Hadith on Tawbah: Seeking Forgiveness as the Prophet Did

📖Sahih al-Bukhari 4482
Narrated Ibn `Abbas: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Allah said, ‘The son of Adam tells a lie against me though he has no right to do so, and he abuses Me though he has no right to do so. As for his telling a lie against Me, it is that he claims that I cannot recreate him as I created him before; and as for his abusing Me, it is his statement that I have offspring. No! Glorified be Me! I am far from taking a wife or offspring.’ “

In Sahih al-Bukhari 4482, Ibn Abbas narrated a statement of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) conveying the words of Allah. The narration emphasizes that the son of Adam (human beings) falsely accuses and abuses Allah without any right to do so. There are two specific forms of falsehood and abuse mentioned in the narration.

1. The first form of falsehood is when people claim that Allah cannot recreate them as He originally created them. This is a lie against Allah’s power and ability to resurrect and recreate human beings after death. It is a denial of the concept of resurrection and the belief in the Day of Judgment, where Allah will bring back all individuals to account for their deeds.
2. The second form of abuse is when people attribute offspring to Allah or claim that He takes partners or has children. This is a grave abuse against Allah’s oneness and transcendence. Allah, being the Supreme Creator and Sustainer, is far above the need for any partner, spouse, or offspring. Such claims undermine the concept of tawheed (oneness of Allah) and introduce associations or partners with Allah, which is considered a great sin in Islam.

The overall meaning of this narration is to emphasize the false accusations and abuse that people direct towards Allah, which are completely baseless and unfounded. It underscores the importance of recognizing Allah’s absolute power, uniqueness, and transcendence. Allah is beyond human limitations, and attributing human-like qualities or associations to Him is a grave mistake. The narration serves as a reminder to believers to uphold the pure monotheistic belief in Islam, to guard against false claims or attributions to Allah, and to have a correct understanding of His attributes. It highlights the need to recognize and affirm Allah’s oneness and to avoid any form of falsehood or abuse against Him.