Great acts of repentance
Here we will look at examples of repentance among the early generation of this ummah, the Companions of the Prophet 
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Buraydah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that Maa’iz ibn Maalik al-Aslami came to the Messenger of Allaah and said: “O Messenger of Allaah, I have wronged myself by committing adultery, and I want you to purify me.” The Prophet turned him away. The next day, he came back and said: “O Messenger of Allaah, I have committed adultery,” and the Prophet turned him away a second time. The Messenger of Allaah sent for his people and asked them, “Do you know of anything wrong with him mentally? Have you ever noticed any strange behaviour on his part?” They said, “What we know is that he is of sound mind. He is among the righteous people, as far as we can see.” Maa’iz came back a third time, and the Prophet sent for his people too, and they told him that there was nothing wrong with him or with his mind. On the fourth day, the Prophet had a hole dug for him, and commanded that he should be stoned. The Ghaamidi woman came and said, “O Messenger of Allaah, I have committed adultery, so purify me.” The Prophet turned her away. The next day, she came back and asked, “Why are you turning me away? Perhaps you are turning me away as you turned Maa’iz away, but by Allaah I am pregnant.” He said, “Then no (I will not carry out the punishment). Go away until you have given birth.” When she had given birth, she brought the child wrapped in a cloth and said, “Here, I have given birth to him.” The Prophet said: “Go away and breastfeed him until he is weaned.” When she had weaned him, she brought the child, holding a piece of bread in his hand, and said: “O Messenger of Allaah, here he is, I have weaned him and he is eating solid food now.” The child was given to one of the Muslims to take care of, then the Prophet ordered that a chest-deep hole be dug for her, and that she be stoned. Khaalid ibn al-Waleed picked up a stone and threw it at her head. Blood spurted out onto his face and he swore at her. The Prophet of Allaah heard what he said, and told him: “Take it easy, O Khaalid! By Him in Whose hand is my soul, she has repented in such a way that if the tax-gatherer had done so, he would have been forgiven.” (Reported by Muslim). Then he gave orders that the (funeral) prayer should be offered for her, and she was buried.
According to one report, ‘Umar said: “O Messenger of Allaah, you had her stoned and now you will pray for her!” He said: “She has repented in such a way that if it were to be shared out among seventy people of Madeenah, it would be sufficient for them. Can you find anyone better than one who gives up her soul for the sake of Allaah?” (Reported by ‘Abd al-Razzaaq in al-Musannaf, 7/325
to be continued).