Explanation of the words of Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding what he quoted: "
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The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful:
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The Chapter on Repentance": Repentance is from *taba yatabu* when one returns, and it is the return from the disobedience of Allah to His obedience. The greatest and most obligatory of it is repentance from disbelief to faith. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Anfal 8:38].
Next comes repentance from major sins, from the major sins.
Then the third rank: repentance from minor sins.
It is obligatory for a person to repent to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) from every sin. Repentance has three conditions, as the author (may Allah have mercy on him) said, but when examined in detail, they amount to five. The first condition is sincerity for Allah, such that a person's intention in his repentance is the Face of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and that Allah turns to him in mercy and overlooks the sin he committed. He does not intend by it to show off to people or to draw near to them, nor does he intend by it to ward off harm from the authorities or the one in authority. Rather, he intends by it the Face of Allah, the Hereafter, and that Allah forgives his sins.
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The Chapter on Repentance": Repentance is from *taba yatabu* when one returns, and it is the return from the disobedience of Allah to His obedience. The greatest and most obligatory of it is repentance from disbelief to faith. Allah the Exalted said:
Say to those who have disbelieved [that] if they cease, what has previously occurred will be forgiven for them
قُلْ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِنْ يَنْتَهُوا يُغْفَرْ لَهُمْ مَا قَدْ سَلَفَNext comes repentance from major sins, from the major sins.
Then the third rank: repentance from minor sins.
It is obligatory for a person to repent to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) from every sin. Repentance has three conditions, as the author (may Allah have mercy on him) said, but when examined in detail, they amount to five. The first condition is sincerity for Allah, such that a person's intention in his repentance is the Face of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and that Allah turns to him in mercy and overlooks the sin he committed. He does not intend by it to show off to people or to draw near to them, nor does he intend by it to ward off harm from the authorities or the one in authority. Rather, he intends by it the Face of Allah, the Hereafter, and that Allah forgives his sins.