Chapter 188

What to say when returning from a journey and entering one’s home

Remembrance 1
WE RELATE FROM the book of Ibn as-Sunnī that Ibn ‘Abbās Honorific symbol related that when the Messenger of Allah Honorific symbol returned from a journey and went to his family he said: “Turning turning, to our Lord returning, not leaving behind any sin [unforgiven].” [1].
Arabic text from the source edition
Tawban tawbā, li-Rabbinā awbā, lā yughādiru ḥawbā.
I say that tawban tawbā is asking for tawbah, ‘to turn towards’. It is in the accusative case either by being connected to the implicit [phrases] ‘turn to us’ (tub ‘alaynā tawbā) or ‘we ask You for repentance’ (nas’aluka tawbā). The word awbā is in the same sense and takes its meaning from the verb āba, meaning ‘he returned’. The phrase ‘not leaving’ means ‘not discarding’ and the word ḥawbā’, meaning ‘sin’ (ithm), and is written with a fatḥah on the ḥā’ or with a ḍammah (ḥūban).

References

[1] Ibn as-Sunnī (536). Ibn Ḥajar grades it as ṣaḥīḥ.