجَاءَ بِلَالٌ يُؤْذِنُهُ بِالصَّلَاةِ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ يَبْكِي قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لِمَ تَبْكِي وَقَدْ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَكَ مَا تَقَدَّمَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ؟ قَالَ «أَفَلَا أَكُونُ عَبْدًا شَكُورًا لَقَدْ نَزَلَتْ عَلَيَّ اللَّيْلَةَ آيَةٌ وَيْلٌ لِمَنْ قَرَأَهَا وَلَمْ يَتَفَكَّرْ فِيهَا {إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ }» الْآيَةَ كُلَّهَا  

[Machine] They mentioned joy in the presence of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, so they mentioned a lost sheep that is found by a man. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Indeed, Allah is more pleased with the repentance of one of you who finds his lost sheep in the barren land."  

ذَكَرُوا الْفَرَحَ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَذَكَرُوا الضَّالَّةَ يَجِدُهَا الرَّجُلُ فقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «لَلَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ أَحَدِكُمْ مِنَ الضَّالَّةِ يَجِدُهَا الرَّجُلُ بِأَرْضِ الْفَلَاةِ»  

[Machine] From the Prophet ﷺ , he said: "A man committed a sin and said, 'O Lord, I have committed a sin.' Or he said, 'I have done a deed, so forgive me.' Allah, the Exalted and Almighty, replied, 'My servant has committed a sin and he knows that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for them. I have forgiven my servant.' Then the man committed another sin or did another deed and said, 'O Lord, I have committed a sin. So forgive me.' And Allah, the Exalted and Almighty, replied, 'My servant has committed a sin and he knows that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for them. I have forgiven my servant.' Then the man committed another sin or did another deed and said, 'O Lord, I have committed a sin. So forgive me.' And Allah, the Exalted and Almighty, replied, 'My servant has committed a sin and he knows that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for them. I have forgiven my servant. I bear witness to you all that I have forgiven my servant, so let him do whatever he wants."  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ «أَنَّ رَجُلًا أَذْنَبَ ذَنْبًا فقَالَ أَيْ رَبِّ أَذْنَبْتُ ذَنْبًا أَوْ قَالَ عَمِلْتُ عَمَلًا فَاغْفِرْ لِي فقَالَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى عَبْدِي عَمِلَ ذَنْبًا فَعَلِمَ أَنَّ لَهُ رَبًّا يَغْفِرُ الذَّنْبَ وَيَأْخُذُ بِهِ قَدْ غَفَرْتُ لِعَبْدِي ثُمَّ أَذْنَبَ ذَنْبًا آخَرَ أَوْ قَالَ عَمِلَ ذَنْبًا آخَرَ قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي عَمِلْتُ ذَنْبًا فَاغْفِرْ لِي فقَالَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى عَلِمَ عَبْدِي أَنَّ لَهُ رَبًّا يَغْفِرُ الذَّنْبَ وَيَأْخُذُ بِهِ قَدْ غَفَرْتُ لِعَبْدِي ثُمَّ عَمِلَ ذَنْبًا آخَرَ أَوْ أَذْنَبَ ذَنْبًا آخَرَ فقَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي عَمِلْتُ ذَنْبًا فَاغْفِرْ لِي فقَالَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى عَلِمَ عَبْدِي أَنَّ لَهُ رَبًّا يَغْفِرُ الذَّنْبَ وَيَأْخُذُ بِهِ أُشْهِدُكُمْ أَنِّي قَدْ غَفَرْتُ لِعَبْدِي فَلْيَعْمَلْ مَا شَاءَ»  

[Machine] I heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ a hadith that Allah will benefit me with whatever He wills to benefit me until Abu Bakr narrated to me. Whenever Abu Bakr narrated to me about the Prophet ﷺ from some of his companions, I would request him to take an oath. If he took an oath, I would believe him. And Abu Bakr narrated to me and Abu Bakr also believed in the Prophet ﷺ when he said, "No servant commits a sin and then performs ablution and prays two units of prayer and seeks forgiveness from Allah for that sin, except that Allah will forgive him."  

سَمِعْتُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَدِيثًا يَنْفَعُنِي اللَّهُ بِمَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَنْفَعَنِي حَتَّى حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَكَانَ إِذَا حَدَّثَنِي عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِهِ اسْتَحْلَفْتُهُ فَإِنْ حَلَفَ صَدَّقْتُهُ وَإِنَّهُ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَصَدَّقَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهُ قَالَ «مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ يُذْنِبُ ذَنْبًا ثُمَّ يَتَوَضَّأُ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِذَلِكَ الذَّنْبِ إِلَّا غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ»  

[Machine] "From 'Urwah or Sa'id or both of them, it is narrated that Hameed had doubts regarding Aisha, who reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to her, 'O Aisha, if you committed a sin, seek forgiveness from Allah and repent, for when a servant commits a sin and then seeks forgiveness from Allah, Allah forgives him.'"  

عَنْ عُرْوَةَ أَوْ سَعِيدٍ أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا شَكَّ حَامِدٌ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ لَهَا «يَا عَائِشَةُ إِنْ كُنْتِ أَلْمَمْتِ بِذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرِي اللَّهَ وَتُوبِي فَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا أَذْنَبَ ثُمَّ اسْتَغْفَرَ اللَّهَ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ»  

[Machine] On the authority of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, regarding what he narrates from his Lord, the Exalted and Mighty, who said: "My servant has committed a sin and he said, 'O Lord, I have sinned.' So Allah said, 'My servant has committed a sin.' Then he knew that Allah forgives sins and takes account of sins. Then he returned and sinned again, and said, 'O Lord, I have sinned.' So Allah said, 'My servant has committed a sin.' And he knew that his Lord forgives sins and takes account of sins. He can do whatever he wishes, for I have indeed forgiven him."  

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِيمَا يَحْكِي عَنْ رَبِّهِ جَلَّ وَعَلَا قَالَ «أَذْنَبَ عَبْدِي ذَنْبًا فقَالَ أَيْ رَبِّ أَذْنَبْتُ فقَالَ أَذْنَبَ عَبْدِي ذَنْبًا فَعَلِمَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ وَيَأْخُذُ بِالذُّنُوبِ ثُمَّ عَادَ فَأَذْنَبَ فقَالَ أَيْ رَبِّ أَذْنَبْتُ فقَالَ أَذْنَبَ عَبْدِي وَعَلِمَ أَنَّ رَبَّهُ يَغْفِرُ الذَّنْبَ وَيَأْخُذُ بِالذَّنْبِ اعْمَلْ مَا شِئْتَ فَقَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَكَ»  

[Machine] On the authority of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , he said, "Verily, Allah forgives His servant as long as the veil does not occur." It was asked, "What is the veil?" He said, "That the soul dies while associating partners with Allah."  

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ «إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ لِعَبْدِهِ مَا لَمْ يَقَعِ الْحِجَابُ» قِيلَ وَمَا يَقَعُ الْحِجَابُ؟ قَالَ «أَنْ تَمُوتَ النَّفْسُ وَهِيَ مُشْرِكَةٌ»  

[Machine] "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'Indeed, Allah forgives His servant as long as he does not commit shirk (associating partners with Allah).' They said, 'O Messenger of Allah, what is the occurrence of shirk?' He said, 'When a person dies while still committing shirk.'"  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ «إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ لِعَبْدِهِ مَا لَمْ يَقَعِ الْحِجَابُ» قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَمَا وُقُوعُ الْحِجَابِ؟ قَالَ «أَنْ تَمُوتَ النَّفْسُ وَهِيَ مُشْرِكَةٌ»  

“Allah accepts the repentance of His slave so long as the death rattle has not yet reached his throat.” (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 4253)   

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ «إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى يَقْبَلُ تَوْبَةَ الْعَبْدِ مَا لَمْ يُغَرْغِرْ»  

He who seeks repentance (from the Lord) before the rising of the sun from the west (before the Day of Resurrection), Allah turns to him with Mercy. (Using translation from Muslim 2703)  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «مَنْ تَابَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا تَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ»  

No Muslim would die but Allah would admit in his stead a Jew or a Christian in Hell-Fire. 'Umar b. Abd al-'Aziz took an oath: By One besides Whom there is no god but He, thrice that his father had narrated that to him from Messenger of Allah ﷺ. (Using translation from Muslim 2767b)  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ «لَا يَمُوتُ رَجُلٌ مُسْلِمٌ إِلَّا أَدْخَلَ اللَّهُ مَكَانَهُ النَّارَ يَهُودِيًّا أَوْ نَصْرَانِيًّا» قَالَ فَاسْتَحْلَفَهُ عُمَرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بِاللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ أَنَّ أَبَاهُ حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ؟ فَحَلَفَ فَلَمْ يُحَدِّثْنِي سَعِيدٌ أَنَّهُ اسْتَحْلَفَهُ وَلَمْ يُنْكِرْ عَلَى عَوْنٍ قَوْلَهُ