أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ مِنْ قَوْلٍم بِلاَ عَمَـلٍ      لَقَدْ نَسَبْتُ بِهِ نَسْلاً لِّذِيْ عُقُــمِ

26/14. I seek forgiveness from Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo from such sayings (preaching) which I do not practice upon. For verily, through this, (it is same like that) I have attributed (claimed) offspring from a barren woman.

The poet says that he commands righteousness and prevents evil, but he does not practice accordingly. This is very evil. Therefore, he seeks forgiveness from Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo from this.

The meaning of the example is:

1. Preaching without acting upon the same is such an evil like a person who attributes a child to a barren woman.

2. A person who commands righteousness and prevents from evil actually claims inwardly that he is doing the action. For example, a person explains the virtues of tahajjud. In this is hidden a claim that he performs tahajjud salaah. Now a person who preaches, but is void of action, it is though he has claimed to have done the action, but has not done so. Just as it is evil for a barren woman to lay claim to a child, similarly for a person void of practice to claim practice is evil.

The poet has likened actions to a child. Just as a child comes into existence by a person, so too do one’s actions. Just as one’s child is beloved, so too should one’s righteous actions be. 

VIRTUES OF SEEKING FORGIVENESS

Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo states,

وَمَن يَعْمَلْ سُوءًا أَوْ يَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرِ اللهَ يَجِدِ اللهَ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

Whoever does any evil action or oppresses himself, then he seeks forgiveness from Allaah, he will find Allaah to be Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.
(Nisaa verse 110)

وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ جَآؤُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ اللهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُواْ اللهَ تَوَّابًا رَّحِيمًا

And if they come to you when they have oppressed themselves, then they seek the forgiveness of Allaah, and the Messenger seeks forgiveness for them, they will find Allaah to be the One who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful.
(Nisaa verse 64) 

وَأَنِ اسْتَغْفِرُواْ رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُواْ إِلَيْهِ يُمَتِّعْكُم مَّتَاعًا حَسَنًا إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى وَيُؤْتِ كُلَّ ذِي فَضْلٍ فَضْلَهُ وَإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ فَإِنِّيَ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ كَبِيرٍ

Seek forgiveness from your Sustainer, then turn in repentance to Him, He will grant you good enjoyment for a term appointed, and bestow His abounding Grace to every owner of grace (i.e. the one who helps and serves needy and deserving, physically and with his wealth, and even with good words). But if you turn away, then I fear for you the torment of a Great Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection).
(Hud verse 3)

لِلَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَأَزْوَاجٌ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ وَرِضْوَانٌ مِّنَ اللهِ وَاللهُ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا إِنَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ الصَّابِرِينَ وَالصَّادِقِينَ وَالْقَانِتِينَ وَالْمُنفِقِينَ وَالْمُسْتَغْفِرِينَ بِالأَسْحَارِ

For the pious there are, with their Sustainer, gardens beneath which rivers flow - abiding therein forever, and pure wives and the pleasure of Allaah. And Allaah watches the servants, those who say, ‘O our Sustainer! We have believed, so forgive us our sins and save us from the punishment of the Fire.’ Those who exercise patience, [who are] truthful, who carry out orders, who spend, and who seek forgiveness for sins in the latter part of the night.
(Aal Imraan verse 15-17)

وَمَا كَانَ اللهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنتَ فِيهِمْ وَمَا كَانَ اللهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ

Allaah will never punish them as long as you are among them. And Allaah will never punish them as long as they continue asking for forgiveness.
(Anfaal verse 33)

Abu Hurayrah RadhiyAllaahu Anhu narrates,
“I heard Rasulullaah SalAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam saying, ‘By Allaah, I seek forgiveness from Allaah and I turn in repentance to Him more than 70 times a day.’” (Bukhaari no. 6307)

 Al-Agharr ibn Yasaar al-Muzani RadhiyAllaahu Anhu narrates that Rasulullaah SalAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam said,
“O people! Turn in repentance to Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo and seek forgiveness from Him for I certainly turn in repentance to him 100 times a day.” (Muslim. 2702)

Abdullaah ibn Qays RadhiyAllaahu Anhu narrates that Rasulullaah SalAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam said,
“Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo extends His hand at night so that the sinner of the day may turn to Him in repentance, and extends His hand in the day so that the sinner of the night may turn to Him in repentance. (This continues daily) till the sun rises from the west (i.e. before the day of Resurrection).” (Muslim no. 2759)

Abu Hurayrah RadhiyAllaahu Anhu narrates that Rasulullaah SalAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam said,
“I take an oath in the name of that Being in whose control is my life, if you do not commit sins, Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo will put an end to you and replace you with a people who will commit sins, seek forgiveness from Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo, and He will forgive them.” (Muslim no. 2749)

Ibn Umar RadhiyAllaahu Anhu narrates, “We used to sit in the assembly of Rasulullaah SalAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam and count him saying the following 100 times,

رَبِّ اغفِر لي وتُب علىَّ، إنَك أنتَ التَّوابُ الرحيم

O my Sustainer! Forgive me and relent to me, surely You are relenting, forgiving. (Abu Dawood no.1516, Tirmidhi no. 3434)

Ibn Abbaas RadhiyAllaahu Anhu narrates that Rasulullaah SalAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam said,
“When a person seeks forgiveness constantly, Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo provides him a way out from every difficulty, relieves him from every anxiety, and provides sustenance to him from avenues he never expected.” (Abu Dawood no. 1518)

Thaubaan RadhiyAllaahu Anhu narrates, “When Rasulullaah SalAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam completed his salaah, he used to seek forgiveness three times and say (the following),

اللهُمَّ أَنْتَ السَّلَامُ وَمِنْكَ السَّلَامُ تَبَارَكْتَ يَا ذَا الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ

O Allaah! You are the embodiment of peace. All peace is from You. You are most blessed, O possessor of might and honour!

Al-Auzaa‘i – one of the narrators of this Hadeeth – was asked, “How should one seek forgiveness?”
He replied, “You must say,

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ

I seek forgiveness from Allaah. I seek forgiveness from Allaah.
(Muslim no. 591)

Anas RadhiyAllaahu Anhu narrates that he heard Rasulullaah SalAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam saying,
“Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo said, ‘O man! As long as you continue supplicating to Me and having hope in Me, I will forgive you no matter what evils are in you, and I will not bother (i.e. no matter how big a sinner you are, it will not be a serious issue for Me to forgive you).
O man! Even if your sins reach the height of the skies and then you seek forgiveness from Me, I will forgive you.
O man! If you come to Me with the earth filled with sins, and then you meet Me without having ascribed any partner with Me, I will come to you with the earth filled with forgiveness.’” (Tirmidhi no. 3540)

Incident: A man complained to Hasan Basri about a drought, and he said to him, “Pray to Allaah for forgiveness.”

Another man complained to him of poverty and he said to him, “Pray to Allaah to forgive you.”

Another man said to him, “Pray to Allaah to bless me with a child.” He said, “Pray to Allaah for forgiveness.”

Another complained to him that his garden was dry. He said to him, “Pray to Allaah for forgiveness.”

He was asked about it and he said, “This is not my personal opinion, for Allaah says in Surah Nooh,

اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاء عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا وَيُمْدِدْكُمْ بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَارًا

Ask forgiveness from your Lord, verily, He is Oft Forgiving; He will send rain to you in abundance and give you increase in wealth and children, and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers.

(Nooh verse 10-12) Tafseer Al-Qurtubi (vol. 18 page 301-302)

To be Continued In Sha Allaah

مَوْلَاىَ صَلِّ وَ سَلِّمْ دَائِمًا أَبَداً  عَلىٰ حَبِيْبِكَ خَيْرِ الْخَلْقِ كُلِّهِم