In another wording: “On the very day Allah created the heavens and the earth He created one hundred mercies; each single mercy fills⦗1⦘ the space between heaven and earth. From these He placed on earth one mercy, by which a mother is tender to her child and wild beasts and birds show kindness to one another. When the Day of Resurrection comes, He will complete the hundred with this mercy.”

426 – Abū Hurayrah⦗2⦘ relates that the Prophet ﷺ, conveying what his Lord—Blessed and Exalted—is saying, said: “A servant committed a sin and said, ‘O Allah, forgive my sin.’ Allah—Blessed and Exalted—said, ‘My servant has committed a sin and realized that he has a Lord who forgives sin and takes His servant to task for it.’ The man then returned and sinned again and said, ‘My Lord, forgive my sin.’ Allah—Blessed and Exalted—said, ‘My servant has committed a sin and realized that he has a Lord who forgives sin and takes His servant to task for it.’ He returned yet again, sinned once more, and said, ‘My Lord, forgive my sin.’ Allah—Blessed and Exalted—said, ‘My servant has committed a sin and realized that he has a Lord who forgives sin and takes His servant to task for it. I have forgiven My servant, so let him do as he wills.’” Agreed upon.

As for His words, “let him do as he wills,” they mean: for as long as he behaves in this way—sinning and then repenting—I shall forgive him, for repentance wipes out whatever came before it.

427 – Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) also reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “By the One in whose hand is my soul, if you did not sin, Allah would remove you and bring a people who would sin, then beg Allah Most High for forgiveness, and He would forgive them.” Narrated by Muslim.

428 – Abū Ayyūb Khālid ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, “Were it not that you sin, Allah would create a creation who would sin, then ask for forgiveness, and He would forgive them.” Narrated by Muslim.

429 – Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and with us was Abū…”