Is repentance obligatory immediately or with delay?
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The Shaykh : And here it was asked: Is repentance obligatory immediately, meaning one must hasten to repent, or is it permissible for him to delay?
We say: It is obligatory to hasten to repentance, because of the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He:[An-Nur 24:31] And because a person is not safe; a person may die suddenly, or go out and not return to his home, or sleep and not rise from his bed. So it is obligatory to hasten to repentance.
On this occasion, I say to my brothers who have rights owed to others: hasten to repent from them. Among the things that require repentance is what some rich people do: they delay paying what they owe despite their ability to do so. You find the owner of the right, who sold him the goods, coming to him and saying, "So-and-so, give me my right," and he says, "Tomorrow." He comes tomorrow and he says, "The day after tomorrow." He comes the day after tomorrow and he says, "In the second week." He comes in the second week and he says, "In the second month." This is forbidden. Whoever is able to fulfill his obligation, if he delays the fulfillment, even for a moment, he only increases in sin and injustice, because of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):.
Shall we continue with the verses or with the questions? With the questions? Do you prefer we continue with the verses or postpone to the second night?
The student: Continue.
The Shaykh : Okay, there is no harm.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : All the servants, there is nothing wrong with them. Okay.[Az-Zumar 39:53] What does "forgives" mean? It means He overlooks and covers all the sins.
We say: It is obligatory to hasten to repentance, because of the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He:
And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.
وتوبوا إلى الله جميعاً أيها المؤمنون لعلكم تفلحونOn this occasion, I say to my brothers who have rights owed to others: hasten to repent from them. Among the things that require repentance is what some rich people do: they delay paying what they owe despite their ability to do so. You find the owner of the right, who sold him the goods, coming to him and saying, "So-and-so, give me my right," and he says, "Tomorrow." He comes tomorrow and he says, "The day after tomorrow." He comes the day after tomorrow and he says, "In the second week." He comes in the second week and he says, "In the second month." This is forbidden. Whoever is able to fulfill his obligation, if he delays the fulfillment, even for a moment, he only increases in sin and injustice, because of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Delaying the payment of a wealthy person is injustice.
مطل الغني ظلمShall we continue with the verses or with the questions? With the questions? Do you prefer we continue with the verses or postpone to the second night?
The student: Continue.
The Shaykh : Okay, there is no harm.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : All the servants, there is nothing wrong with them. Okay.