a duty to Allah, Almighty and Majestic, and a duty to His servants.

Yet a person will inevitably fall short at times in some of what he owes, either by neglecting something commanded or by doing something forbidden. Thus the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Fear Allah wherever you are.”

This is a comprehensive statement. His words “wherever you are” emphasize the servant’s need to fear Allah both in private and in public.

Then he said:

“Follow a bad deed with a good deed—it will erase it.”

Whenever a patient consumes something harmful, the physician prescribes something to counteract it. Sin is, as it were, inevitable for the servant. The wise person therefore continually performs good deeds that erase bad ones. In the wording of the hadith, “a bad deed” is mentioned first, even though it is the object, because the focus here is on erasing it, rather than on performing the good deed. This is like his instruction concerning the Bedouin’s urine: “Pour a bucket of water over it.”

Good deeds should be of the same kind as the bad deeds, for this is more effective in erasing them. The consequences of sins are removed through several means:

(First) Repentance.

(Second) Seeking forgiveness without repentance. Allah Most High may forgive a person in answer to his supplication, even if he has not repented. When repentance and seeking forgiveness are combined, however, that is the most complete course.

(Third) Righteous deeds that expiate sins. As for “prescribed expiations”