Does Allah accept the repentance of one who commits a sin and then repents?
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Our brother asks: Does Allah accept the repentance of one who commits a sin and then repents? As I hope you will explain to us in detail the conditions of sincere repentance?
Answer: Whoever repents with a sincere repentance, Allah will accept his repentance, even if it is from shirk (associating partners with Allah), provided his repentance is sincere and includes the conditions prescribed by the Shari'ah. Indeed, Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) will accept his repentance, as He (Exalted and Majestic is He) said: [Surah al-Zumar: 53]. The scholars have agreed that the meaning of this verse is: the repentant ones; whoever repents, Allah will accept his repentance. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 121. He (peace and blessings be upon him) also said: Sunan al-Bayhaqi 16:896. He (peace and blessings be upon him) also said: Sunan Ibn Majah 4250Da’if (Darussalam). And He (Exalted and Majestic is He) said: [Surah al-Nur: 31].
Thus, He (Glorified and Exalted is He) made clear that the repentant one is successful. Its conditions are three; the conditions of repentance are three:
The first condition: regret for the past, meaning that he feels sad and regrets the disobedience that has passed from him.
The second condition: abandoning it and leaving it off, out of fear of Allah and out of reverence for Allah.
The third condition: a sincere resolve not to return to it. As for one who says, "I regret it," while he is still doing it, he is not repentant. It is necessary to have regret for the past and to leave it off, meaning that he abandons it and leaves it. If it was zina (unlawful sexual intercourse), he leaves zina; if it was theft, he leaves it; if it was undutifulness to parents, he leaves undutifulness; if it was severing family ties, he leaves severing family ties; if it was dealing in riba (usury or interest), he leaves dealing in riba, and so on.
And the second [condition] is that he resolves with a sincere resolve not to return to the disobedience. These are three conditions that are necessary. If they are completed and present, the repentance is valid, and Allah will erase the sin from him. However, if the sin involves the creation and he has wronged someone, a fourth condition is necessary: that he seek their forgiveness or give them their rights. If, for example, he stole money from a person, his repentance is not complete until he returns the money to its owner, or seeks his forgiveness, or if he hit him or cut off his hand or something similar, he must seek his forgiveness or give him qisas (retaliation in kind), so that he is retaliated against.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good and do you good.
Answer: Whoever repents with a sincere repentance, Allah will accept his repentance, even if it is from shirk (associating partners with Allah), provided his repentance is sincere and includes the conditions prescribed by the Shari'ah. Indeed, Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) will accept his repentance, as He (Exalted and Majestic is He) said:
Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins
قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًاVerily migration wipes out all the previous (misdeeds)
التوبة تهدم ما كان قبلهاRepentance wipes out what came before it
التوبة تجب ما كان قبلهاThe one who repents from sin is like one who did not sin.
التائب من الذنب كمن لا ذنب لهAnd turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.
وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَThus, He (Glorified and Exalted is He) made clear that the repentant one is successful. Its conditions are three; the conditions of repentance are three:
The first condition: regret for the past, meaning that he feels sad and regrets the disobedience that has passed from him.
The second condition: abandoning it and leaving it off, out of fear of Allah and out of reverence for Allah.
The third condition: a sincere resolve not to return to it. As for one who says, "I regret it," while he is still doing it, he is not repentant. It is necessary to have regret for the past and to leave it off, meaning that he abandons it and leaves it. If it was zina (unlawful sexual intercourse), he leaves zina; if it was theft, he leaves it; if it was undutifulness to parents, he leaves undutifulness; if it was severing family ties, he leaves severing family ties; if it was dealing in riba (usury or interest), he leaves dealing in riba, and so on.
And the second [condition] is that he resolves with a sincere resolve not to return to the disobedience. These are three conditions that are necessary. If they are completed and present, the repentance is valid, and Allah will erase the sin from him. However, if the sin involves the creation and he has wronged someone, a fourth condition is necessary: that he seek their forgiveness or give them their rights. If, for example, he stole money from a person, his repentance is not complete until he returns the money to its owner, or seeks his forgiveness, or if he hit him or cut off his hand or something similar, he must seek his forgiveness or give him qisas (retaliation in kind), so that he is retaliated against.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good and do you good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.