A married man who did not pray the obligatory prayers and committed sins before his father’s death, and after his father’s death, Allah the Exalted guided him, and he began to pray and do good
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The questioner : He is a married man. Before my father’s death, I did not pray the five obligatory prayers, and I also committed sins. Then, after my father’s death, Allah guided me to the straight path, and I began to pray, do good, and maintain my obligations. What is obligatory for me to do to expiate for my past sins and find peace of mind? I ask the honorable Shaykh for an answer.
The Shaykh : If a person repents to Allah with sincere repentance, then Allah the Exalted accepts his repentance and forgives his evil deeds, however great they may be. Allah the Exalted said:[Ash-Shuraa 42:25] And He said: [Az-Zumar 39:53] So if a person repents from his sin, however great it is, Allah will accept his repentance. But let it be known that repentance has conditions that must be fulfilled. The first is: sincerity to Allah Mighty and Majestic, by intending with his repentance to return to his Lord from His disobedience to His obedience, and not intending thereby to curry favor with people, or to draw near to them, or for fame, or wealth, or the like. Rather, his repentance must be pure for Allah alone, seeking safety from His punishment and attaining His reward.
The second is: regret for what has passed of his negligence in an obligation or violation of a prohibition.
This condition may be difficult for some people to understand, because regret is a psychological emotion. How can a person possess it? The answer to this is that we say: the meaning of regret is its effect, that is, that he displays sorrow and grief over his past sin. This is what regret is.
The third is: that he ceases from it immediately, that he ceases from the sin immediately. So repentance from a sin is not valid while persisting in it, because repenting from a sin while persisting in it is a form of mocking Allah Mighty and Majestic.
An example of this is if he says, “I repent to Allah Mighty and Majestic from backbiting people,” but he continues to backbite them. How can we say that his repentance is valid? If he says, “I repent to Allah from consuming usury or interest,” but he continues to consume usury or interest, then he has not repented.
If he says, “I repent to Allah from oppressing people,” while he continues to seize their wealth without right, or the like, then his repentance is not valid no matter what he does, because he has not ceased from the sin.
The fourth condition is: that he resolves not to return to the sin in the future, meaning that his repentance must be a final break from this sin, so that he will not return to it. If he says, “I repent to Allah, I cease from the sin, I regret it, and I have ceased from it, but in his intention he is to return to it at some time or in some situation,” then his repentance is not valid. He must resolve not to return to it. If someone says, “He resolved not to return, but his self overcame him and he returned. Is his first repentance invalidated?” The answer is: No, the answer is that his first repentance is not invalidated, because repentance was realized by his resolution not to return, and this is the condition. The condition is not that he does not return, but the resolution not to return. There is an apparent difference between the two. So if he repents to Allah from a sin with sincere repentance and then returns to it, his first repentance is not invalidated, but he must renew his repentance for having committed the sin again.
The fifth condition for the acceptance of repentance is: that it be in the time of acceptance, that is, in the time when it is accepted. For there comes upon people, or upon a person himself, a time when repentance is not accepted from him. So when the sun rises from the west, repentance is not accepted, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-An'am 6:158] And that is the rising of the sun from the west. So when the sun rises from the west, all people will believe, but [Al-An'am 6:158].
And likewise, repentance:Sunan Abi Dawud 2479Sahih (Al-Albani) And when the term of life is present, repentance is not accepted, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted: [An-Nisa 4:18] So when a person sees the Angel of Death, his repentance is not accepted, because this is not a repentance out of desire, but a repentance of one in dire necessity, so it does not benefit. Therefore, when drowning overtook Pharaoh, [Yunus 10:90] and it was said to him: meaning, is it now that you repent [Yunus 10:91-92] So Allah saved him with his body and displayed him so that he would be a sign of his death and destruction for the Children of Israel, whom he had terrified, so that they would be certain that he had died.
So the important thing is that no matter what sin you have committed, if you repent to Allah the Exalted with sincere repentance, then Allah will accept your repentance. Indeed:[Al-Baqarah 2:222]. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. This is a listener to the program who says, honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : If a person repents to Allah with sincere repentance, then Allah the Exalted accepts his repentance and forgives his evil deeds, however great they may be. Allah the Exalted said:
And it is He who accepts repentance from his servants and pardons misdeeds
وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَعْفُوا عَنِ السَّيِّئَاتِSay, "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 جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُThe second is: regret for what has passed of his negligence in an obligation or violation of a prohibition.
This condition may be difficult for some people to understand, because regret is a psychological emotion. How can a person possess it? The answer to this is that we say: the meaning of regret is its effect, that is, that he displays sorrow and grief over his past sin. This is what regret is.
The third is: that he ceases from it immediately, that he ceases from the sin immediately. So repentance from a sin is not valid while persisting in it, because repenting from a sin while persisting in it is a form of mocking Allah Mighty and Majestic.
An example of this is if he says, “I repent to Allah Mighty and Majestic from backbiting people,” but he continues to backbite them. How can we say that his repentance is valid? If he says, “I repent to Allah from consuming usury or interest,” but he continues to consume usury or interest, then he has not repented.
If he says, “I repent to Allah from oppressing people,” while he continues to seize their wealth without right, or the like, then his repentance is not valid no matter what he does, because he has not ceased from the sin.
The fourth condition is: that he resolves not to return to the sin in the future, meaning that his repentance must be a final break from this sin, so that he will not return to it. If he says, “I repent to Allah, I cease from the sin, I regret it, and I have ceased from it, but in his intention he is to return to it at some time or in some situation,” then his repentance is not valid. He must resolve not to return to it. If someone says, “He resolved not to return, but his self overcame him and he returned. Is his first repentance invalidated?” The answer is: No, the answer is that his first repentance is not invalidated, because repentance was realized by his resolution not to return, and this is the condition. The condition is not that he does not return, but the resolution not to return. There is an apparent difference between the two. So if he repents to Allah from a sin with sincere repentance and then returns to it, his first repentance is not invalidated, but he must renew his repentance for having committed the sin again.
The fifth condition for the acceptance of repentance is: that it be in the time of acceptance, that is, in the time when it is accepted. For there comes upon people, or upon a person himself, a time when repentance is not accepted from him. So when the sun rises from the west, repentance is not accepted, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Do they [then] wait for anything except that the angels should come to them or your Lord should come or that there come some of the signs of your Lord? The Day that some of the signs of your Lord will come no soul will benefit from its faith as long as it had not believed before or had earned through its faith some good
هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ تَأْتِيَهُمُ الْمَلائِكَةُ أَوْ يَأْتِيَ رَبُّكَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَ بَعْضُ ءايَاتِ رَبِّكَ يَوْمَ يَأْتِي بَعْضُ ءايَاتِ رَبِّكَ لا يَنفَعُ نَفْسًا إِيمَانُهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ ءامَنَتْ مِنْ قَبْلُ أَوْ كَسَبَتْ فِي إِيمَانِهَا خَيْرًاno soul will benefit from its faith as long as it had not believed before or had earned through its faith some good
لا يَنفَعُ نَفْسًا إِيمَانُهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ ءامَنَتْ مِنْ قَبْلُ أَوْ كَسَبَتْ فِي إِيمَانِهَا خَيْرًاAnd likewise, repentance:
Migration will not end until repentance ends, and repentance will not end until the sun rises in the west.
لا تنقطع الهجرة حتى تنقطع التوبة ولا تنقطع التوبة حتى تخرج الشمس من مغربهاBut repentance is not [accepted] of those who [continue to] do evil deeds up until, when death comes to one of them, he says, "Indeed, I have repented now," or of those who die while they are disbelievers
وَلَيْسَتِ التَّوْبَةُ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ حَتَّى إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَهُمُ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ إِنِّي تُبْتُ الآنَ وَلا الَّذِينَ يَمُوتُونَ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌhe said, "I believe that there is no deity except that in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of the Muslims."
قَالَ ءامَنْتُ أَنَّهُ لا إِلَهَ إِلَّا الَّذِي ءامَنَتْ بِهِ بَنُوا إِسْرَائِيلَ وَأَنَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَNow?
ءالآنَAnd you had disobeyed [Him] before and were of the corrupters? (92) So today We will save you in body that you may be to those who succeed you a sign.
وَقَدْ عَصَيْتَ قَبْلُ وَكُنْتَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ * فَالْيَوْمَ نُنَجِّيكَ بِبَدَنِكَ لِتَكُونَ لِمَنْ خَلْفَكَ ءايَةًSo the important thing is that no matter what sin you have committed, if you repent to Allah the Exalted with sincere repentance, then Allah will accept your repentance. Indeed:
Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves."
إن الله يحب التوابين ويحب المتطهرينThe questioner : May Allah bless you. This is a listener to the program who says, honorable Shaykh.