The Conditions of Repentance and the Path of Returning to Allah the Exalted
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Question:
Your Eminence, as has been presented to you more than once, many Muslims fall into sins, such as abandoning prayer, for example, like the question presented just now. Many Muslims seek repentance and look for its path, but they do not know where to begin. It would be desirable if you would please, Your Eminence, outline a correct path for those who yearn for repentance and wish for it, but whose feet still stumble a little. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Repentance is among the most important matters and among the greatest obligations upon every Muslim. It is obligatory for every believer, male and female, to repent to Allah, the Exalted, from all sins. The believer, male and female, must account for himself in all times so that he hastens to repent from all sins and so that he guards against persisting in them and being insistent upon them. From the mercy of Allah, the Exalted, and His kindness to His servants is that He legislated for them repentance and opened its door to them so that sin does not harm them. For whoever repents, Allah turns to him in mercy as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said. If the servant had no repentance, it would be a great calamity. Who is there that is safe from sins? But from the mercy of Allah is that whoever repents sincerely and purely for Allah, Allah turns to him in mercy. As Allah, the Exalted, said in His great Book: [Surat al-Nur: 31]. This verse is in Surat al-Nur. And He said in Surat al-Tahrim: [Surat al-Tahrim: 8]. And the hope from Allah is obligatory. The meaning is: whoever repents, Allah covers his evil deeds, admits him to Paradise, and he succeeds, as in the previous verse. So the one who repents is successful, and for him is Paradise and honor if he repents with a sincere repentance. It is obligatory for every Muslim, male and female, to be sincere in repentance and to strive for it. Its conditions are three:
Regret for the past, that he regrets his disobedience that has passed from him, and he grieves over it.
The second: abandoning it, leaving it and guarding against it.
The third: the sincere resolve not to return to it, out of fear of Allah and magnification of Him, and sincerity to Him . Thus, repentance with these three conditions is called conditions, and it is also called the pillars of repentance. It is built upon these three matters, and it is not achieved except with these three matters: regret for the past from the evil deeds, from zina, or theft, or undutifulness to parents, or abandoning prayer, or abandoning zakah, or otherwise.
The second: abandoning the disobedience, leaving it and guarding against it, by performing the zakah that he abandoned. He accounts for himself and performs the zakah that he abandoned for all the past years. And he performs the rights to their owners if he has rights of people, and injustices; he returns them to their owners. And this is a fourth condition, if he has injustices; he must return them to their owners, or seek their forgiveness. And the meaning of abandoning it: leaving it such that he does not do it.
And the third matter: that he resolves with a sincere resolve not to return to it. So if he returns after that, he is taken with the last sin, and the first sin is gone by the repentance, it is dropped by the repentance. But if he returns after the sincere repentance to the sin, he is taken with the last one. Then if he repents from the last one; Allah forgives it for him. If he returns a third time; he is taken with the last sin, and so on, if that is after a sincere repentance.
As for if he did not, he did not resolve to leave it, he regretted and left it, but he did not resolve to leave it, rather in his intention, whenever he finds it, he does it, whenever he is able to do it, he does it. This is not repentance, he is not called a repentant one, he is not a repentant one, until he resolves with a sincere resolve not to return to it.
And among the causes of repentance is that the believer increases in the Qur'an, he reflects upon the Qur'an, and he knows what Allah promised the sinners of painful punishment, and what He promised the pious of great good, and the abode of honor and eternal bliss. He reads the Sunnah, he listens to the hadiths, he attends the circles of knowledge, he attends the gatherings of knowledge, he keeps the company of scholars and the righteous. All of these are among the causes of repentance.
And among the causes of repentance: that he asks Allah, and he humbles himself to Him constantly, saying: O Lord, grant me sincere repentance. O Lord, bestow upon me repentance. O Lord, guide me to Your straight path. He asks his Lord in his prostration, in the last of the tashahhud before the salam, in the last of the night, in the middle of the night, between the adhan and the iqamah. These are great times in which response is hoped for. He asks his Lord, he humbles himself to Him, saying: O Allah, grant me sincere repentance. O Allah, guide me to Your straight path. O Allah, protect me from the accursed Shaytan. O Allah, protect me from the company of the bad, and suffice me from their evil.Al-Mustadrak lil-Hakim 33:79 meaning: his beloved and his friend. So Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2378Hasan (Darussalam)
And the poet says:
Do not ask about the man, but ask about his companion
For every companion is imitated by the one he keeps company with
Meaning: this is the most common. And more truthful than this is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 2628 The good companion is like the carrier of musk meaning: he gives you Sahih al-Bukhari 5534 meaning: you buy from him Sahih al-Bukhari 5534 As for the bellower of the bellows, he is Sahih al-Bukhari 5534.
This great parable with which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) compared the good companion and the bad companion, and what ... the believer, male and female, is to take the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and act upon his advice and his direction (peace and blessings be upon him), and that is by taking the good companion and the good friend, and guarding against the company of the bad. And so the woman strives for the good female companions, and the good female friends, with guarding against the bad female companions and the friends who call her to falsehood.
And so the students, the male students in schools and other than schools, the female student strives for the company of the good female classmate, and imitating her and consulting with her, and she stays away from the bad female classmate. And so the female student in schools, and so the teachers, and so all people.
So it is obligatory for everyone to strive for the good companion and the good friend, and to guard against the bad companion and the bad friend wherever he is. This is among the causes of happiness, and among the causes of success. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. So what is the beginning of the path -in points if you allow- in the manner of first, second?
The Shaykh: The beginning of the path is that he humbles himself to Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) and that he asks Him to bestow upon him repentance.
Second: he strives to reflect upon the Noble Qur'an, and to increase in its recitation, or listening to it if he does not read, listening to it from the Qur'an radio, or from his children if he has someone who reads, or his daughters, so that he benefits, and he is humble to the speech of Allah, and he knows what is in obedience of good, and what is in disobedience of evil, and what Allah promised the people of piety, and what He promised the people of sins and evils.
Third: the struggle of his self, he struggles it until he is upright upon the truth, and until he leaves the disobedience. It is necessary to struggle. Allah says (Exalted and Majestic is He): [Surat al-'Ankabut: 69]. And the struggle is what obligates it with the truth, that he strives to press it until it adheres to the truth, and until it leaves the falsehood. And He says, the Exalted: [Surat al-'Ankabut: 6]. And He says, the Exalted: [Surat al-Isra: 7].
Fourth: striving for the good companion, and the good female companion, and the good male classmate, and the good female classmate. Thus the believer strives for the good companions, and the good friends, and the believing woman likewise. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may Allah accept from you.
Your Eminence, as has been presented to you more than once, many Muslims fall into sins, such as abandoning prayer, for example, like the question presented just now. Many Muslims seek repentance and look for its path, but they do not know where to begin. It would be desirable if you would please, Your Eminence, outline a correct path for those who yearn for repentance and wish for it, but whose feet still stumble a little. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Repentance is among the most important matters and among the greatest obligations upon every Muslim. It is obligatory for every believer, male and female, to repent to Allah, the Exalted, from all sins. The believer, male and female, must account for himself in all times so that he hastens to repent from all sins and so that he guards against persisting in them and being insistent upon them. From the mercy of Allah, the Exalted, and His kindness to His servants is that He legislated for them repentance and opened its door to them so that sin does not harm them. For whoever repents, Allah turns to him in mercy
And whoever repents from a sin is like one who has no sin
ومن تاب من الذنب فكمن لا ذنب لهAnd turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.
وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَO you who have believed, repent to Allah with sincere repentance. Perhaps your Lord will remove from you your misdeeds and admit you into gardens beneath which rivers flow
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَصُوحًا عَسَى رَبُّكُمْ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ عَنْكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَيُدْخِلَكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ ..Regret for the past, that he regrets his disobedience that has passed from him, and he grieves over it.
The second: abandoning it, leaving it and guarding against it.
The third: the sincere resolve not to return to it, out of fear of Allah and magnification of Him, and sincerity to Him . Thus, repentance with these three conditions is called conditions, and it is also called the pillars of repentance. It is built upon these three matters, and it is not achieved except with these three matters: regret for the past from the evil deeds, from zina, or theft, or undutifulness to parents, or abandoning prayer, or abandoning zakah, or otherwise.
The second: abandoning the disobedience, leaving it and guarding against it, by performing the zakah that he abandoned. He accounts for himself and performs the zakah that he abandoned for all the past years. And he performs the rights to their owners if he has rights of people, and injustices; he returns them to their owners. And this is a fourth condition, if he has injustices; he must return them to their owners, or seek their forgiveness. And the meaning of abandoning it: leaving it such that he does not do it.
And the third matter: that he resolves with a sincere resolve not to return to it. So if he returns after that, he is taken with the last sin, and the first sin is gone by the repentance, it is dropped by the repentance. But if he returns after the sincere repentance to the sin, he is taken with the last one. Then if he repents from the last one; Allah forgives it for him. If he returns a third time; he is taken with the last sin, and so on, if that is after a sincere repentance.
As for if he did not, he did not resolve to leave it, he regretted and left it, but he did not resolve to leave it, rather in his intention, whenever he finds it, he does it, whenever he is able to do it, he does it. This is not repentance, he is not called a repentant one, he is not a repentant one, until he resolves with a sincere resolve not to return to it.
And among the causes of repentance is that the believer increases in the Qur'an, he reflects upon the Qur'an, and he knows what Allah promised the sinners of painful punishment, and what He promised the pious of great good, and the abode of honor and eternal bliss. He reads the Sunnah, he listens to the hadiths, he attends the circles of knowledge, he attends the gatherings of knowledge, he keeps the company of scholars and the righteous. All of these are among the causes of repentance.
And among the causes of repentance: that he asks Allah, and he humbles himself to Him constantly, saying: O Lord, grant me sincere repentance. O Lord, bestow upon me repentance. O Lord, guide me to Your straight path. He asks his Lord in his prostration, in the last of the tashahhud before the salam, in the last of the night, in the middle of the night, between the adhan and the iqamah. These are great times in which response is hoped for. He asks his Lord, he humbles himself to Him, saying: O Allah, grant me sincere repentance. O Allah, guide me to Your straight path. O Allah, protect me from the accursed Shaytan. O Allah, protect me from the company of the bad, and suffice me from their evil.
A man follows the religion of his close friend.
المرء على دين خليلهso let one of you look at whom he befriends
لينظر أحدكم من يخاللAnd the poet says:
Do not ask about the man, but ask about his companion
For every companion is imitated by the one he keeps company with
Meaning: this is the most common. And more truthful than this is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
The similitude of good company and that of bad company is that of the owner of musk and of the one (iron-smith) blowing bellows
مثل الجليس الصالح، والجليس السوء كحامل المسك ونافخ الكيرeither he gives you some
إما أن يحذيكor you will buy some from him
وإما أن تبتاع منهor you will get a good smell from him
وإما أن تجد منه ريحاً طيبةwill either burn your clothes or you will get a bad smell from him
إما أن يحرق ثيابك وإما أن تجد ريحًا خبيثةThis great parable with which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) compared the good companion and the bad companion, and what ... the believer, male and female, is to take the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and act upon his advice and his direction (peace and blessings be upon him), and that is by taking the good companion and the good friend, and guarding against the company of the bad. And so the woman strives for the good female companions, and the good female friends, with guarding against the bad female companions and the friends who call her to falsehood.
And so the students, the male students in schools and other than schools, the female student strives for the company of the good female classmate, and imitating her and consulting with her, and she stays away from the bad female classmate. And so the female student in schools, and so the teachers, and so all people.
So it is obligatory for everyone to strive for the good companion and the good friend, and to guard against the bad companion and the bad friend wherever he is. This is among the causes of happiness, and among the causes of success. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. So what is the beginning of the path -in points if you allow- in the manner of first, second?
The Shaykh: The beginning of the path is that he humbles himself to Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) and that he asks Him to bestow upon him repentance.
Second: he strives to reflect upon the Noble Qur'an, and to increase in its recitation, or listening to it if he does not read, listening to it from the Qur'an radio, or from his children if he has someone who reads, or his daughters, so that he benefits, and he is humble to the speech of Allah, and he knows what is in obedience of good, and what is in disobedience of evil, and what Allah promised the people of piety, and what He promised the people of sins and evils.
Third: the struggle of his self, he struggles it until he is upright upon the truth, and until he leaves the disobedience. It is necessary to struggle. Allah says (Exalted and Majestic is He):
And those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways
وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَاAnd whoever strives only strives for [the benefit of] himself
وَمَنْ جَاهَدَ فَإِنَّمَا يُجَاهِدُ لِنَفْسِهِIf you do good, you do good for yourselves
إِنْ أَحْسَنتُمْ أَحْسَنتُمْ لِأَنفُسِكُمْFourth: striving for the good companion, and the good female companion, and the good male classmate, and the good female classmate. Thus the believer strives for the good companions, and the good friends, and the believing woman likewise. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may Allah accept from you.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.