Statement of Allah (sw), (whether you disclose that which is in your minds or conceal, Allah will reckon you accordingly)

11) Ibn 'Abbas said: When this verse was revealed: (Whether you disclose what is in your minds or conceal it, Allah will call you to account according to it) it caused anxiety to the companions as had never been before. Then Allah's Messenger (pbuh) observed: Say: We have heard and obeyed and submitted (to The Lord!). The narrator added: Allah instilled faith in their hearts and further revealed (for their satisfaction) this verse: (Allah burdens not a soul beyond its capacity. It will get every good that it earns and it will suffer every ill that it commits. Our Lord! Call us not to account if we forget or make a mistake. (When they said the same verse) Allah said: I have done. They further said: Our Lord! Lay not upon us a burden as your did lay on those before us. Allah said: I have done so The companions further said. And pardon us, have Mercy on us . your are our protector. The Lord said: one.

(This Hadith is sound and related by Al-Bukhari and At-Tirmidhi)

12) Narrated Abu Huraira: When this verse was revealed to Allah's Messenger (pbuh): (To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth and whether you disclose what is in your minds or conceal it, Allah will reckon you according to it. Then He will forgive whom He pleases and chastise whom He likes as Allah is Al-Omnipotent over every thing). The narrator said: The companions of Allah's Messenger (pbuh) felt it hard. They came to him, sat down on their knees and said: O Messenger of Allah, we have been assigned with some duties (tasks) which we have capability to perform such as: prayer (Salat), fasting (Saum), fighting in Allah's way (Jihad), and charity (Zakat). Now this (the above mentioned verse) was revealed to you and it is beyond our power to live up to Them, Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said: Do you intend to say what the people of the two scriptures (The Jews and Christians) had said before you: "We hear and disobey". Rather you should say: "We hear, obey and seek your forgiveness, our Lord! And to You is the return". When the people recited it, their tongues became subdued with it. Then Allah revealed: (The Messenger believes in what is sent down to him from His Lord, and so do the believers (following him). Each one believes in Allah and His angels and His books and His Messengers, saying: We differentiate not between any of His Messengers; and they say: We hear and seek your forgiveness, our Lord! And to you is the return. When they (The companions) said the same, Allah abrogated this verse and Allah the Al Great, revealed a new one replacing it: (Allah burdens not a soul beyond its capacity. It gets every good that it earns and it suffers every ill that it earns Our Lord! Punish us not, if we forget or make a mistake. (When the companions repeated the same words) Allah said: Yes: (The companions further repeated the words as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)) Our Lord! Do not lay on us a burden as that you had laid on those before us. Allah said: Yes. (The companions further repeated) Our Lord impose not on us (burdens) which we have no strength to bear. Allah said: Yes. (The companions further repeated). And pardon us and provide us protection; and have Mercy on us. you are our Patron, so please grant us victory over the disbelieving people). Allah said: Yes.

(This Hadith is sound and related by Muslim). (2:286/6)

Broadness of Allah's Mercy

13) Narrated Abu Huraira that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) who said: Allah (sw) said: My mercy has preceded (excelled) my wrath.

(This Hadith is sound and related by Muslim).

An example of Allah's Mercy on his servants

14) Narrated Abu Huraira that Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said: Allah says: Whenever My slave intends to do a bad deed, (I say to the deeds recording angels): Do not record it against him until he (actually) commits it. If he has done so, write it down exactly as one in his record book. But if he refrains from it for My sake, write down this as a virtue in his favor. And when he intends to do a good deed, but does not actually do it, write it as a virtue for him. And if he puts it into practice, write its reward equal to, from ten to seven hundred times (in his account).

(This Hadith is sound and related by Al-Bukhari, Muslim and At-Tirmidhi).

Warning to those who loose hope in the

Mercy of Allah

15) Narrated Abu Huraira: I heard Allah's Messenger (pbuh) saying: There were two fraternal persons among the sons of Israel. One of them was engrossed in committing sins while the other was devoted to worship. The devotee used to see his fellow committing sin and advise him. Desist from doing so. One day when he found his fellow committing sin. He said to him: Avoid it. His fellow said: Leave me alone. Have you been sent out as a vigilant on me. The devotee said: By Allah, He will neither forgive you nor admit you to Paradise. When they died, they were gathered before the Lord of the Worlds. Allah asked the devotee: Were you assured of knowing Me or were you having power over what was in My Hands? Then He said to the sinner: Go and enter Paradise by My Mercy; and ordered the angels about the devotee: Lead him to the Hell.

(This Hadith is sound and related by Abu Da'ud in his Sunan)

After narrating the Hadith, Abu Huraira commented: By Him in whose hands my soul is: One word spoken by the devotee ruined his good deeds in the World as well as in the Hereafter.

16) Narrated Jundub that Allah's Messenger (pbuh) stated that a person said: By Allah! Allah will not forgive so and so (person). Thereupon Allah, the Exalted remarked: Who is he who swears by Me (and says) that I will not forgive so and so (listen!) Verily I have forgiven so and so and nullified your deeds. or as the Messenger (pbuh) said.

(This Hadith is sound and related by Muslim and also mentioned in Mo'jam Al-Tabrani Al-Kabir)

Superiority of Fear of Allah

17) Narrated Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri. He quoted the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as saying to his companions that: a man from among the early people or from those before you had said a word, i.e. Allah had blessed him with wealth and sons. When death approached him, he asked his sons: How was I being as a father? They replied: You were the best father. He said: I didn't save or perform any good deeds for Allah. If Allah takes possession of me, He will punish me. So, look! when I am dead, burn me until I become coal then crush me well and scatter (my ashes in the air) on a storming day. The Prophet (pbuh) said: He took a covenant from his sons (and died). They did according to his will and spread his ashes in the air on a stormy day. Allah said: Be and there he was embodied before Him. Allah, the Exalted. asked him: O my slave! what induced you to do what you did. He replied: It was your fear (so that I may not appear before you). The Prophet (pbuh) added: Allah, the Exalted rewarded him with His Mercy; the Prophet (pbuh) said second time: Allah did not punish him.

(This Hadith is sound and related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

Superiority of Dhikr (remembrance) and becoming close to Allah by way of righteous deeds and good faith in Him

18) Narrated Abu Huraira said: The Prophet (pbuh) said: Allah (sw) says: I am in accordance with the thoughts of My slave about Me; and I am with him, when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me in his heart, I also remember him in My heart. If he remembers Me in a group, I remember him in a better group (i.e. angels). If he draws near Me by the span of a palm, I draw near him by a cubit. If he draws near Me by a cubit, I draw near him by the space covered by two hands. If he walks towards Me, I go to him running.

(This Hadith is sound and related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

19) Narrated Abu Huraira ( that the Prophet (pbuh) stated: Allah (sw) observed: I am with My slave when he remembers me and moves his lips (with remembrance).

(This Hadith is sound and related in Musnad of Ahmad).

20) (One day) Abu Huraira and Abu sa'id were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (sw) who said: When a slave says: i.e. There is no god but Allah and Allah is the Most-Great. Allah remarks: My slave has spoken the truth. Indeed, there is no god except Me and I am All-Great. When he says: There is no god but Allah and He is the only One. Allah remarks: My slave has spoken the truth. Indeed, there is no god except Me and I am the One. When he says: There is no god but Allah and there is no associate with Him. Allah remarks: My slave has spoken the truth. There is no god except Me and I have no partner. When he says: There is no god but Allah. To Him belongs the sovereignty and To Him is due all praise. Allah remarks: My slave has spoken the truth. There is no god except Me. To Me belongs the kingdom and To Me is due all praise. When he says: There is no god but Allah and there is no power or might except with Him). Allah remarks: My slave has spoken the truth. There is no god except Me and the power and might belongs to Me.

(Its chain of authorities is sound and related by the Majah, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Hibban).