Al-Muqaddimāt al-Mumahhidāt - Ibn Rush al-Jadd - (3/275)

Al-Muqaddimāt al-MumahhidātIbn Rush al-Jadd

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There is consensus that repentance erases all sins if a person repents of them before witnessing death. Allah, exalted is He, says:

“O you who believe, turn to Allah in sincere repentance. It may be that your Lord will absolve you of your sins.” [al-Tahrīm: 8]

When Allah says “may,” it expresses a promise certain to be fulfilled. He, Almighty and Majestic, also says:

“And He is the One who accepts repentance from His servants and pardons their sins.” [al-Shūrā: 25]

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “One who repents of a sin is like one who has no sin.”

If a person dies without repenting of his sins, he is subject to Allah’s will, for Allah, Almighty and Majestic, says:

“Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating partners with Him, but He forgives anything less than that for whomever He wills.” [al-Nisā’: 48]

And His words:

“O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of Allah’s mercy. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins.” [al-Zumar: 53]

This means: for whomever He wills. Deliberate killing, however, is an exception: scholars have differed over whether the killer’s repentance is accepted and whether the threatened punishment will be carried out against him, holding two views.

A group of earlier and later scholars held that no repentance is accepted from him and that the threatened punishment will befall him. Among those from whom this view is reported are Ibn ‘Umar, Ibn ‘Abbās, Abū Hurayrah and Zayd ibn Thābit.

It is reported that someone asked Ibn ‘Umar, Ibn ‘Abbās and Abū Hurayrah whether a person who deliberately killed a believing man could repent. Each of them replied: “Can you bring him back to life? Can you seek out a tunnel into the earth or a ladder into heaven?”

It is reported that Ibn ‘Umar was asked about this and said: “Let him drink plenty of cold water,” meaning that no repentance would be accepted from him.

It is also reported that Ibn ‘Abbās was asked about this and, as though astonished at the question, said to the questioner: “What are you saying?” The man repeated his question, and Ibn ‘Abbās said, “What are you saying?” two or three times. Then he said: “Woe to you! How could repentance be open to him?”

Mālik, may Allah have mercy on him, also held this view, for it is reported from him that a killer may not serve as an imam, even if he repents. This position is supported by the report that the Messenger

فصل وجميع الذنوب تمحوها التوبة إن تاب منها قبل المعاينة بإجماع لِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَصُوحًا عَسَى رَبُّكُمْ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ عَنْكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ﴾ [التحريم: ٨] وعسى من الله واجبة. وقوله ﷿: ﴿وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَعْفُو عَنِ السَّيِّئَاتِ﴾ [الشورى: ٢٥] وقول النبي- ﵊: «التائب من الذنب كمن لا ذنب له». فإن مات ولم يتب منها كان في المشيئة لقول الله ﷿: ﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ﴾ [النساء: ٤٨]. وقوله: ﴿يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا﴾ [الزمر: ٥٣] معناه لمن شاء. إلا القتل عمدا فإنهم اختلفوا في قبول توبته وإنفاذ الوعيد عليه على قولين: ذهب جماعة من السلف والخلف إلى أنه لا توبة له، وأن الوعيد لاحق له، ممن روي ذلك عنهم ابن عمر وابن عباس وأبو هريرة وزيد بن ثابت. روي أن سائلا سأل ابن عمر وابن عباس وأبا هريرة عمن قتل رجلا مؤمنا متعمدا هل له من توبة فكلهم قال: هل تستطيع أن تحييه؟ هل تستطيع أن تبتغي في الأرض نفقا أو سلما في السماء؟ وروي أن ابن عمر سئل عن ذلك فقال: ليستكثر من شرب الماء البارد، يعني أنه لا توبة له. وروي أيضا عن ابن عباس أنه سئل عن ذلك فقال للسائل كالمتعجب من مسألته: ماذا تقول؟ فأعاد عليه، فقال ماذا تقول؟ مرتين أو ثلاثا ثم قال: ويحك! وأنى له بالتوبة؟ وإلى هذا ذهب مالك ﵀ لأنه روي عنه أن إمامة القاتل لا تجوز وإن تاب. ويؤيد هذا المذهب ما روي أن رسول