It is related from Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, that this verse is the most hope-inspiring verse in the Quran: “but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills.” (1)

“And whoever associates others with Allah has fabricated”—that is, invented—“a tremendous sin.” Ahmad ibn Abdullah al-Salihi informed us; Ahmad ibn al-Hasan al-Hiri told us; Hajib ibn Ahmad al-Tusi informed us; Muhammad ibn Hammad told us; Abu Muawiyah told us, from al-Amash, from Abu Sufyan, from Jabir, who said: A man came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and asked, “O Messenger of Allah, what are the two things that make Paradise and the Fire inevitable?” He replied: “Whoever dies without associating anything with Allah will enter Paradise, and whoever dies associating anything with Allah will enter the Fire.” (2)

Abd al-Wahid al-Mulayhi informed us; Ahmad ibn Abdullah al-Numaymi told us; Muhammad ibn Yusuf told us; Muhammad ibn Ismail told us; Abu Mamar informed us; Abd al-Warith told us, from al-Husayn—that is, al-Muallim—from Abdullah ibn Buraydah, from Yahya ibn Yamur, who related to him that Abu al-Aswad al-Duali related to him that Abu Dharr related to him, saying: I came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, while he was asleep, wearing a white garment. Then I came to him again after he had awakened, and he said: “There is no servant who says, ‘There is no god worthy of worship but Allah,’ then dies upon that, except that he will enter Paradise.” I asked, “Even if he commits adultery and steals?” He said, “Even if he commits adultery and steals.” I asked, “Even if he commits adultery and steals?” He said, “Even if he commits adultery and steals.” I asked, “Even if he commits adultery and steals?” He said, “Even if he commits adultery and steals, despite Abu Dharr’s displeasure.” Whenever Abu Dharr related this report, he would say, “Even if it be despite Abu Dharr’s displeasure.” (3)

“Have you not seen those who claim themselves to be pure? Rather, Allah purifies whom He wills, and they will not be wronged even as much as the thread in a date stone.” (49)

Regarding the words of the Exalted, “Have you not seen those who claim themselves to be pure?” al-Kalbi said: This was revealed concerning men among the Jews, including Bahri ibn Amr, al-Numan ibn Awfa, and Marhab ibn Zayd. They brought their children to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and said, “O Muhammad, are these guilty of any sin?” He replied, “No.” They said, “We are no different from them: whatever we do by day is expiated for us at night, and whatever we do at night is expiated for us by day.” So Allah, the Exalted, revealed this verse. (4)

Mujahid and Ikrimah said: They would put their children forward during prayer, claiming that they had no sins; this was their self-purification.

Al-Hasan, al-Dahhak, Qatadah, and Muqatil said: It was revealed concerning the Jews and Christians when they said, “We are the children of Allah and His beloved,” and, “None will enter Paradise except one who is a Jew or a Christian” (al-Baqarah 111). And Abdullah ibn Masud, may Allah be pleased with him, said: