حَدَّثَنِي حَرْمَلَةُ بْنُ يَحْيَی أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ عَنْ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ أَنَّ حَکِيمَ بْنَ حِزَامٍ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَرَأَيْتَ أُمُورًا کُنْتُ أَتَحَنَّثُ بِهَا فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ هَلْ لِي فِيهَا مِنْ شَيْئٍ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَسْلَمْتَ عَلَی مَا أَسْلَفْتَ مِنْ خَيْرٍ وَالتَّحَنُّثُ التَّعَبُّدُ
صحیح مسلم · Hadith 323
It is narrated on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas that some persons amongst the polytheist had committed a large number of murders and had excessively indulged in fornication. Then they came to Muhammad ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) and said: Whatever you assert and whatever you call to is indeed good. But if you inform us that there is atonement of our past deeds (then we would embrace Islam). Then it was revealed: And those who call not unto another god along with Allah and slay not any soul which Allah has forbidden except in the cause of justice, nor commit fornication; and he who does this shall meet the requital of sin. Multiplied for him shall be the torment on the Day of Resurrection, and he shall therein abide disgraced, except him who repents a believes and does good deeds. Then these! for the Allah shall change their vices into virtues. Verily Allah is Ever Forgiving, Merciful (xxv. 68-70). Say thou: O my bondsmen woo have committed extravagance against themselves despair not of the Mercy of Allah I Verily Allah will forgive the sins altogether. He is indeed the Forgiving, the Merciful (xxxix. 53).
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020