The Fourth Condition for the Acceptance of Repentance: The Resolution Not to Return to the Sin in the Future.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : I say the fourth condition is that he resolves not to return to the sin in the future. The fourth condition is not to return to the sin in the future. Is there a difference between the two expressions?
The questioner : They are all in the future.
The Shaykh : Yes, they are all in the future, but do I say that he resolves not to return in the future, or do I say the fourth condition is not to return to the disobedience in the future? There is a difference, my brothers, there is a difference, and it becomes clear by example. This man repented sincerely to Allah, regretting what he did, abstaining from it, and resolving not to return to it. But then his soul incited him, and he returned to the sin. Is his first repentance valid or not? Since we say that he resolves not to return, at the time of repentance he had resolved not to return. But if we say the fourth condition is not to return, then if the four conditions are fulfilled and then his soul incites him and he returns, his first repentance is not valid. His first repentance is not valid. Pay attention, my brother. Or is it not clear? By Allah, I do not know if most of you are silent. I say the fourth condition is that he resolves not to return. So this man, the conditions were fulfilled for him; he resolved not to return, but later his soul incited him and he returned. Is his first repentance valid or not? We said he resolves not to return, so the first one is valid. It is valid because he resolved not to return, but his intention renewed itself afterwards. Based on that, the second sin is not built upon the first sin. And if the disobedience is not among the major sins, he is not one who persists in it, so he is not an open sinner. But if we say the fourth condition is not to return to the sin in the future, and then his soul incites him afterwards and he returns, is the repentance valid or not? It is not valid. And this last sin he committed is built upon the previous sins, so it is as if he is repeating the sins. In any case, the fourth condition is that he resolves.
The questioner : That he resolves.
The Shaykh : That he resolves not to return in the future, not that he does not return. He resolves not to return. If he returns after that, the first repentance is not invalidated, but it remains. You understood.
The questioner : They are all in the future.
The Shaykh : Yes, they are all in the future, but do I say that he resolves not to return in the future, or do I say the fourth condition is not to return to the disobedience in the future? There is a difference, my brothers, there is a difference, and it becomes clear by example. This man repented sincerely to Allah, regretting what he did, abstaining from it, and resolving not to return to it. But then his soul incited him, and he returned to the sin. Is his first repentance valid or not? Since we say that he resolves not to return, at the time of repentance he had resolved not to return. But if we say the fourth condition is not to return, then if the four conditions are fulfilled and then his soul incites him and he returns, his first repentance is not valid. His first repentance is not valid. Pay attention, my brother. Or is it not clear? By Allah, I do not know if most of you are silent. I say the fourth condition is that he resolves not to return. So this man, the conditions were fulfilled for him; he resolved not to return, but later his soul incited him and he returned. Is his first repentance valid or not? We said he resolves not to return, so the first one is valid. It is valid because he resolved not to return, but his intention renewed itself afterwards. Based on that, the second sin is not built upon the first sin. And if the disobedience is not among the major sins, he is not one who persists in it, so he is not an open sinner. But if we say the fourth condition is not to return to the sin in the future, and then his soul incites him afterwards and he returns, is the repentance valid or not? It is not valid. And this last sin he committed is built upon the previous sins, so it is as if he is repeating the sins. In any case, the fourth condition is that he resolves.
The questioner : That he resolves.
The Shaykh : That he resolves not to return in the future, not that he does not return. He resolves not to return. If he returns after that, the first repentance is not invalidated, but it remains. You understood.