He says that he is a man who is forty-five years old, married, and has children, and that he has committed many sins in his life, both before and after marriage, including major sins.
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The questioner : He says that he is a man who is forty-five years old, married, and has children, and that he has committed many sins in his life, both before and after marriage, including major and minor sins. Now, praise be to Allah, he has repented to Allah with a sincere repentance and has resolved not to return to committing any of those wrongs. He has begun to raise his children in righteousness and mindfulness of Allah. He has performed two Umrahs and intends to perform the obligatory Hajj. He asks whether his repentance will be accepted after those actions, or not? And what do you advise him to do so that his repentance may be accepted by Allah?
The Shaykh : Sincere repentance is accepted no matter how great the sin, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Az-Zumar 39:53] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed that repentance demolishes what came before it. If disbelief, which is the greatest of sins, is such that Allah the Exalted says regarding it: [Al-Anfal 8:38] This indicates that if one repents from a sin, Allah the Exalted accepts this repentance and erases all of what preceded it. However, it must be known that repentance requires five conditions. The first condition is that one be sincere to Allah in it, not driven to repent by showing off, seeking reputation, fear, seeking leadership or a position, or the like.
The second condition is that one feels regret for what has passed of this sin, meaning that there is pain and remorse in his heart for what has been lost, and he wishes that he had not done it.
The third condition is that he abandons it immediately if he is currently engaged in it, meaning this sin. So repentance is not valid for a person who is practicing riba (usury or interest) and then says: "I am repenting to Allah from riba" or "I seek Allah's forgiveness and repent to Him from riba," because this does not benefit. By this, we also know that if the sin is related to a human being, it is necessary that he relinquish his right to it or deliver his right to him, so that it is established that he has abandoned this sin.
The fourth condition is that he resolves not to return to it in the future. If he abandons it and repents, but in his heart he thinks that if he were given an opportunity, he would return to this sin, then this is not repentance and it is not accepted from him.
The fifth condition is that the repentance be in the time in which it is accepted, which is before the death rattle and before the sun rises from the west. If it is after that, it is not accepted, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:[An-Nisa 4:18] This is not repentance. Likewise, He, Glorified and Exalted is He, informed that when the sun rises from the west, the faith of a soul does not benefit it if it had not believed before or had done good in its faith, as Allah the Exalted said: [Al-An'am 6:158] And this, or this part of the verses, is the rising of the sun from the west. When people see that, they will believe and repent from sins, but repentance and faith do not benefit after this. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan Abi Dawud 2479Sahih (Al-Albani).
By observing this last condition, it becomes clear that it is obligatory for a person to hasten with repentance, because he does not know when death will overtake him. Death may overtake him in a state where he is not aware, and at that time, he will not achieve repentance from this sin. So a person must strive to repent from sins and return to Allah. When he returns to Allah with a sincere intention, Allah the Exalted accepts his repentance. Indeed, Allah the Exalted said in Surat al-Furqan, when He mentioned shirk (associating partners with Allah) and what is less than it:[Al-Furqan 25:70]. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
This questioner is Abdullah Ahmad from Iraq, Baghdad, who sent a message.
The Shaykh : Sincere repentance is accepted no matter how great the sin, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins
قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًاSay to those who have disbelieved [that] if they cease, what has previously occurred will be forgiven for them. But if they return [to hostility] - then the precedent of the former [rebellious] peoples has already taken place.
قُلْ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِنْ يَنتَهُوا يُغْفَرْ لَهُمْ مَا قَدْ سَلَفَ وَإِنْ يَعُودُوا فَقَدْ مَضَتْ سُنَّةُ الأَوَّلِينَThe second condition is that one feels regret for what has passed of this sin, meaning that there is pain and remorse in his heart for what has been lost, and he wishes that he had not done it.
The third condition is that he abandons it immediately if he is currently engaged in it, meaning this sin. So repentance is not valid for a person who is practicing riba (usury or interest) and then says: "I am repenting to Allah from riba" or "I seek Allah's forgiveness and repent to Him from riba," because this does not benefit. By this, we also know that if the sin is related to a human being, it is necessary that he relinquish his right to it or deliver his right to him, so that it is established that he has abandoned this sin.
The fourth condition is that he resolves not to return to it in the future. If he abandons it and repents, but in his heart he thinks that if he were given an opportunity, he would return to this sin, then this is not repentance and it is not accepted from him.
The fifth condition is that the repentance be in the time in which it is accepted, which is before the death rattle and before the sun rises from the west. If it is after that, it is not accepted, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:
But repentance is not [accepted] of those who [continue to] do evil deeds up until, when death comes to one of them, he says, "Indeed, I have repented now,"
وَلَيْسَتِ التَّوْبَةُ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ حَتَّى إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَهُمُ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ إِنِّي تُبْتُ الآنَThe Day that some of the signs of your Lord will come no soul will benefit from its faith as long as it had not believed before or had earned through its faith some good.
يَوْمَ يَأْتِي بَعْضُ ءايَاتِ رَبِّكَ لا يَنفَعُ نَفْسًا إِيمَانُهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ ءامَنَتْ مِنْ قَبْلُ أَوْ كَسَبَتْ فِي إِيمَانِهَا خَيْرًاrepentance will not end until the sun rises in the west.
لا تنقطع التوبة حتى تطلع الشمس من مغربهاBy observing this last condition, it becomes clear that it is obligatory for a person to hasten with repentance, because he does not know when death will overtake him. Death may overtake him in a state where he is not aware, and at that time, he will not achieve repentance from this sin. So a person must strive to repent from sins and return to Allah. When he returns to Allah with a sincere intention, Allah the Exalted accepts his repentance. Indeed, Allah the Exalted said in Surat al-Furqan, when He mentioned shirk (associating partners with Allah) and what is less than it:
Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.
إِلَّا مَنْ تَابَ وَءامَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُوْلَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًاThe questioner : May Allah bless you.
This questioner is Abdullah Ahmad from Iraq, Baghdad, who sent a message.