٦ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ الْعَلاءِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ مُسْلِمٍ ذُنُوبُ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِذَا تَابَ مِنْهَا مَغْفُورَةٌ لَهُ فَلْيَعْمَلِ الْمُؤْمِنُ لِمَا يَسْتَأْنِفُ بَعْدَ التَّوْبَةِ وَالْمَغْفِرَةِ أَمَا وَالله إِنَّهَا لَيْسَتْ إِلا لأهْلِ الإيمَانِ قُلْتُ فَإِنْ عَادَ بَعْدَ التَّوْبَةِ وَالإسْتِغْفَارِ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ وَعَادَ فِي التَّوْبَةِ فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ مُسْلِمٍ أَ تَرَى الْعَبْدَ الْمُؤْمِنَ يَنْدَمُ عَلَى ذَنْبِهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُ مِنْهُ وَيَتُوبُ ثُمَّ لا يَقْبَلُ الله تَوْبَتَهُ قُلْتُ فَإِنَّهُ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ مِرَاراً يُذْنِبُ ثُمَّ يَتُوبُ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُ الله فَقَالَ كُلَّمَا عَادَ الْمُؤْمِنُ بِالإسْتِغْفَارِ وَالتَّوْبَةِ عَادَ الله عَلَيْهِ بِالْمَغْفِرَةِ وَإِنَّ الله غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ وَيَعْفُو عَنِ السَّيِّئَاتِ فَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ تُقَنِّطَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ رَحْمَةِ الله.
6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from al-‘Ala’ from Muhammad ibn Muslim from abu Ja’far  who has said the following: “Once abu Ja’far  said, ‘O Muhammad ibn Muslim, if believing people repent for their sins they will be forgiven. Believing people must resume their good deeds after repentance and forgiveness. By Allah, this is only for the believers.’ I then asked, ‘What if he goes back to sin after repenting and asking for forgiveness and repents again?’ The Imam said, ‘O Muhammad ibn Muslim, do you think a believing servant (of Allah) regrets his sins, asks forgiveness and repents but Allah does not accept his repentance?’ I said, ‘He, however, has done it many times. He sins, repents and asks forgiveness (from Allah).’ The Imam said, ‘Whenever a believing servant (of Allah) returns back for repentance and pleas for forgiveness, Allah returns to him with forgiveness; Allah is forgiving and merciful. He accepts repentance and effaces the evil deeds. You must never cause a believer to lose hope in the favor and mercy of Allah.’” 