was in Umm Salmah's dwelling and was engaged in prayer, he wept and said, "O Lord, turn
me not back at all to wickedness, though Thou hast delivered me therefrom, and never leave me to
myself for the twinkling of an eye." Umm Salmah said to him, "Since God has forgiven thee
thy past and future sin, why dost thou speak thus and weep?" He said, "O Umm Salmah, how
should I become safe, since God Most High left Jonah to himself for the space of the twinkling of an
eye, and he did what he did?" And, again, 1 Muhammad Baqir is quoted as the
authority for the Tradition that one night Muhammad was in 'Ayishah's abode, and was offering many
prayers. 'Ayishah asked him why he wearied himself so much, since God Most High had forgiven him his
past and future sin. He replied, "O 'Ayishah, should I not be, God's thankful servant? "
We are also told 2 that one day, at the close of an address to his followers, Muhammad
repeatedly said, "O Lord, pardon me and my people," and added, " I seek pardon from
God for myself and for you." Many other similar traditions might be quoted from both Sunni and
Shi'ite Traditions, but these are sufficient.
All this represents Muhammad in a very favourable light. It shows that, like all the Prophets who
were merely men, he felt his need of God's mercy and forgiveness. The Qur'an mentions certain sins
as committed by the Old Testament Prophets and others, as for example by Adam,3 Noah,4
Abraham,5 Moses, 6 and Aaron, Joseph,7 David,8 Solomon,9
Jonah.10 Doubtless they repented, as the Bible informs us they did. We have in Ps. li.
the prayer which David, for instance, offered in his penitence, as was most suitable. Everyone who
has sinned needs to repent and seek forgiveness
|