Sharh Riyad as-Saliheen by Ibn Uthaymeen — Volume 4 (شرح رياض الصالحين) — Page 708

Line-by-line translation · المعاني

شَرْحُ رِيَاضِ الصَّالِحِينَ مِنْ كَلَامِ سَيِّدِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ.

(from previous page) ⟵ Al-Bukhari extracted it in the Book of Invocations, Chapter: Let him be firm in his request, for there is no one to compel Him, number (6338), and Muslim: Book of Remembrance, Supplication, Repentance, and Seeking Forgiveness, Chapter: Being firm in supplication and not saying 'if You wish', number: Explanation of Riyad al-Salihin from the words of the Master of Messengers, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

مِنَ الْمَعْلُومِ أَنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَا مَلْجَأَ لَهُ إِلَّا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي طَلَبِ الْخَيْرِ وَدَفْعِ الشَّرِّ، وَإِذَا كَانَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى هُوَ الْمَقْصُودُ وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُرِيدُهُ الْعِبَادُ وَيَلْجَئُونَ إِلَيْهِ وَيَعْتَمِدُونَ عَلَيْهِ، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَنْبَغِي لِلْإِنْسَانِ أَنْ يَقُولَ: اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي إِنْ شِئْتَ، اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْنِي إِنْ شِئْتَ، بَلْ هَذَا حَرَامٌ؛ لِأَنَّ قَوْلَ الْقَائِلِ: إِنْ شِئْتَ كَأَنَّهُ يَقُولُ: إِنْ شِئْتَ اغْفِرْ لِي وَإِنْ لَمْ تَغْفِرْ لِي فَلَا يَهُمُّنِي، كَأَنَّهُ يَقُولُ: أَنَا فِي غِنًى عَنْكَ، كَمَا تَقُولُ لِصَاحِبِكَ: إِنْ شِئْتَ فَزُرْنِي يَعْنِي: وَإِنْ شِئْتَ فَلَا تَزُرْنِي فَأَنَا لَسْتُ فِي حَاجَةٍ إِلَيْكَ.

It is well-known that human beings have no refuge but Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, when seeking good or warding off evil. Since Allah is the ultimate goal, the One whom His servants desire, turn to, and rely upon, it is inappropriate for a person to say, 'O Allah, forgive me if You will,' or 'O Allah, have mercy on me if You will.' This is actually forbidden. By adding 'if You will,' the speaker implies, 'Forgive me if You want, but if You do not, it does not matter to me.' It is as if he is saying, 'I have no need of You,' much like telling a friend, 'Visit me if you want,' which implies, 'If you do not want to, then don't, for I do not need you.'

وَلِهَذَا كَانَ قَوْلُ الْقَائِلِ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي إِنْ شِئْتَ حَرَامًا، فَقَوْلُ الْمُؤَلِّفِ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ: بَابُ كَرَاهَةِ قَوْلِ الْإِنْسَانِ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي إِنْ شِئْتَ، يَعْنِي كَرَاهَةَ التَّحْرِيمِ، وَكَذَلِكَ لَا يَقُولُ: اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْنِي إِنْ شِئْتَ بَلْ يَعْزِمُ؛ لِأَنَّهُ يَسْأَلُ جَوَادًا كَرِيمًا حَمِيدًا عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، وَلِأَنَّهُ مُفْتَقِرٌ إِلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَكُنْ عَازِمًا فِي الدُّعَاءِ، يَقُولُ: اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي، اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْنِي - بِدُونِ إِنْ شِئْتَ - وَكَذَلِكَ لَا يَقُولُ: اغْفِرْ لِي إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ، أَوْ يَقُولُ الْإِنْسَانُ: غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَكَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ، هَدَاكَ اللَّهُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ كُلُّ هَذَا لَا يُقَالُ، وَإِنَّمَا يَجْزِمُ الْإِنْسَانُ وَيَعْزِمُ.

Because of this, saying 'O Allah, forgive me if You will' is forbidden. When the author, may Allah have mercy on him, titles a chapter 'The dislike of a person saying: O Allah, forgive me if You will,' he means it is strictly prohibited. Similarly, one should not say, 'O Allah, have mercy on me if You will.' Instead, one must be resolute, for he is asking the Generous, Noble, and Praiseworthy One. Since he is in need of Allah, he should show determination in his supplication by saying, 'O Allah, forgive me' or 'O Allah, have mercy on me' without the condition of 'if You will.' Likewise, one should not say, 'Forgive me, if Allah wills,' nor should one say to another, 'May Allah forgive you, if Allah wills' or 'May Allah guide you, if Allah wills.' None of this should be said; rather, a person should be firm and resolute.

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Vocabulary · المفردات (26 verbs · 39 nouns)

• شَرَحَ — to explain
• صَلَّى — to pray
• عَلِمَ — to know
• شَرْح — explanation
• رِيَاض — gardens
• صَالِح — righteous person