it is dipped into the sea. O My servants, these are but your deeds: I record them for you and then recompense you for them in full. Whoever finds good should praise Allah, and whoever finds otherwise should blame no one but himself.”

Saʿīd said: Whenever Abū Idrīs al-Khawlānī narrated this hadith, he would kneel down.

At the beginning of this hadith related from Allah—which Imām Ahmad described as “the noblest hadith transmitted by the people of Syria”—He states that He has forbidden injustice for Himself. “Prohibition” is the opposite of imposing an obligation. He also explains in the Quran that He has prescribed mercy for Himself. According to the second group, this means merely His declaration of promises and warnings. According to the others, however, He, glorified be He, has indeed prescribed mercy for Himself and forbidden injustice for Himself, just as He has declared concerning Himself. Thus, the Exalted says:

“And it is incumbent upon Us to help the believers.”

This is a right that He, glorified be He, has made binding upon Himself; it is not that any created being can impose a right upon Him or forbid Him anything.

He concluded the hadith by saying:

“These are but your deeds: I record them for you and then recompense you for them in full. Whoever finds good should praise Allah, and whoever finds otherwise should blame no one but himself.”

Likewise, it is established in the authentic hadith narrated by al-Bukhārī and others from Shaddād ibn Aws that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“The foremost way to seek forgiveness is for a servant to say: ‘O Allah, You are my Lord; there is no deity worthy of worship except You. You created me, and I am Your servant. I abide by Your covenant and promise to the best of my ability. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge Your favour upon me, and I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me, for none forgives sins except You.’ Whoever says this in the morning with firm conviction in it and dies that day will enter Paradise. Whoever says it in the evening with firm conviction in it and dies that night will enter Paradise.”