Lesson 6 of 6 · When this has become something else
If one thing stays with you
Let it be this.
Guilt is about what you did and it has an exit. Shame is about what you are and it has none, so it sends you back for the fastest way out, which is the thing itself. The hour after is where the loop closes, and the hour after is the part that is available to you.
Tawbah has no distress threshold and no required number. Going back later does not reach backwards and cancel what you meant when you said it. And how bad you feel about this is not a measurement of how serious it is.
Two sentences carry that, and neither of them asks you for anything. His mercy prevails over His wrath, written by Him about Himself. And the report where the servant comes back a third time and is told: do what you like, I have granted you forgiveness.
Nothing in this course counted anything, and nothing reset. There was never a streak to lose.
Qur’an and Sunnah
One of two sentences carrying this, and neither asks anything of you. His mercy prevails over His wrath, written by Him about Himself.
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:“Verily, Allah when He created the creation, He wrote with His Hand concerning Himself, that: ‘My mercy prevails over My wrath.’”
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3543graded sound, albanithe Arabic and its grading
And the other. The servant comes back a third time and is told, do what you like, I have granted you forgiveness.
Abu Huraira reported from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) that his Lord, the Exalted and Glorious, thus said. A servant committed a sin and he said:O Allah, forgive me my sins, and Allah (the Exalted and Glorious) said: My servant commited a sin and then he came to realise that he has a Lord Who forgives the sins and takes to account (the sinner) for the sin. He then again committed a sin and said: My Lord, forgive me my sin, and Allah, the Exalted and High, said: My servant committed a sin and then came to realise that he has a Lord Who would forgive his sin or would take (him) to account for the sin. He again committed a sin and said: My Lord, forgive me for my sin, and Allah (the Exalted and High) said: My servant sas committed a sin and then came to realise that he has a Lord Who forgives the sins or takes (him) to account for sin. O servant, do what you like. I have granted you forgiveness. 'Abd al-A'la said: I do not know whether he said thrice or four times to do" what you desire
Sahih Muslim 2758graded sound, sahihaynthe Arabic and its grading