We used to refrain from seeking forgiveness for those who committed major sins, until we heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, "Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating partners with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills" [Nisa 4:48]. He also said, "I have reserved my supplication as intercession for those of my nation who commit major sins."So we held back from much of what had troubled our hearts, then afterward we spoke and we hoped.
كنا نمسك عن الاستغفار لأهل الكبائر، حتى سمعنا رسول الله ﷺ يقول: {إن الله لا يغفر أن يشرك به ويغفر ما دون ذلك لمن يشاء} وقال: إني ادخرت دعوتي شفاعة لأهل الكبائر من أمتي قال فأمسكنا عن كثير مما كان في أنفسنا، ثم نطقنا بعد ورجونا.
Bazzar (5840), Abu Yaala (5813), and Ibn Abu Asim in Sunnah (854) all narrated it through the hadith of Shayban bin Farroukh Abu Shayba, from Harb bin Siraj Minqari, from Ayub Sakhtiyani, from Nafi, from Ibn Umar, who related it. The wording given here is that of Abu Yaala.Bazzar said, "We do not know this statement to be narrated from Ibn Umar except by this route, and we do not know of anyone who narrated it from Ayub except Harb bin Siraj. He is a man from the people of Basra, and there is no harm in him."I say, because of him and because of Shayban bin Farroukh, the chain is hasan.Haythami said, "Bazzar narrated it, and its chain is good." (Majma al-Zawaid 10/211)