39th Hadith - Overlooking Mistakes (Ibn Majah: 2043)

الحديث التاسع والثلاثون 

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاس رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا : أَنَّ رَسُوْلَ اللهِ صَلَّى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ : إِنَّ اللهَ تَجَاوَزَ لِيْ عَنْ أُمَّتِي : الْخَطَأُ وَالنِّسْيَانُ وَمَا اسْتُكْرِهُوا عَلَيْهِ

[حديث حسن رواه ابن ماجة والبيهقي وغيرهما]

39th Hadith - Translation

On the authority of Ibn Abbas (R.A.) that the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) said:

“Truly Allah has, for my sake, pardoned the mistakes and forgetfulness of my community (Ummah/nation), and for what they have done under force or duress.”  (Ibn Majah: 2043)

(A hasan hadith related by Ibn Majah, and Al-Bayhaqee and others.)

Brief Narration

"Oh our Lord, do not take us to task if we forget or make mistakes." 

(Surah Al-Baqarah: 2:286)

“And there is no sin on you concerning that in which you made a mistake, except in regard to what your hearts deliberately intended. And Allah is Ever Oft- Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

(Surah Ah-Ahzab: 33:5)

Being excused for what is done mistakenly or out of forgetfulness does not mean that there will be no consequent rulings. This means that a person might be forgiven but he still has to take responsibility for his actions.

Islam encourages ‘Ihsan’, quality, excellence at work, and a sense of responsibility. At the same time, Islam discourages recklessness, carelessness, and heedlessness. However, Islam takes into account the nature of human beings and their shortcomings. It also takes into consideration the unavoidable situations that they may undergo. It should also be noticed that Islam calls for taking lessons from our mistakes and our experience with others. That's why the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.), says a Muslim should not be bitten from the same hole twice.

We should look at this in a positive way. Islam does not encourage people to become reckless, careless, or to feel that they are unaccountable. We should look at the hadith as a total picture of the situation and not to look at it in an isolated manner. We should have a complete view of what Islam has already established or stressed such as excellence in our performance, accountability and many other issues that we have to observe. But because we are human beings and subject to committing mistakes out of forgetfulness, Islam still leaves room for these human shortcomings and makes it possible for them to be excused and forgiven - but they have to bear some of the consequences.

(Reference: Commentary of Forty Hadiths of An-Nawawi by Dr. Jamal Ahmed Badi)