Today we share a hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ , narrated by Abu Hurairah, addresses the the theme of our premise and importance of seeking forgiveness and turning to Allah in repentance, especially after engaging in idle or meaningless speech. The hadith presents a specific formula to be recited after any gathering where one might have engaged in unnecessary or unproductive talk.
This Hadith is mentioned Jami` at-Tirmidhi Book 48: Chapters on Supplication / كتاب الدعوات عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم / Chapter 38: What One Says When Getting Up From His Sitting / باب مَا يَقُولُ إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ الْمَجْلِسِ / as Hadith number # 3433:
Abu Hurairah narrated that:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever sits in a sitting and engages in much empty, meaningless speech and then says before getting from that sitting of his: ‘Glory is to You, O Allah, and praise, I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except You, I seek You forgiveness, and I repent to You, (Subḥānaka Allāhumma wa biḥamdika, ashhadu an lā ilāha illā anta, astaghfiruka wa atūbu ilaik)’ whatever occurred in that sitting would be forgiven to him.”
Arabic Text:
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ أَبِي السَّفَرِ الْكُوفِيُّ، - وَاسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ قَالَ ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ أَخْبَرَنِي مُوسَى بْنُ عُقْبَةَ، عَنْ سُهَيْلِ بْنِ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ جَلَسَ فِي مَجْلِسٍ فَكَثُرَ فِيهِ لَغَطُهُ فَقَالَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُومَ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهِ ذَلِكَ سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ . إِلاَّ غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا كَانَ فِي مَجْلِسِهِ ذَلِكَ " . وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ أَبِي بَرْزَةَ وَعَائِشَةَ . قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ صَحِيحٌ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ مِنْ حَدِيثِ سُهَيْلٍ إِلاَّ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ .
Grade: Sahih (Darussalam)
This hadith encourages:
- Guarding one's speech from idle talk.
- Turning to Allah in repentance after any lapse.
- Engaging in dhikr as a means of purification and gaining forgiveness.
- Experiencing Allah's mercy in forgiving mistakes, no matter how big or small.
- In light of the Qur'an, this hadith emphasizes several important themes:
Let us now read some verses from Qur'an which cautions man from safeguarding his speech and importance of repentance for having done so.
1. The Importance of Guarding One's Speech
The Qur'an repeatedly reminds believers to guard their speech, especially from idle talk, gossip, and anything that does not benefit. For example:
- Surah Al-Ahzab (33:70-71):
- “O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice. He will then amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment.”
- This verse emphasizes the importance of using words in a way that is beneficial and aligned with righteousness.
- Surah Al-Mu’minun (23:3):
- “And they who turn away from ill speech.”
- The Qur'an commands believers to avoid meaningless or harmful speech, which is consistent with the guidance in the hadith.
2. Repentance and Seeking Forgiveness
The phrase mentioned in the hadith—“Glory is to You, O Allah, and praise, I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except You, I seek Your forgiveness, and I repent to You”—is a formula that emphasizes repentance (tawbah) and seeking forgiveness (istighfar). Repentance is a fundamental concept in Islam and is frequently mentioned in the Qur'an:
- Surah At-Tahrim (66:8):
- “O you who have believed, repent to Allah with sincere repentance.”
- This verse encourages believers to seek Allah’s forgiveness with sincerity and humility, just as the hadith advises after a sitting where one may have engaged in inappropriate speech.
- Surah An-Nisa (4:110):
- “Whoever does a wrong or wrongs himself but then seeks forgiveness of Allah will find Allah Forgiving and Merciful.”
- This reinforces the idea that seeking forgiveness after engaging in any sinful or unproductive behavior will lead to Allah’s mercy and forgiveness.
3. The Power of Remembrance of Allah (Dhikr)
The hadith mentions a specific dhikr (remembrance) of Allah that should be recited after a gathering. The importance of dhikr is emphasized throughout the Qur'an:
- Surah Al-Ahzab (33:41-42):
- “O you who have believed, remember Allah with much remembrance and exalt Him morning and afternoon.”
- Remembrance of Allah, especially after activities that may have involved distraction or neglect of the remembrance of Allah, is a way to purify one’s actions and intentions.
- Surah Al-Jumu’ah (62:9):
- “O you who have believed, when the call to prayer is heard on the day of Jumu’ah, then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew.”
- The Qur'an highlights the significance of turning to Allah in remembrance and seeking His forgiveness.
4. The Mercy of Allah
The hadith mentions that if a person recites this supplication after a sitting filled with idle speech, whatever was wrong in that gathering will be forgiven. This emphasizes the immense mercy and forgiveness of Allah, a theme that runs strongly through the Qur'an:
- Surah Az-Zumar (39:53):
- “Say, 'O My servants who have harmed yourselves by your own hands, do not despair of Allah’s mercy. Allah forgives all sins. He is truly the Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.'”
- The hadith echoes this divine mercy, illustrating that no matter what was said or done in the gathering, through repentance and turning back to Allah, a person can attain forgiveness.
5. Purification of the Soul
This hadith also serves to purify the soul. After a gathering where meaningless speech may have taken place, the recitation of this supplication serves as a means of spiritual purification. The Qur'an stresses the importance of cleansing the heart:
- Surah Al-Baqarah (2:222):
- “Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.”
- This reflects the idea that seeking forgiveness, particularly through dhikr and repentance, is a means of purifying oneself spiritually.
Conclusion
The hadith is in perfect harmony with the Qur'anic teachings on speech, repentance, seeking forgiveness, and remembrance of Allah. It provides a practical tool for maintaining spiritual cleanliness, even after moments of negligence or distraction. By turning to Allah with the prescribed supplication, the believer purifies their actions, seeks forgiveness for any wrongdoing, and brings themselves back to a state of peace and spiritual alignment with Allah.
Remember, this life is not meant for wasting time in fruitless and meaningless conversations that do not add to our religious education and help us becoming good human and believer. Let us not engage in meaningless conversation and stay away from such sittings from where one does not learn to be a better human being.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
You may refer to our reference: page: Supplications attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for more prophetic supplications
For more hadiths on varying subjects, refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about Hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
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