a joy befitting His majesty and His grandeur, and one that bears no resemblance whatsoever to the joy experienced by created beings.

This ḥadīth is also proof that when a person slips and utters words in error—even words that amount to disbelief—he is not taken to task for them. The man in the story pronounced an outright statement of unbelief, for saying to his Lord, “You are my servant and I am Your Lord,” is undeniably disbelief. Yet because the phrase issued from his tongue involuntarily, overwhelmed as he was by intense happiness, he incurred no sin. Thus, whoever unintentionally voices a sentence of disbelief is not answerable for it. The same applies to any other utterance: should someone, by mistake and without intending it, insult another person, divorce his wife, or set his slave free, none of these statements have any legal effect, for the speaker did not mean them. They are like the idle oaths that Allah has excused, for He says, “Allah will not call you to account for thoughtless speech in your oaths, but He will call you to account for what your hearts have earned” (al-Baqarah 225).

The mocker, however, is different. If he articulates a word of disbelief in jest, he becomes a disbeliever, for Allah the Exalted says: “If you ask them, they will surely say, ‘We were only talking idly and playing.’ Say, ‘Was it Allah, His verses, and His Messenger that you were mocking? Do not make excuses; you have disbelieved after your belief’” (al-Tawbah 65-66). The one who mocks intends both the words and their meaning, albeit in ridicule; therefore he is deemed an unbeliever. This contrasts with the person who spoke without intending it—his words count for nothing. Such is part of Allah’s mercy. Allah is the One who grants success.

16 – On the authority of Abū Mūsā ʿAbdullāh ibn Qays al-Ashʿarī, may Allah be pleased with him, who reported that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said: “Indeed, Allah stretches out His hand during the night to accept the repentance of him who sinned by day…”