عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: سَمِعْت رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم يَقُولُ: قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: "يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ! إِنَّكَ مَا دَعَوْتنِي وَرَجَوْتنِي غَفَرْتُ لَك عَلَى مَا كَانَ مِنْك وَلَا أُبَالِي، يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ! لَوْ بَلَغَتْ ذُنُوبُك عَنَانَ السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ اسْتَغْفَرْتنِي غَفَرْتُ لَك، يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ! إنَّك لَوْ أتَيْتنِي بِقُرَابِ الْأَرْضِ خَطَايَا ثُمَّ لَقِيتنِي لَا تُشْرِكُ بِي شَيْئًا لَأَتَيْتُك بِقُرَابِهَا مَغْفِرَةً" . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ [رقم:3540]، وَقَالَ: حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ.
On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) who said:
I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say, “Allah the Almighty has said: ‘O Son of Adam, as long as you invoke Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O Son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and you then asked forgiveness from Me, I would forgive you. O Son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the Earth, and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it [too].’ ” It was related by at-Tirmidhi, who said that it was a hasan hadeeth.
Among the jewels of Imam al-Nawawi’s Forty Hadith is the concluding narration, a hadith qudsi that captures the essence of Allah’s vast mercy and forgiveness. In this tradition, related by Anas ibn Malik (ra), the Prophet ﷺ tells us that Allah, the Exalted, says: “O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and place your hope in Me, I will forgive you for what you have done, and I will not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky, and then you were to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth, and then meet Me without associating anything with Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it.” This profound narration closes the collection not by chance, but with wisdom — it leaves the believer with hope, reminding us that no matter the weight of our sins, the door of Allah’s mercy remains open so long as we return sincerely.
This hadith is a declaration of Divine compassion that mirrors countless verses of the Qur’an. Allah Himself proclaims: “Say, ‘O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.’” (Surah al-Zumar 39:53).
The Qur’anic language here is striking — “do not despair” — showing that despair itself is contrary to the spirit of faith. The hadith and the verse echo one another, insisting that hope must anchor the believer’s heart, even in the darkest valleys of guilt.
The first portion of the hadith reassures: “As long as you call upon Me and hope in Me, I will forgive you, and I will not mind.” It tells us that du‘a (calling upon Allah) and rajā’ (hope) are the keys to unlocking forgiveness. A heart that still calls out to Allah has not been abandoned. Unlike human beings who may tire of forgiving or become irritated at repeated mistakes, Allah says, “I will not mind.” This short phrase is deeply powerful. It teaches us that the infinite reservoir of Divine forgiveness is not diminished by our repeated returns. No matter how many times we stumble, our sincerity in calling upon Him makes us worthy of pardon.
The second portion intensifies the image: “Were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky, and then you asked forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you.” The imagery here is vast and cosmic. Sins as high as the sky represent a lifetime of errors — deeds piled up beyond human counting. Yet, the act of turning back in istighfar (seeking forgiveness) is so weighty in Allah’s sight that it obliterates those towering records. The Qur’an confirms this hope: “And He it is who accepts repentance from His servants and pardons misdeeds, and He knows what you do.” (Surah al-Shura 42:25). The point is not the size of our sins, but the sincerity of our return.
Finally, the hadith ends with perhaps the most awe-inspiring promise: “Were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth, and then meet Me without associating anything with Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it.” This statement ties forgiveness to tawhid, the core of Islam. No matter how overwhelming one’s sins may be, so long as the heart is free of shirk — free of ascribing partners to Allah — then ultimate forgiveness is promised. This is a reminder of both accountability and mercy. Accountability, because shirk is the one sin Allah warns He will not forgive if a person dies upon it (Surah al-Nisa’ 4:48). Mercy, because everything else, no matter how grave, falls under the ocean of His maghfirah if a servant dies upon tawhid.
The hadith also teaches us about the balance between fear and hope. While other narrations highlight the seriousness of sin and the certainty of accountability, this hadith swings the door wide open to hope. It is as if Allah is telling His servants: Do not let the whispers of despair prevent you from returning to Me. Ibn al-Qayyim noted that Shaytan strives to entrap people through two doors: false security (amānī) and despair (qunūt). The believer walks the middle path, aware of sin’s gravity yet convinced of Allah’s mercy. This hadith seals Imam al-Nawawi’s collection with that balance tilted toward hope, because hope fuels repentance, and repentance fuels transformation.
On a personal level, this narration is a lifeline. Many of us carry burdens from the past — mistakes we regret, moments of heedlessness, choices that still sting our conscience. The hadith is like a hand stretched down to pull us up: “O son of Adam… come back to Me.” It reassures us that we are never disqualified from Allah’s love. Even if sins have become a mountain, Allah’s forgiveness is a mountain greater still. As the Qur’an puts it: “Indeed, My mercy encompasses all things.” (Surah al-A‘raf 7:156).
As we reflect on this hadith, we are reminded that repentance (tawbah) is not merely about wiping the slate clean; it is about renewing the bond between servant and Lord. The conditions of tawbah — ceasing the sin, regretting it, and resolving not to return — are not obstacles but gateways to liberation. Each time we repent, we polish the heart. Each time we turn back, we prove to ourselves that Allah is still the center of our lives.
In conclusion, Hadith 42 stands as a manifesto of mercy. It does not belittle sin, but it magnifies forgiveness. It does not encourage complacency, but it dismantles despair. And it anchors the believer in the most essential truth of all: that so long as we live with tawhid in our hearts and repentance on our tongues, Allah’s mercy will always exceed our sins. To end with the Qur’anic reminder: “Indeed, Allah loves those who constantly repent and loves those who purify themselves.” (Surah al-Baqarah 2:222).
Disclaimer:
Instructor: Sheikh Dr. Sajid Umar | STEPS TO JANNAH S4 | Forty Hadith Imam Nawawi
These are notes sharing from the Steps of Jannah classes online taught by Sheikh Dr Sajid Umar focusing on Hadith 40 an-Nawawi. The classes are still ongoing, every Monday 8pm UK time. If you would like to join, please email stepstojannah12@gmail.com
The notes written are from a student’s personal notes transcribed from the sessions. Should there be any error, May Allah forgive us, and do feedback (ain1810@gmail.com) so that it can get amended, and may it be beneficial to all of us and may Allah reward Jannah to Sh Sajid and his team for the beneficial ‘ilm being shared and to all of the students Steps to Jannah, Ameen.