I am a young man of thirty-four years old, married for five years, and I have two children, praise be to Allah. I have committed many mistakes in my youth.
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The questioner : I am a young man of thirty-four years old, married for five years, and I have two children, praise be to Allah. I have committed many mistakes in my youth. Allah has granted me sincere repentance, praise be to Allah, and guided me to the straight path. Allah has increased me in guidance, praise be to Allah, after He bestowed upon me the blessings of marriage and offspring. Now, with Allah's help, I strive to continue and increase on the path of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and His noble Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). What worries me now, and indeed spoils my life, especially when I perform any act of worship, obligation, or even a voluntary prayer, is my constant and continuous remembrance of the mistakes I committed in my youth. This is especially so because I have erred in mistakes that are among the major sins. My question is: Is there no way, after I have repented to Allah with sincere repentance, to rest my soul from its painful anguish whenever I remember those sins, especially the major ones? I am considering a method that might help me forget these sins, but it requires a fatwa from you. This method consists of carrying out the prescribed legal punishment (hadd) on myself for the major sins I committed. Is this obligatory for me, and how can I do it? Please note that some of them were repeated more than once during the period I mentioned. I ask for guidance to an action that will comfort me and reassure me of the acceptance of my sincere repentance?
The Shaykh : This repentance is, in reality, sincere repentance. The great remorse you have felt and the abandonment you have achieved are the essence of repentance. Especially since you are, praise be to Allah, as you have described yourself, currently committed to obeying Allah (Exalted is He), eager to do good and refrain from evil. You have now repented, as you have described your state, in a way that we hope Allah (Exalted is He) will accept from you. Be assured, my brother, that as long as you remain in this state, Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has erased all that has passed. Indeed, Allah says:[Al-Furqan 25:68-71] So, by Allah's power, you are among those whose evil deeds Allah replaces with good deeds, as long as you have been sincere in your repentance and felt this great remorse. Do not look back at what has passed. Even if you do look at it, do not look at it as something that has not been forgiven, for Allah says: [Az-Zumar 39:53] But look at it as a sin that occurred from you, and thank Allah (Exalted is He) for guiding you to abandon it. Increase in seeking forgiveness and repentance, and hold fast to the truth upon which you are. May Allah grant success.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
This questioner is Amir Ahmad Muhammad from the Holy Makkah.
The Shaykh : This repentance is, in reality, sincere repentance. The great remorse you have felt and the abandonment you have achieved are the essence of repentance. Especially since you are, praise be to Allah, as you have described yourself, currently committed to obeying Allah (Exalted is He), eager to do good and refrain from evil. You have now repented, as you have described your state, in a way that we hope Allah (Exalted is He) will accept from you. Be assured, my brother, that as long as you remain in this state, Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has erased all that has passed. Indeed, Allah says:
(68) And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed], except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet a penalty. (69) Multiplied for him is the punishment on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein humiliated - (70) 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. (71) And he who repents and does righteousness does indeed turn to Allah with [accepted] repentance.
وَالَّذِينَ لا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا ءاخَرَ وَلا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلا يَزْنُونَ وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَامًا * يُضَاعَفْ لَهُ الْعَذَابُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَيَخْلُدْ فِيهِ مُهَانًا * إِلَّا مَنْ تَابَ وَءامَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُوْلَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا * وَمَنْ تَابَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَإِنَّهُ يَتُوبُ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَتَابًاSay, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."
قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُThe questioner : May Allah bless you.
This questioner is Amir Ahmad Muhammad from the Holy Makkah.