*** Forgiveness until the age of sixty ***

[Zaheer A Khan]

Bismillaah:

Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه said:

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسله said:

“Allaah continues to excuse and grant forgiveness to a person until he attains the age of sixty years."

Takhreej:

{ Imam Al Bukhari in his Saheeh }

Shaykh Haatim Al Awni حفظه الله commented:

This hadeeth merely shows that Allaah عزوجل does not hasten on His punishment. He gives a person ample time to correct himself. When a person reaches sixty, he should have mended his ways. A young person can still be hopeful of a long life, even though he may die young. For a person of sixty to postpone reforming himself is quite wrong.
This hadeeth also urges people to increase their good deeds in the later part of life.
There is a grace period granted by Allaah to everyone to repent before he undergoes extreme trials. These trials include the trial of death and the trial of the Antichrist.
When people are faced with trials such as these, they find it very difficult to repent or think about repentance. Few at such times will be able to repent save those who were already practicing good deeds and had proper reliance on Allaah عزوحل.

{ Sharh Al Bukhari }

*** And Allaah عزوحل knows best ***