righteous deeds, and then remains rightly guided.”

He also says:

“Except those who repent, believe, and do righteous deeds—they will enter Paradise.”

And He says:

“Except those who repent, believe, and do righteous deeds—for them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good deeds.”

Concerning accusations of unchastity, He says:

“Except those who repent thereafter and reform, for Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

Concerning the thief, He says:

“But whoever repents after his wrongdoing and reforms—Allah will accept his repentance.”

And He says:

“And the two among you who commit it—punish them both. But if they repent and reform, leave them alone.”

For this reason, according to one of their two opinions, the jurists stipulated that an accuser of unchastity must reform before his testimony can be accepted. They set a period of one year for this, just as Umar did when he gave Subaygh ibn Asal a year. Ahmad likewise adopted this approach concerning the repentance of someone who calls others to religious innovation: he is to be given a year, just as Umar gave Subaygh ibn Asal a year.