Taqrib al-Tadmuriyyah - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (130)

Taqrib al-TadmuriyyahIbn al-'Uthaymin

indeed, that is of the matters requiring firm resolve” (31:17). He also says: “And give glad tidings to those who are patient” (2:155–165).

Moreover, with respect to acts of obedience a believer is commanded to uphold sincerity and to seek forgiveness. Allah the Exalted says: “So know that there is no deity except Allah, and seek forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and believing women” (47:19). He also says: “That you worship none but Allah—I am to you from Him a warner and a bearer of glad tidings—and that you seek your Lord’s forgiveness, then turn to Him in repentance” (11:2–3). And He says: “Say: I am only a human being like you; it is revealed to me that your God is One God, so be upright toward Him and seek His forgiveness” (41:6).

The Prophet ﷺ said: “O people, turn in repentance to your Lord, for I repent to Him one hundred times each day,” and he said: “A veil settles upon my heart, and I seek Allah’s forgiveness one hundred times a day.” Both reports are recorded by Muslim. Al-Bukhari relates from Abu Hurayrah d. 57 AH that he heard the Prophet ﷺ say: “By Allah, I surely ask Allah’s forgiveness and turn to Him in repentance more than seventy times a day.”

To bring all of this together: with regard to the divine command two foundations are indispensable, and with regard to destiny two foundations are likewise indispensable.

The two foundations concerning the command are:

A foundation that precedes the deed—or accompanies it—namely, striving for compliance both in knowledge and in practice: one exerts effort to know Allah, His names, attributes, and rulings, then acts upon the requirements of that knowledge by affirming His reports and observing His rulings—carrying out what is enjoined and refraining from what is forbidden.
A foundation that follows the deed: seeking forgiveness and repenting for any negligence in what was commanded or any overstep into what was prohibited. For this reason it is prescribed to conclude deeds with seeking forgiveness, as Allah the Exalted says:

[لقمان: ١٧] . وقال: ﴿وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ﴾ [البقرة: ١٥٥ - ١٦٥] . * ومأمور في جانب الطاعة بالإخلاص والاستغفار: قال الله تعالى: ﴿فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنْبِكَ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ﴾ [محمد: ١٩] . وقال: ﴿أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا اللَّهَ إِنَّنِي لَكُمْ مِنْهُ نَذِيرٌ وَبَشِيرٌ* وَأَنِ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ﴾ [هود: ٢ - ٣] . وقال تعالى: ﴿قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ يُوحَى إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا إِلَهُكُمْ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ فَاسْتَقِيمُوا إِلَيْهِ وَاسْتَغْفِرُوه﴾ [فصلت: ٦] . وقال النبي ﷺ: "يا أيها الناس! توبوا إلى ربكم فإني أتوب إليه في اليوم مائة مرة". وقال: " إنه ليغان على قلبي وإني لأستغفر الله في اليوم مائة مرة". أخرجهما مسلم. وروى البخاري عن أبي هريرة ﵁ قال: سمعت النبي ﷺ يقول: "والله إني لأستغفر الله وأتوب إليه في اليوم أكثر من سبعين مرة". * والجامع لهذا: أنه لابد في الأمر من أصلين، ولابد في القدر من أصلين أيضاً: أما الأصلان في الأمر فهما: - أصل قبل العمل أو مقارن له وهو: الاجتهاد في الامتثال علماً وعملاً، فيجتهد في العلم بالله تعالى، وأسمائه وصفاته، وأحكامه، ثم يعمل بما يقتضيه ذلك العلم من تصديق الأخبار، والعمل بالأحكام فعلاً للمأمور، وتركاً للمحظور. - والثاني: أصل بعد العمل: وهو الاستغفار والتوبة من التفريط في المأمور، أو التعدي في المحظور، ولهذا كان من المشروع ختم الأعمال بالاستغفار كما قال الله تعالى: