Dear Brothers in Islam, a few people would escape falling into sin; however, the intelligent ones are those who rush to repentance to attain the mercy of their Creator.
In a Qudsiyy Hadith narrated by at-Tirmidhiyy who classified it as Hasan, the Prophet peace be upon him said that Allah ta^ala said: << O son of Adam, so long as you make supplications to Me and ask for forgiveness, I shall forgive you for what you have done regardless of the amount of your sins. O son of Adam, if your sins were to reach the sky and then you ask Me for forgiveness, I shall forgive you. O son of Adam, if you were to come on the Day of Judgment with sins that almost fill the earth but you come as a believer who does not associate partners with Me, I shall reciprocate with forgiveness that almost fill the earth>>.
Dear brothers in Islam, this Hadith clearly illustrates that having the correct belief (Tawhid) and not associating partners with Allah is the greatest quality a person can possess; and that associating partners with Allah is the greatest sin. The one who dies while associating partners with Allah shall not be forgiven on the Day of Judgement. However, Allah forgives other than shirk and other types of blasphemy to whomever He wills. Ayah 48 of Suratun-Nisa’ clearly states that on Judgement Day, Allah does not forgive that a partner is associated with Him, but forgives that which is less (i.e. less than shirk and other types of blasphemy) to whomever He wills.
Dear brother in Islam, thank Allah for the greatest and best of all endowments; the endowment of being a believer, and stay steadfast to the Religion of Islam. Islam is the Religion which every single prophet came with and the only Religion that is accepted by Allah. Work hard towards attaining righteousness and seek forgiveness of Allah by repenting immediately, for the door of forgiveness is widely open and is not restricted to those who perform Hajj.
Performing Hajj has a very special merit which is not found in the Prayer, Fasting or paying Zakah. This merit is achieved when one performs a Mabrur Hajj. The Mabrur Hajj clears the person of all major and minor sins just as he was when his mother gave birth to him, as the Prophet, peace be upon him said.
Although the five obligatory Prayers, Zakah and Fasting do not wipe out the major sins, yet, the five obligatory Prayers have a higher rank in our Religion than that of performing Hajj.
How blessed is the one whom Allah facilitated for him to perform Hajj this year. As for the one who was unable to go, we say to him, the doors of forgiveness are numerous and the ways of performing good deeds are various.
The Prophet peace be upon him, said: << What would you think if there were a river running by the door of any of you, and he bathed in it five times every day, would any trace of dirt be left on his body? The companions answered: “There would be no trace of dirt on him”. The Prophet said: “This is like the five daily prayers, through which Allah erases sins”>> i.e. the minor sins.
Brothers in Islam, remember that Allah is the Most Merciful, and due to His vast Mercy, Allah made seeking His forgiveness an easy matter. Allah rewards a lot for a small act of obedience. So, repent to Allah immediately and know that whoever repents sinning, the sins will be wiped out for him as if he did not commit them in the first place.
And Allah knows best
