The one who repents and then returns more than once, is his repentance accepted?
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Question:
The first message in this episode is one that reached the program from Dammam, sent by a listener who referred to his name by the letters (N. M. A). Our brother has a question in which he says: Is the one who commits a sin, then repents, then returns to the sin again, and that happens more than once, then repents with a sincere repentance pure for the sake of Allah, and does not return to it, will Allah accept his repentance? And what must he do to expiate what was from him, especially if that sin was a major one? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow his guidance. As for what follows:
Indeed, Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), out of His gentleness, mercy, and kindness, commanded repentance and promised to accept it from all sins, even if they are great, the greatest of which is shirk (associating partners with Allah). So whoever repents to Allah from his sin with a sincere repentance that includes its conditions, Allah will turn to him in mercy. Allah the Exalted said: [An-Nur: 31]. So He the Exalted informed that the one who repents is successful. And He said (Glorified and Exalted is He): [Ash-Shura: 25],. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith: Sahih Muslim 121. And he also said (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan Ibn Majah 4250Da’if (Darussalam).
So if a person repents from his sin with a sincere repentance that includes regret for what has passed from him, abandoning it, and the firm resolve not to return to it, a sincere resolve out of revering Allah, being sincere to Him, desiring what is with Him, and fearing His punishment, then Allah will turn to him in mercy and forgive him that sin. And if he returns to it after that, then whenever he returns, he will be held accountable for the new sin.
And likewise, whenever he repents, Allah turns to him in mercy, even if that is repeated, provided that the repentance is sincere, pure for the sake of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), and includes its conditions of regret for the past and abandoning it, leaving it out of fear of Allah and revering Him, and the sincere resolve not to return to it, then Allah will turn to him in mercy.
And likewise, the second sin and the third, and so on, whenever he repents, Allah turns to him in mercy. And if he follows that with righteous deeds and striving in good, Allah will replace his bad deeds with good ones, as a favor and kindness from Him, as He the Exalted said in Surat al-Furqan: [Al-Furqan: 69-70].
So He the Exalted made clear that if the one who associates partners with Allah repents, and the killer and the fornicator, if they repent and then follow their repentance with righteous deeds, such as striving in good and acts of obedience, then Allah the Exalted will accept from them and replace their bad deeds with good ones. Every bad deed will be replaced by a good deed, along with the repentance, along with the forgiveness of what has passed. And this is from His generosity and His nobility (Mighty and Majestic).
So the advice to all believers is to hasten with sincere repentance, abandoning sins out of fear of Allah and revering Him, regretting for the past of them, along with the sincere resolve not to return to them. But if the repentance concerns the right of a human being, it is necessary to give him his right.
A fourth condition: It is necessary that the human being be given his right, or he must be asked for forgiveness. If you give him his right, or he forgives you, the matter is ended, and praise be to Allah. So it is necessary to give people their rights, whether of wealth, blood, or honor, or their forgiveness if they forgive. Praise be to Allah. But as for honor, meaning backbiting, if you fear informing him of it, then you mention him with the good you know of him in the gatherings where you mentioned him with evil, where you backbit him. You mention him with the good you know, you mention him with his praiseworthy traits and his good deeds without lying. This will be expiation for that. So if you are unable to inform him of what you did, or you fear that if you inform him the evil will increase, then Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) will forgive you if you are sincere in your repentance and mention him with his good deeds that you know of him in the gatherings where you mentioned him with evil. And Allah is the One to be asked for help. Yes.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
The first message in this episode is one that reached the program from Dammam, sent by a listener who referred to his name by the letters (N. M. A). Our brother has a question in which he says: Is the one who commits a sin, then repents, then returns to the sin again, and that happens more than once, then repents with a sincere repentance pure for the sake of Allah, and does not return to it, will Allah accept his repentance? And what must he do to expiate what was from him, especially if that sin was a major one? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow his guidance. As for what follows:
Indeed, Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), out of His gentleness, mercy, and kindness, commanded repentance and promised to accept it from all sins, even if they are great, the greatest of which is shirk (associating partners with Allah). So whoever repents to Allah from his sin with a sincere repentance that includes its conditions, Allah will turn to him in mercy. Allah the Exalted said:
And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.
وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَAnd it is He who accepts repentance from his servants and pardons misdeeds, and He knows what you do.
وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَعْفُوا عَنِ السَّيِّئَاتِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُونَVerily migration wipes out all the previous (misdeeds)
التوبة تهدم ما كان قبلهاThe one who repents from sin is like one who did not sin.
التائب من الذنب كمن لا ذنب لهSo if a person repents from his sin with a sincere repentance that includes regret for what has passed from him, abandoning it, and the firm resolve not to return to it, a sincere resolve out of revering Allah, being sincere to Him, desiring what is with Him, and fearing His punishment, then Allah will turn to him in mercy and forgive him that sin. And if he returns to it after that, then whenever he returns, he will be held accountable for the new sin.
And likewise, whenever he repents, Allah turns to him in mercy, even if that is repeated, provided that the repentance is sincere, pure for the sake of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), and includes its conditions of regret for the past and abandoning it, leaving it out of fear of Allah and revering Him, and the sincere resolve not to return to it, then Allah will turn to him in mercy.
And likewise, the second sin and the third, and so on, whenever he repents, Allah turns to him in mercy. And if he follows that with righteous deeds and striving in good, Allah will replace his bad deeds with good ones, as a favor and kindness from Him, as He the Exalted said in Surat al-Furqan:
(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.
وَالَّذِينَ لا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ 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 وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُوْلَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًاSo He the Exalted made clear that if the one who associates partners with Allah repents, and the killer and the fornicator, if they repent and then follow their repentance with righteous deeds, such as striving in good and acts of obedience, then Allah the Exalted will accept from them and replace their bad deeds with good ones. Every bad deed will be replaced by a good deed, along with the repentance, along with the forgiveness of what has passed. And this is from His generosity and His nobility (Mighty and Majestic).
So the advice to all believers is to hasten with sincere repentance, abandoning sins out of fear of Allah and revering Him, regretting for the past of them, along with the sincere resolve not to return to them. But if the repentance concerns the right of a human being, it is necessary to give him his right.
A fourth condition: It is necessary that the human being be given his right, or he must be asked for forgiveness. If you give him his right, or he forgives you, the matter is ended, and praise be to Allah. So it is necessary to give people their rights, whether of wealth, blood, or honor, or their forgiveness if they forgive. Praise be to Allah. But as for honor, meaning backbiting, if you fear informing him of it, then you mention him with the good you know of him in the gatherings where you mentioned him with evil, where you backbit him. You mention him with the good you know, you mention him with his praiseworthy traits and his good deeds without lying. This will be expiation for that. So if you are unable to inform him of what you did, or you fear that if you inform him the evil will increase, then Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) will forgive you if you are sincere in your repentance and mention him with his good deeds that you know of him in the gatherings where you mentioned him with evil. And Allah is the One to be asked for help. Yes.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.