The Conditions of Repentance

Question:
The listener, Latifah Muhammad from Jeddah, asks: What are the conditions of repentance?

Answer:
The conditions of repentance, if the sin is between the servant and Allah, are three. First is turning away from the sin, meaning he abandons the sin. As for the one who says, "I seek Allah's forgiveness and I repent to Him," while he remains committed to the sin, he is a liar, not in the sense of lying, but in that his repentance is false. Second is resolving not to return to it. If his repentance is temporary, and he abandons the sin for a time but intends to return to it later, then his repentance is invalid, because he has not repented with a valid repentance; it is only a temporary repentance.
The third is regret over what has passed, meaning he feels remorse, visualizes the sin, and feels ashamed before Allah (Mighty and Majestic). As for the one who boasts about the sin, saying he did such and such, he is not a repentant person, because he is not regretful of what he did. As for if the disobedience is between him and people, such that he wronged them, or took their money, or spoke ill of their honor, and he repents to them, then a fourth condition is added, which is that he returns the right to its owner, or seeks their pardon, and asks for their forgiveness. Yes.

The presenter:
May Allah reward you, may Allah bless you