Repentance and Forgiveness of a Sinner

Sahih al-Bukhari 3481
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “A man used to do sinful deeds, and when death came to him, he said to his sons, ‘After my death, burn me and then crush me, and scatter the powder in the air, for by Allah, if Allah has control over me, He will give me such a punishment as He has never given to anyone else.’ When he died, his sons did accordingly. Allah ordered the earth saying, ‘Collect what you hold of his particles.’ It did so, and behold! There he was (the man) standing. Allah asked (him), ‘What made you do what you did?’ He replied, ‘O my Lord! I was afraid of You.’ So Allah forgave him. ” Another narrator said “The man said, Fear of You, O Lord!”

• This Hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari 3481 narrated by Abu Huraira tells the story of a man who used to commit sinful deeds in his lifetime. When he was on his deathbed, he instructed his sons to burn his body, crush the remains into powder, and scatter it in the air, expressing his fear that if Allah had control over him, He would punish him severely. After his death, Allah commanded the earth to collect the particles of his body, and the man was restored to life. When asked by Allah why he had done what he did, the man replied that he was afraid of Allah. As a result of his genuine fear and repentance, Allah forgave him.

Understanding the Resurrection in Sahih al-Bukhari 3481

This hadith about the sinful man being resurrected does not contradict the Qur’anic teaching that all people will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment. There are two possible interpretations:

1. It Was a Special Event That Already Happened

• The Qur’an states that all people will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment (Surah Al-Hajj 22:7, Surah Yasin 36:78-79).
• However, Allah has resurrected individuals before as a sign of His power, such as:
  • The man from Bani Israel who was resurrected after 100 years (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:259).
  • The People of the Cave (Ashab al-Kahf) who slept for 300+ years and were awakened (Surah Al-Kahf 18:25).
• This hadith could describe a unique case where Allah resurrected the man immediately after his death to question him and demonstrate His mercy.

2. It Refers to a Future Event on the Day of Judgment

• In Arabic, sometimes past tense is used for future events to show certainty.
• Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) occasionally spoke about future events as if they had already happened.
• This hadith could be describing an event that will take place on the Day of Judgment when Allah resurrects the man and questions him about his actions.