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Is "Indeed, there are sins not expiated except by striving in search of sustenance" a Hadith? What is its explanation and درجه (degree of authenticity)?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

There are Hadiths indicating that worries in seeking a livelihood expiate sins, among them the Hadith: "Indeed, some sins are not expiated by prayer, nor fasting, nor Hajj, nor Umrah." They asked, "What then expiates them, O Messenger of Allah?" He said, "Worries in seeking a livelihood." And the Hadith: "Whoever spent the evening exhausted from the work of his hands, spent the evening forgiven." However, these Hadiths are very weak, and some are fabricated.

What is correct is that whoever spends on his family and strives to earn a lawful living with sincere intention will be rewarded, and that whatever toil, worry, sorrow, and harm befalls a Muslim, Allah expiates his sins thereby.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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