By Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Qayyim
Allah the Exalted removes the evil effects of sins in several ways. Some of the means come from the slave, while some come from other than him. Sins are expiated by the following means:
FIRST: Sins are expiated by sincere repentance. Surely, the one who repents from sin is like the one who has no sin.
يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنوا توبوا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَوبَةً نَصوحًا عَسىٰ رَبُّكُم أَن يُكَفِّرَ عَنكُم سَيِّئَاتِكُم وَيُدخِلَكُم جَنّاتٍ تَجري مِن تَحتِهَا الأَنهارُ يَومَ لا يُخزِي اللَّهُ النَّبِيَّ وَالَّذينَ آمَنوا مَعَهُ ۖ نورُهُم يَسعىٰ بَينَ أَيديهِم وَبِأَيمانِهِم يَقولونَ رَبَّنا أَتمِم لَنا نورَنا وَاغفِر لَنا ۖ إِنَّكَ عَلىٰ كُلِّ شَيءٍ قَديرٌ
O you who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance! It may be that your Lord will remit from you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise) the Day that Allah will not disgrace the Prophet (Muhammad ) and those who believe with him, their Light will run forward before them and with (their Records Books of deeds) in their right hands they will say: “Our Lord! Keep perfect our Light for us [and do not put it off till we cross over the Sirat (a slippery bridge over the Hell) safely] and grant us forgiveness. Verily, You are Able to do all things .” 66: 8
SECOND: Sins are expiated when the slave seeks Allah’s forgiveness.
قُل يا عِبادِيَ الَّذينَ أَسرَفوا عَلىٰ أَنفُسِهِم لا تَقنَطوا مِن رَحمَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغفِرُ الذُّنوبَ جَميعًا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفورُ الرَّحيمُ
Say: “O ‘Ibadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. 39: 53
THIRD: Sins are expiated by performing good deeds that wipe away evil deeds. “Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds.” [Surah Hud 11:114]
وَأَقِمِ الصَّلاةَ طَرَفَيِ النَّهارِ وَزُلَفًا مِنَ اللَّيلِ ۚ إِنَّ الحَسَناتِ يُذهِبنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ ۚ ذٰلِكَ ذِكرىٰ لِلذّاكِرينَ
And perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), at the two ends of the day and in some hours of the night [i.e. the five compulsory Salat (prayers)]. Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (i.e. small sins). That is a reminder (an advice) for the mindful (those who accept advice). 11: 114
FOURTH: Sins are expiated when the person is afflicted with calamities, because calamities are expiation for sins.
Calamities are a means of expiation of sin and raising one’s status. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There is nothing that befalls a believer, not even a thorn that pricks him, but Allah will record one good deed for him and will remove one bad deed from him.”
Narrated by Muslim.
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Trials will continue to befall the believing man and woman, with regard to themselves, their children and their wealth, until they meet Allah with no sin on them.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2399; classed as saheeh (authentic) by al-Albani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 2280.
And it was narrated that Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “On the Day of Resurrection, when people who had suffered affliction are given their reward, those who were healthy will wish their skins had been cut to pieces with scissors when they were in the world.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2402. See al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, no. 2206.
FIFTH: Sins are expiated when the angels seek forgiveness from Allah on behalf of the person.
رَبَّنا وَسِعتَ كُلَّ شَيءٍ رَحمَةً وَعِلمًا فَاغفِر لِلَّذينَ تابوا وَاتَّبَعوا سَبيلَكَ وَقِهِم عَذابَ الجَحيمِ
“Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who repent and follow Your Way, and save them from the torment of the blazing Fire! 40: 7
SIXTH: Sins are expiated wheng the believers pray for the person.
These six matters occur during the person’s lifetime.
SEVENTH: Sins are expiated if the person suffers a difficult, agonizing death.
This occurs when the person departs this world.
EIGHTH: Sins are expiated when the person experiences the horror of seeing the two angels in the grave, the squeezing of the grave, and the difficulties therein.
NINTH: Sins are expiated when those whom Allah gives permission to intercede, intercede on behalf of the sinners.
TENTH: Sins are expiated when the Most Merciful of those who show mercy (Allah) has mercy upon the sinners.
If the person is void of these means, it is inevitable that he will enter the Hellfire. His stay in the Hellfire will be proportionate to how long the filth remains in him, for surely, Allah has prohibited Paradise for all who are not pure. Thus, as long as filth remains in him, he will remain in the Hellfire to be cleansed.
Shaykh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said in his book The Sickness of the Hearts and Its Cures: “Whoever misses these ten means, let him blame no one except himself. The Prophet (ﷺ) narrated that Allah the Exalted said:
“O My slaves, they are merely your actions which I am recording for you, then I will requite you for them. Whoever finds it to be good, let him praise Allah, and whoever finds it to be otherwise, let him blame no one but himself.” [Sahih Muslim 2577]
Excerpt taken from the book ‘One Hundred Pieces of Advice by Ibn al-Qayyim’
