حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْرَائِيلُ عَنْ سِمَاكِ بْنِ حَرْبٍ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ وَالْأَسْوَدِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي لَقِيتُ امْرَأَةً فِي الْبُسْتَانِ فَضَمَمْتُهَا إِلَيَّ وَبَاشَرْتُهَا وَقَبَّلْتُهَا وَفَعَلْتُ بِهَا كُلَّ شَيْءٍ غَيْرَ أَنِّي لَمْ أُجَامِعْهَا قَالَ فَسَكَتَ عَنْهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَنَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ ذَلِكَ ذِكْرَى لِلذَّاكِرِينَ قَالَ فَدَعَاهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَرَأَهَا عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَلَهُ خَاصَّةً أَمْ لِلنَّاسِ كَافَّةً فَقَالَ بَلْ لِلنَّاسِ كَافَّةً
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 4250
It was narrated that 'Abdullah said: A man came to the Prophet (PBUH)and said: O Messenger of Allah, I met a woman in a garden and I embraced her, touched her, kissed her and did everything with her except that I did not have intercourse with her. The Prophet (PBUH) did not answer, then this verse was revealed: "Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (i.e. small sins). That is a reminder (an advice) for the mindful (those who accept advice)" [Hood 11:114]. Then the Prophet (PBUH) called him and recited it to him. 'Umar said: O Messenger of Allah, is that only for him or lor all the people? He said: "Rather it is for all the people”.
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020