Virtuous deeds that wipe off sins

Zeeshan, standing in the scorching heat, saw his class mate Kamran wearing sunglasses riding a speedy bike. Due to fast speed, he could not call him out. Next day, when Kamran came to school, Zeeshan asked him, ‘Wearing beautiful glasses and riding speedy motor bike, where were you going yesterday in the afternoon approximately at 2.00?’ Kamran said, ‘I was going to pick up my younger brother from school and I wore sunglasses to protect myself from sunshine and dust.’ Faizan, standing beside, asked, ‘Dear brother! As we protect our eyes from the harmful things such as blazing sunshine, dust etc., may we guard our eyes according to religious and Hereafter point of view.’ Zeeshan and Kamran said in chorus, ‘How?’ Faizan said, ‘اَلْحَمْدُلِلّٰە! We are Muslims and Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has bestowed the blessing of eyes upon us. We should use these eyes for the following acts: looking at Glorious Quran, seeing parents with respect and reverence, etc. We should refrain from seeing the women not observing purdah and watching indecent material and futile videos on internet. These practices may not only cause harm to our eyesight but also become the cause the displeasure of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.’

O devotees of Rasool! If you want to know the value of eyes, ask any blind person about it. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has blessed us with the great blessing of eyes without being asked for, but alas instead of showing thankfulness to Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, these eyes are being used to watch the forbidden material; though the least thankfulness for this blessing is not to use them for committing the acts of showing disobedience to Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ such as watching indecent material on mobiles and tablets, watching dramas and movies, shameful videos, secretly looking at the women not observing purdah, etc. All these are the acts of incurring the displeasure of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. Remember! Whoever fills his eyes with Haraam, his eyes will be filled with fire on the Day of Judgement. (Mukashafa-tul-Quloob, pp. 10)

Those indulged in sinful use of internet and social media should imagine their appearance in the court of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and fear the time of the Day of Judgement when their body parts will bear witness against them as it is mentioned in the Glorious Quran:

اِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَ الْبَصَرَ وَ الْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ اُولٰٓىٕكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْـٴُـوْلًا

Indeed the ear, the eye, and the heart; all of these will be questioned.

[Kanz-ul-Iman (translation of Quran)] (Part 15, Surah Bani Israel, Ayah 36)

The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated, ‘Every eye will be weeping on the Day of Judgement except the eye that remained close to (seeing) the things made Haraam by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, the one which has spent its night in the state of wakefulness in the way of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ [and] the eye from which a tear equal to the head of a fly was shed out of the fear of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.’ (Hilya-tul-Awliya, vol. 3, pp. 190, Raqm 3663)

In view of the goodness of the world and Hereafter, Ameer-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat دَامَتْ بَرَكَاتُـهُمُ الْعَالِيَـه has stated in the Madani In’aam no. 31: ‘Today, did you abstain from watching movies, dramas, and listening to music/songs on television, internet, etc.?’

Ameer-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat دَامَتْ بَرَكَاتُـهُمُ الْعَالِيَـه said: When going out of the house, I make intention to refrain from glancing at non-Mahram women even unintentionally. May we also have such a great mindset. May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ grant us Taufeeq to see beloved Ka’bah, blessed Green Dome and ‘the devotees of Rasool blessed Islamic scholars’.

دِل یاد لئی بنایا تے تعریف لئی زُباں

اَکھیاں بنائیاں سوہنے دے دیدار واسطے

(Explanation: Heart has been made to remain restless for having the deep yearning for the remembrance of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم of Allah Almighty. Tongue has been made to glorify the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and the eyes have been made to behold the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.)

There are countless blessings of virtuous deeds. One benefit that they contain is that due to their blessings, Allah Almighty forgives a bondman’s sins. Many such acts of worship, actions and Du’as have been mentioned in blessed Ahadees that become a means of forgiveness of a bondman’s sins. Some out of them are mentioned below:

1. Durood-o-Salam

The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated: When those having affection among each other for the pleasure of Allah Almighty, meet one another, shake hands and send Durood upon the Nabi (صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم), then their past and future sins are forgiven before they separate. (Musnad Abi Ya’la, vol. 3, pp. 95, Hadees 2951)

2. Recite Surah Yaseen

The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated: The one who recites Surah Yaseen for the pleasure of Allah Almighty, his previous sins will be forgiven. Therefore, you should recite it next to the deceased. (Shu’ab-ul-Iman, vol. 2, pp. 479, Hadees 2458)

3. Also recite Surah Al-Kahf

The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated: The one who recites Surah Al-Kahf on Friday, Noor will emanate from his feet to the sky which will be illuminated for him on the Day of Judgement. Moreover, the sins committed between two Fridays will be forgiven. (Attargheeb Wattarheeb, vol. 1, pp. 298, Hadees 2)

4. Recite Istighfar

The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated: The one who recites ‘اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰەَ الَّذِیْ لَا اِلٰەَ اِلَّا ھُوَ وَ اَتُوْبُ اِلَیْە’ on Friday before Fajr Salah, his sins will be forgiven even if they are more than the foam of sea. (Al-Mu’jam-ul-Awsat, vol. 5, pp. 392, Hadees 7717)

5. Teach children how to recite the Holy Quran

The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated: The one who taught his son how to recite the Nazirah Quran, his past and future sins will be forgiven. Moreover, the one who makes his son a Hafiz of Quran, then Allah Almighty will raise his father like the moon of the 14^th night. And it will be said to his son: Recite! Whenever he would recite one verse, Allah Almighty will raise one rank of his father; to the extent that he completes reciting the entire Holy Quran. (Al-Mu’jam-ul-Awsat, vol. 1, pp. 524, Hadees 1935)

6-7. Offer Ishraq and Chasht

The Holy Nabi صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated: The one who remains seated at his place after Fajr Salah to the extent that he offers the Nafl of Ishraq and speaks only good, then his sins will be forgiven even if they are more than the foam of sea. (Abu Dawood, vol. 2, pp. 41, Hadees 1287)

Umm-ul-Mu`mineen Sayyidatuna ‘Aishah Siddiqah رَضِیَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهَا narrates that I heard the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم say: The one who remains seated at his place after offering Fajr Salah, does not utter any worldly talk, keeps performing the Zikr of Allah Almighty and then offers 4 Rak’aat of Chasht Salah, then he will be purified from sins like the day his mother gave him birth as he had no sin on him. (Musnad Abi Ya’la, vol. 4, pp. 9, Hadees 4348)

8. Refrain from the malice and grudge of your Muslim brother

Love your Muslim brother for the pleasure of Allah Almighty. The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated: Whoever looks at his Muslim brother with an affectionate gaze and there is no malice in his heart, then the previous sins of them both will be forgiven before the gaze returns. (Shu’ab-ul-Iman, vol. 5, pp. 270, Hadees 6624)

9. Do not grieve over an illness

A person passed away in the blessed era of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Somebody said, ‘How fortunate he is as he passed away without being afflicted with an illness.’ The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: ‘Woe on you! Do you not know that if Allah Almighty had afflicted him with an illness, then He عَزَّوَجَلَّ would have forgiven his sins.’ (Muwatta Imam Maalik, vol. 2, pp. 430, Hadees 1801)

Hakeem-ul-Ummat, Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan رَحْمَةُ اللّٰەِ عَلَيْه states: An illness for believer, especially a fatal disease, is also a blessing of Allah Almighty. As by its virtue, Allah Almighty forgives one’s sins. Moreover, a person gets purified and cleansed by repenting. Therefore, it is better to die of an illness; even though a heart failure for a believer is also a blessing. (Mirat-ul-Manajih, vol. 2, pp. 428)

10. Invoke the following Du’a at the time of wearing clothes

The Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated: The one who wears clothes and invokes the following Du’a:

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰەِ الَّذِیْ کَسَانِیْ ھٰذَا وَ رَزَقَنِیْەِ مِنْ غَیْرِ حَوْلٍ مِّنِّی وَلَا قُوَّۃٍ

i.e. ‘All praises are for Allah Almighty who clothed me this garment and blessed me with it without my power’, then his past and future sins will be forgiven. (Al-Mustadrak, vol. 5, pp. 270, Hadees 7486)