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I previously read a hadith which indicates that the two angels will forget the sins of the person who repents. In the hadith it says: “If the believer repents sincerely, Allah will love him and will conceal [his bad deeds] in this world and the hereafter.” I [the narrator] said: How will He conceal [his bad deeds]? He said: “He will cause His two angels to forget what they had recorded of his sins, and Allah will inspire his physical faculties to conceal his sins, and He will inspire places on earth to conceal the sins that he used to commit in those places. So he will meet Allah, when he meets Him, and there will be nothing to testify that he sinned.” How sound is this hadith? Will the two angels forget the person’s major sins, if he committed major sins, for example, if he did the deed of the people of Lut (homosexuality) or he committed zina? Or does this hadith refer to minor sins only? I hope that you will give a detailed and lengthy answer.
Praise be to Allah.
We have not come across any isnad (chain of narrators) for this hadith; rather it is a report that is found in the books of the Rafidi Shi‘ah.
But the texts of the revelation clearly indicate that sincere repentance is beloved to Allah, may He be exalted, and Allah, may He be exalted, loves the one who sincerely repents.
Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
{Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves} [al-Baqarah 2:222].
When Allah, may He be exalted, loves a person, then undoubtedly His angels will also love him.
The one who repents sincerely fears Allah, may He be exalted, so Allah will make for him a way out from the consequences of his sins, whether the two angels remember his sins or forget them, because the angels have nothing to do with whather Allah forgives a person or not.
Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
{And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way out} [at-Talaq 65:2].
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
This verse is general in meaning and includes everyone who fears Allah.… If Allah guides him, then He causes him to know the truth and inspires him to repent, and he repents, then the one who repents from sin is like the one who did not commit sin. In that case, he will be included among those who fear Allah, and thus he will deserve to be granted a way out by Allah. Our Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is the prophet of mercy and compassion; anyone who repents from sin and turns to Him will find mercy, according to his teachings."(Majmu‘ al-Fatawa 33/34-35).
And Allah knows best.