Should a repentant person remember their previous sins in order to find and perform good deeds, or should they forget them?
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The questioner : Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh : Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.
The questioner : O Shaykh, may Allah bless you, should a repentant person remember their previous sins in order to find and perform good deeds, or should they forget them so that they do not make their life bitter?
The Shaykh : The repentant person is the one who returns to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) with sincerity in his repentance and resolves not to return to it. As for remembering what has passed, this is looked at in terms of benefit. If he sees benefit in it, and this is when he finds negligence in himself or finds himself inclined toward disobedience, he reminds himself of what has passed, and this is good.
Otherwise, if remembering this sin harms him and he fears for himself despair from the mercy of Allah due to the multitude of his sins, he should not remember it.
It is established in the authentic hadith that 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said when he discussed the matter with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) during the Battle of al-Hudaybiyyah: meaning good deeds that expiate what has passed. So a person looks at the benefit in remembering the sins from which he repented, or in being negligent of them. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.
The questioner : O Shaykh, may Allah bless you, should a repentant person remember their previous sins in order to find and perform good deeds, or should they forget them so that they do not make their life bitter?
The Shaykh : The repentant person is the one who returns to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) with sincerity in his repentance and resolves not to return to it. As for remembering what has passed, this is looked at in terms of benefit. If he sees benefit in it, and this is when he finds negligence in himself or finds himself inclined toward disobedience, he reminds himself of what has passed, and this is good.
Otherwise, if remembering this sin harms him and he fears for himself despair from the mercy of Allah due to the multitude of his sins, he should not remember it.
It is established in the authentic hadith that 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said when he discussed the matter with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) during the Battle of al-Hudaybiyyah:
So I did good deeds for that.
فعملت لذلك أعمالاThe questioner : May Allah reward you with good.