She says that she made a mistake once and repented, and she has supplicated to Allah many times for His forgiveness, but she has a constant feeling of guilt. What do you advise her?
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The questioner : She says that she made a mistake once and repented, and she has supplicated to Allah many times for His forgiveness. She says: “But I have a constant feeling of guilt. What do you advise me, O honorable Shaykh? May Allah reward you.”
The Shaykh : I say that this repentant woman’s constant feeling of guilt indicates that her repentance is sincere, due to her much regret over the sins she committed. However, I say to her: “Be glad, for a person’s state after repentance may be more complete than his state before committing the sin. This is because repentance brings about turning back to Allah, prostrating oneself before Him, disavowing one’s own power and strength, disavowing self-admiration, and considering oneself small and contemptible before the greatness of Allah. All of these are noble meanings that elevate a person to a more complete state than he was in before repentance, because such things were lacking before. Therefore, be glad of good.”
The questioner : Praise be to Allah.
The Shaykh : And let her stop what happened of the sin, for it has been forgiven, removed, and its effect erased. Let her remember what happened to Adam (peace be upon him), where Allah (Mighty and Majestic) forbade him to eat from the tree, but he disobeyed and transgressed. Allah the Exalted said:[Taha 20:121-122] The selection did not occur except after he repented from the sin. So Allah selected him, accepted his repentance, and guided him with guidance of knowledge and guidance of success. This indicates what we have mentioned: that a person’s state after sincere repentance may be more complete than it was before committing the sin.
And on this occasion, I would like to say: Repentance has conditions that are necessary. There are five conditions. The first is: Sincerity to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in repentance, such that one is not driven to repent by hoping for something in this world or fearing something in this world. Rather, the driving force for repentance must be the hope for the reward with Allah for those who repent, yes, such that the driving force for repentance is the hope for the reward with Allah the Exalted for those who repent and the escape from the burdens of this sin that one committed.
The second condition is: That one regrets what happened of the sin, feels remorse, and wishes that he had not done it.
The third condition is: That one abandons the sin. If the sin was leaving an obligatory duty, one must make up for it and perform it if possible. If the sin was committing a transgression, one must abandon it immediately.
Included in this is if the sin is a right belonging to a human being. It is obligatory for him to hasten to get rid of this right. If it is money, he returns it to its owner if the owner is alive and known to him. If the owner is dead, he returns it to his heirs. If he does not know them or has forgotten them, he gives it in charity on their behalf.
The fourth condition is: That one resolves not to return to it in the future. That is, he must have a resolution not to return to this sin in the future. The condition is not that he does not return to the sin in the future; the condition is that he resolves not to return. Then, if his soul incites him and he returns, his first repentance remains valid, and he needs a new repentance for the new sin.
The fifth condition is: That the repentance be in the time when repentance is accepted, meaning before the arrival of death and before the sun rises from the west. If it is after the arrival of death, it is not accepted, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:[An-Nisa 4:18].
And in the authentic collections, it is narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) that he said:Sunan Abi Dawud 2479Sahih (Al-Albani) And this is witnessed by the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-An'am 6:158].
And I urge my brothers who are still in sin to hasten to repent before it is too late, and to know that the greatness of the sin does not prevent repentance. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Furqan 25:68-71]. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O Shaykh Muhammad. In truth, O honorable Shaykh, as we are discussing repentance, I have a message from a listener from Algeria, Abu Satah, who says.
The Shaykh : I say that this repentant woman’s constant feeling of guilt indicates that her repentance is sincere, due to her much regret over the sins she committed. However, I say to her: “Be glad, for a person’s state after repentance may be more complete than his state before committing the sin. This is because repentance brings about turning back to Allah, prostrating oneself before Him, disavowing one’s own power and strength, disavowing self-admiration, and considering oneself small and contemptible before the greatness of Allah. All of these are noble meanings that elevate a person to a more complete state than he was in before repentance, because such things were lacking before. Therefore, be glad of good.”
The questioner : Praise be to Allah.
The Shaykh : And let her stop what happened of the sin, for it has been forgiven, removed, and its effect erased. Let her remember what happened to Adam (peace be upon him), where Allah (Mighty and Majestic) forbade him to eat from the tree, but he disobeyed and transgressed. Allah the Exalted said:
And Adam disobeyed his Lord and erred. (122) Then his Lord chose him and turned to him in forgiveness and guided [him].
وَعَصَى ءادَمُ رَبَّهُ فَغَوَى * ثُمَّ اجْتَبَاهُ رَبُّهُ فَتَابَ عَلَيْهِ وَهَدَىAnd on this occasion, I would like to say: Repentance has conditions that are necessary. There are five conditions. The first is: Sincerity to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in repentance, such that one is not driven to repent by hoping for something in this world or fearing something in this world. Rather, the driving force for repentance must be the hope for the reward with Allah for those who repent, yes, such that the driving force for repentance is the hope for the reward with Allah the Exalted for those who repent and the escape from the burdens of this sin that one committed.
The second condition is: That one regrets what happened of the sin, feels remorse, and wishes that he had not done it.
The third condition is: That one abandons the sin. If the sin was leaving an obligatory duty, one must make up for it and perform it if possible. If the sin was committing a transgression, one must abandon it immediately.
Included in this is if the sin is a right belonging to a human being. It is obligatory for him to hasten to get rid of this right. If it is money, he returns it to its owner if the owner is alive and known to him. If the owner is dead, he returns it to his heirs. If he does not know them or has forgotten them, he gives it in charity on their behalf.
The fourth condition is: That one resolves not to return to it in the future. That is, he must have a resolution not to return to this sin in the future. The condition is not that he does not return to the sin in the future; the condition is that he resolves not to return. Then, if his soul incites him and he returns, his first repentance remains valid, and he needs a new repentance for the new sin.
The fifth condition is: That the repentance be in the time when repentance is accepted, meaning before the arrival of death and before the sun rises from the west. If it is after the arrival of death, it is not accepted, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:
But 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,"
وَلَيْسَتِ التَّوْبَةُ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ حَتَّى إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَهُمُ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ إِنِّي تُبْتُ الآنَAnd in the authentic collections, it is narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) that he said:
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 مغربهاDo 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 خَيْرًاAnd I urge my brothers who are still in sin to hasten to repent before it is too late, and to know that the greatness of the sin does not prevent repentance. Allah the Exalted said:
(68) 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. And 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. (71) And he who repents and does righteousness does indeed turn to Allah with [accepted] repentance.
وَالَّذِينَ لا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا ءاخَرَ وَلا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلا يَزْنُونَ وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَامًا * يُضَاعَفْ لَهُ الْعَذَابُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَيَخْلُدْ فِيهِ مُهَانًا * إِلَّا مَنْ تَابَ وَءامَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُوْلَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا * وَمَنْ تَابَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَإِنَّهُ يَتُوبُ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَتَابًاThe questioner : May Allah bless you, O Shaykh Muhammad. In truth, O honorable Shaykh, as we are discussing repentance, I have a message from a listener from Algeria, Abu Satah, who says.