[2] Repentance Accompanied By Rectification and Clarification

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

أخبرنا عمى، أخبرنا عبد العزيز بن أحمد بن قاذويه، أخبرنا عبد الله بن

محمود، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو حاتم محمد بن إدريس قَالَ: ولقد ذكر لأبي عبد الله أحمد بن حنبل رجل من أهل العلم، كانت له زلة، وأنه تاب من زلته، فقال: لا يقبل الله ذلك منه حتى يظهر التوبة والرجوع عن مقالته، وليعلمن أنه قَالَ مقالته كيت وكيت، وأنه تاب إلى الله تعالى من مقالته، ورجع عنه، فإذا ظهر ذلك منه حينئذ تقبل، ثم تلا أَبُو عبد الله ” إلاَّ االَذِينَ تَابُوا وَأَصْلَحُوا وَبَيَّنُوا ” البقرة: 160

A man from among the people of knowledge was mentioned to Abu Abdillah Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, may Allah have mercy upon him. He (the man) made a mistake, but repented from his mistake. So he (Imam Ahmad) said:

Allah will not accept that from him until he manifests his repentance and renounces his statement (or previous view), and he makes it known that he said such-and-such a statement, and that he has repented to Allah, The Most High, from that statement and renounced it. When that becomes manifest from him, then it will be accepted. Then Abu Abdillah (Imam Ahmad) recited:

إِلَّا الَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَأَصْلَحُوا وَبَيَّنُوا

Except those who repent and do righteous deeds, and openly declare (the truth which they concealed). (Al-Baqarah 160)

Dhayl Ṭabaqāt al-Ḥanābilah 1/300

Paraphrased