Deeds that Wash Away our Sins

In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate.

"May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You"

Praise be to Allaah, we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah

As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu

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The following are some statements of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) on what deeds could lead to forgiveness of our past and future sins. The statements were collected in the book Al-Bihar Az-Zakhirah fi Asbab Al-Maghfirah

1. Perfecting one’s ablution

“No worshipper perfects his ablution except that his past and future sins are forgiven.” (Hasan, Al-Bazzar. Al-Haythami and Al-Mundhiri agreed upon.)

2. Fasting in Ramadan

“Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and seeking Allah’s reward then his past and future sins are forgiven.” (Ahmad)

3. Night prayer in Ramadan

“Whoever stands (in prayer) in Ramadan out of faith and seeking Allah’s reward then his past and future sins are forgiven.” (Sahih An-Nasa’i)

4. Night of Al-Qadr

Laylat-ul-Qadr or the Night of Al-Qadr can be expected in the odd nights of the last 10 days of Ramadan. He who performs the night prayer in it out of belief and seeking Allah’s reward his past and future sins are forgiven. (Ahmad)

5. Thanking Allah after eating and putting one’s clothes on

“Whoever ate food and then said, ‘Praise be to Allah who has fed me this food and provided it for me, without any strength or power on my part’, is forgiven his past (and future*) sins. And whoever wears a garment and says, ‘Praise be to Allah who has clothed me with this (garment) and provided it for me, without any strength or power on my part’, is forgiven his past and future sins.” (Ibn Majah, Abu Dawood, Al-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa’i, and others)

The addition marked by (*) is related by Abu Dawood. Sheikh Al-Albani declared it Hasan in Sahih Al-Jami (no. 6086).

6. Getting old in Islam

“No one reaches 40 years in Islam except that Allah protects him from madness, leprosy and leucoderma. When he is 50, Allah makes his reckoning easy. When he reaches 60, Allah grants him repentance. And when he reaches 70, Allah loves him and the inhabitants of the heavens love him. 

And when he reaches 80, Allah accepts his good deeds and overlooks his sins. When he reaches 90, Allah forgives his past and future sins, and he is named ‘the prisoner of Allah on earth’ and is granted intercession (for forgiveness) for his family.” (Hasan, Ibn Asakir. Ahmad Shakir said in his notes on Al-Musnad, 8/23, 25: “Its chain is at least Hasan. It is supported with other chains which raise it to the level of Sahih.”)

7. Neither Ruqya nor belief in bad omens

“I was told: ‘These are your people and amongst them there are 70,000 who shall enter Paradise without being taken to either account or torment.’ …’They are those who do not make Ruqya nor seek it, nor believe in bad omens, but trust in their Lord (Allah).’” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

8. Patiently bearing children’s death

“Whoever buries three children, Allah will forbid the (Hell) Fire for him.” (Sahih, Tabarani in Al-Kabeer, Al-Albani authenticated it in Sahih Al-Jami, no. 6238)

“There are no two Muslim parents whose three children die before reaching puberty except that Allah will enter them into Paradise due to His mercy to the children. 

It will be said to them, ‘Enter the Paradise,’ so they will say, ‘Not until our parents enter first.’ It will be said, ‘Enter the Paradise you and your parents.’ (Ahmad and An-Nasa’i; Al-Albani authenticated it in Sahih Al-Jami, no. 5780)

“Whoever remains content and patient after the death of three of his offspring will enter Jannah.”

A woman said, “What about two?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “And two.” (Sahih, An-Nasa’i and Ibn Hibban; authenticated by Al-Albani in Sahih Al-Jami, no. 5969)

9. Raising three daughters

“There is no one from my Ummah who takes care of three daughters or three sisters, and is nice to them, except that they will be a screen (protection) for him from the Fire.” (Sahih, Al-Bayhaqi and Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab, authenticated by Al-Albani in Sahih Al-Jami, no. 5372)

10. Defending a Muslim’s honor

“Whoever defends the honor of his brother in absence has the right with Allah to be freed from the Fire.” (Sahih, Ahmad and Al-Tabarani; authenticated by Al-Albani in Sahih Al-Jami, no. 6240)

11. Sincerity to Allah

No servant who says ‘La ilaha ill Allah’, seeking the pleasure of Allah, will reach the Day of Judgment, except that Allah will forbid the Fire for him. (Ahmad and Al-Bukhari) Hafidh Ibn Hajr said, “It’s not like that (i.e. not entering the Fire at all) for everyone who believed in Tawheed and worshiped, but it is specific for the sincere, and sincerity (Ikhlas) requires the realization of its meaning by the heart. One cannot imagine that the heart will reach that while persisting in sins, as the heart would be filled with the love and fear of Allah, whereupon limbs will embark upon obedience and leave disobedience.”

12. Crying out of fear of Allah

“No man who cried out of fear of Allah will enter the Fire until the milk returns to the udder, and dust in the path of Allah (Jihad) and the smoke of the Fire cannot go together.” (Ahmad, Al-Tirmidhi, and An-Nasa’i; authenticated by Al-Albani in Sahih Al-Jami, no. 7778)

13. Congregational prayer for 40 days

“Whoever prays to Allah for 40 days in congregation, reaching the opening Takbeer (Takbeer Al-Ihram), will have two (rewards)written for him: freedom from the Fire and freedom from hypocrisy.” (Al-Tirmidhi, declared Hasan by Al-Albani in Sahih Al-Jami, no. 6365)

14. Praying four Rak`at before and after Dhuhr

“Whoever is consistent in praying four units of prayer before Dhuhr and four after it, Fire will be forbidden for him.” (Sahih, Abu Dawood, An-Nasa’i, Al-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah; authenticated by Al-Albani in Sahih Al-Jami, no. 6195)

15. Praying before sunrise and after sunset

“No one will enter Fire who prays before sunrise and after sunset.” (Ahmad, Muslim, Abu Dawood, and An-Nasa’i; meaning: Fajr and Asr prayers)

16. Good character

“Whoever is easy-going, easy to deal with and kindhearted, Allah will forbid the Fire for him.” (Sahih, Al-Hakim in Al-Mustadrak, Al-Bayhaqi, Al-Tabarani; authenticated by Al-Albani in Sahih Al-Jami, no. 6484) – SG

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