. J "" (cont.)

Mistake (khata') means that a man aims by his action at an object other than that at which he aims by his negligent conduct.3 Hence, in essence, a person performs a deed which he believes is good and proper but it turns out that it is not proper and is not the correct act or not performed in the correct manner In Allah's sight, under such circumstances, the person is not a sinner and his act is pardoned, as this hadith demonstrates. There are also other proofs that demonstrate that Allah does not hold one to account for the mistakes that he makes. For example, Allah says in the Quran, in a verse mentioned above, A. ,.. ,.. / .... ,.. :; ,.. ., ,..,,. ... ., ,J ... , : .,1::_ ... Ɔ "' ... t:" 1 "' , -: , 1 : : ".J ''1 ,`.a'; ,( ,., '. t;...-J ,, WJ -.::. . .. - f=\ Ǵ ്) ஀ \..A '-t""' '1t""") ) .ul I ୿ ) !; / "Allah does not burden any soul beyond what it can bear. For it is what it gains and against it what it earns. 0 our Lord, do not hold us to account if we forget or make a mistake" (al-Baqara 286). It is recorded in· Sahih Muslim that Allah responded favorably to this supplication. Allah also says, 8 J ,.. ., ... / ,.. ,.. ,.. J _JIJ& :: ' :: ' '- 1:: ୠ u u-'.:'-') J../ fi-Jൎ ോ r ൌ \'൑-..,c ൊ) ,.. ,,,. ,.. ,.. \..... 1:_;3 IѤ :!i\ 0lbj "There is no sin on you concerning that in which you made a mistake, but only in regard to what your hearts deliberately intended. And Allah is Ever Oft­ Forgiving, Most Merciful" (al-Ahzaab 5). 1 On the other hand, the similar words ්I, ෋I, 4൏1 and ȁ෌WI all imply the intentional doing of something that one should not do or, in other words, a sin. It is important to recognize the difference between the two usages of these words. Cf., Husain al-Jaboori, Awaarich al­ Ahliyyah ind al-Usooliyyeen (Makkah: Jaamiah Umm al-Qura, 1 988), p. 394. 2 Probably, "completely intending it" would be a better translation for the phrase, L.\:i I^ _3 Hasan, Principles, vol. 1 , p. 360. Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi Umar ibn al-Khattaab is quoted as saying, "I do not fear mistakes for you but I fear for you what [you do] intentionally."' Al-Hasan al-Basri is reported to have said, "If it were not for what Allah has said about the affair of those two menmeaning David and SolomonI would have been of the opinion that the judges are destroyed. But Allah has praised one for his deed and the other for his personal reasoning (ijtihaad)." He was referring to the following verse of the Quran, :; .J / ., /.,,,., J ,,,,.,,. • ., / ,,.. ,,.. ., .,,,. ., ""' ,,. J .,"' ., ,,,. ,,.. ., "" J ,,.. ,,,. .J ,,.. ,,. ืJ _.,.-:;;1 1 -:J;. ൉ ,- ] .; ; ::,\ Q_?j \ J 0ॼ ::,\ ·. ··-:1J .:>JJ bJ ,,.േ ,. ,,.. ,,. ê ,,.. • &. െ ,,. ,,. / .,,. c:.. ., ., .::;. c:.. .... ., 1 -" 1ॾJ, • -" ൓ O> -I ::::r The Coerced Act CD ::t I» ::::J I» I I :::! )> Dispositions Admissions (') "C o ॸ .... CD 0 ॶ ... I» (") (") (0 !. ::::r (') ॹo - ::::J I Revocable l Irrevocable I (") CD ... ::::J Attributing the Act to the One Doing the ::::J cc Coercing Would Change the Subject ࣄ Matter of the Offense ::::!. C" c - cs· ::::J - - ::::r I The act is The act is sound The admission is "defective" and and valid, attributec not sound or valid The act is may be annulled by to the coerced and no.' attributed to the attributed to the may not be coerced alone one coerced annulled coerced CD I The Coerced is Simply an Instrument of Coercion I I Attributing the Act to the One Doing the Coercing Would Not Change the Subject Matter of the Offense and the Coercion was constraining I The act is attributed to the one doing the coercing I Acts I I Attributing the Act to the One Doing the Coercing Would Not Change the Subject Matter of the Offense and the Coercion was not constraining I The act is attributed to the coerced I The Coerced is not Simply an Instrument of Coercion The act is attributed to the coerced I Ql c.. ;:;: / '1t: w CD ॷ ii) / / Ql (/) "'O Ql a. ;:, m c.. Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi Related Fiqh Issues Missing a Prayer Due to Forgetfulness or Mistake If a person forgets one of the five daily prayers, then he is not considered sinful. However, he must perform that missed prayer as soon as he has realized what has happened.