by Bint Hamed
Allaah forgives sins no matter how big they are…
Repentance a word that seems heavy. A person who enjoys sinning and doesn’t think about the things he does as sinful often finds changing his affairs and repenting, strenuous.
Some people tend to procrastinate repentance whilst saying that they will repent after they perform hajj or reach a certain age etc.
But how sure are we that we will reach a certain age and will be able to repent? What if the angel of the death is just few days away? What if your death is written to be in next two days?
In this article I would like to share about repentance in Islam and what position it holds in the eyes of our Creator.
Repentance: Means turning back from disobeying Allaah to obeying Him.
Repentance: Is beloved to Allaah, as He says: “Verily, Allaah loves those who repent and those who purify themselves.” [Surah Al-Baqarah: 222]
Repentance: Is an obligation on every believer. Allaah says: “O you who believe! Turn to Allaah in sincere repentance!” [Surah At-Tahreem: 8]
Repentance: Is from the means of attaining success. Allaah says: “And O believers, all of you, repent to Allaah in order that you may be successful.” [Surah An-Noor: 31] Success is when someone gets what he is looking for and is saved from what he is running from.
Through Sincere Repentance: Allaah forgives sins no matter how big they are and no matter how many they are.
Allaah says: “Say: O My slaves who have transgressed against themselves (because of sins), do not despair from the mercy of Allaah. Verily, Allaah forgives all sins. Verily, He is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Surah Az-Zumar: 53]
Shaikh Mohammed Bin Saaleh Al Uthaimeen classified the conditions of sincere repentance.
Sincere Repentance: Must meet five conditions (in order to be accepted), which are:
Fiest condition is: Sincerity to Allaah, the Most High: This is by the person doing it only for the sake of Allaah and seeking His reward and salvation from His punishment.
Second is: Remorse that is for the sin that was committed, such that he is sad he did it and wishes he had never done it.
Third is: Ceasing to commit the sin immediately. If the sin was against Allaah, then he should (1) stop doing it if it was an unlawful act, or (2) hasten to do it if it was an obligation that he abandoned doing. And if the sin was against a created being (such as humans), then he should hasten to free himself from it, whether by returning it back to him or seeking his forgiveness and pardon.
Fourth is: Determination to not go back to doing that sin again in the future.
Fifth is: The repentance should not occur before the time when its acceptance is terminated, either by death or by the sun rising from the west. Allaah says: “Repentance is of no effect for those who commit sins constantly until when death faces one of them, he says: Verily I repent now.” The Prophet ( sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever repents before the sun rises from its west, Allaah will accept his repentance.” [Reported by Muslim]
O Allaah, grant us the sincere repentance and accept it from us, verily You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.
Based on from abdurrahman.org
