Repentance: The Fruit of Review and Self-Accounting
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When a person looks into the record of his deeds in the past year, he will either find an obligatory duty that he neglected and was lax in, in which case he must make it up; for making it up, along with repentance to Allah the Exalted and turning back to Him, rectifies what has become defective. And if one is bold in committing the sins of Allah Mighty and Majestic—and man is not free from sin—then the door of repentance is open,Allah, Blessed and Exalted, said: [Surah al-Zumar: 53] ,So Allah the Exalted said: [Surah al-Zumar: 53] And this is regarding those who repent, for if a person repents, whatever his sin may be, Allah the Exalted forgives it for him.
And Allah has mentioned the greatest of sins, both in His rights and the rights of His servants, and He has made clear that repentance from them turns evil deeds into good deeds,So Allah the Exalted said: [Surah al-Furqan: 68] And these are among the greatest of sins. The first is: [Al-Furqan 25:68] meaning: they do not associate partners with Him. So shirk (associating partners with Allah) is the greatest of sins in the right of Allah Mighty and Majestic. [Al-Furqan 25:68] And killing the soul that Allah has forbidden is the greatest transgression against the son of Adam; for this reason, the first thing to be judged among people on the Day of Resurrection is blood.And the third: And zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) is among the greatest crimes in the rights of people, in defiling their honor,These three principles, Allah the Exalted said: [Surah al-Furqan: 68-70] And this is from the grace of Allah Glorified and Exalted is He, that if a person sins and then repents to Allah, believes, and does righteous deeds, his previous evil deeds become good deeds, as a favor and grace from Allah. And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
So the important thing is that this is our review of our past year; what is our outlook for our new year?
Say, "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 جَمِيعاً إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُIndeed, Allah forgives all sins
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعاًAnd Allah has mentioned the greatest of sins, both in His rights and the rights of His servants, and He has made clear that repentance from them turns evil deeds into good deeds,So Allah the Exalted said:
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
وَالَّذِينَ لا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهاً آخَرَ وَلا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلا يَزْنُونَdo not invoke with Allah another deity
لا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهاً آخَرَor kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed], except by right
وَلا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّand do not commit zina
وَلا يَزْنُونَAnd 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.
وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَاماً * يُضَاعَفْ لَهُ الْعَذَابُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَيَخْلُدْ فِيهِ مُهَاناً * إِلَّا مَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلاً صَالِحاً فَأُولَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُوراً رَحِيماًSo the important thing is that this is our review of our past year; what is our outlook for our new year?