The Virtue of Repentance and Its Conditions
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Question:
We move on to a message received from Baghdad. The questioner, Bashar, says in this question: Is repentance accepted for major sins? I have heard from some people that repentance is not accepted after major sins committed intentionally. If Allah forgives these major sins, how is repentance possible?
Answer:
Repentance is accepted for major and minor sins. The greatest of major sins is shirk (associating partners with Allah) (Exalted and Majestic is He). If a disbeliever becomes a Muslim, Allah accepts his repentance and his Islam. So the greatest of major sins is shirk (associating partners with Allah). He (peace and blessings be upon him) said when asked, "Which sin is the greatest?" He said:Sahih al-Bukhari 6811 meaning: that you associate partners with Allah, making a rival for Him whom you worship alongside Allah, such as calling upon Shaykh al-Jilani. This is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). Calling upon al-Hasan or al-Husayn or al-Badawi or others, calling upon them alongside Allah... seeking aid from them... making vows to them. This is major shirk (associating partners with Allah), and this is making a rival for Allah. But whenever a person repents, Allah turns to him in mercy.
And so with the fornicator, and so with the one who is undutiful to his parents, and so with the drinker of intoxicants, and so with the consumer of riba (usury or interest) and others. Whenever they repent, Allah turns to them in mercy. For Allah says, the Exalted: [Surah al-Tahrim: 8] And He says, the Exalted: [Surah al-Nur: 31].
And when He mentioned shirk (associating partners with Allah), killing the soul without right, and fornication, He said after that: [Surah al-Furqan: 70] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Riyad as-Salihin 710 And he (peace and blessings be upon him) also said: Sunan Ibn Majah 4250Da’if (Darussalam) And this is from the grace of Allah and from His mercy .
And repentance is accepted for major and minor sins, but its conditions must be present, and they are: sincere regret for the disobedience you committed, ceasing the disobedience and leaving it out of fear of Allah and exalting Him, and the sincere resolve not to return to it. These are the conditions of repentance: three.
Regret for what you did in the past, that you are sad, that you regret it, that you wish you had not done it, and then you leave that thing and do not do it.
And a third matter, which is the sincere resolve not to return to it.
And if the disobedience concerns a created being, then a fourth matter is necessary, which is: seeking his pardon, or giving him his right. If the disobedience was money you took from so-and-so, or a beating you gave him, or you killed his son, or his brother, it is necessary to give him his right. It is necessary to give the oppressed person his right. If it was money, you give him his money. If it was retaliation (qisas), you give him the retaliation. And so, it is necessary to give him his right unless he forgives. Yes.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good.
We move on to a message received from Baghdad. The questioner, Bashar, says in this question: Is repentance accepted for major sins? I have heard from some people that repentance is not accepted after major sins committed intentionally. If Allah forgives these major sins, how is repentance possible?
Answer:
Repentance is accepted for major and minor sins. The greatest of major sins is shirk (associating partners with Allah) (Exalted and Majestic is He). If a disbeliever becomes a Muslim, Allah accepts his repentance and his Islam. So the greatest of major sins is shirk (associating partners with Allah). He (peace and blessings be upon him) said when asked, "Which sin is the greatest?" He said:
To set up rivals to Allah by worshipping others though He alone has created you
أن تجعل لله ندًا وهو خلقكAnd so with the fornicator, and so with the one who is undutiful to his parents, and so with the drinker of intoxicants, and so with the consumer of riba (usury or interest) and others. Whenever they repent, Allah turns to them in mercy. For Allah says, the Exalted:
O 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 الأَنْهَارُAnd turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.
وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَAnd when He mentioned shirk (associating partners with Allah), killing the soul without right, and fornication, He said after that:
Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good
إِلَّا مَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُوْلَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ(embracing) Islam wipes out all that has gone before it (previous misdeeds). Verily, emigration wipes out all the previous sins
الإسلام يهدم ما كان قبله، والتوبة تهدم ما كان قبلهاThe one who repents from sin is like one who did not sin.
التائب من الذنب كمن لا ذنب لهAnd repentance is accepted for major and minor sins, but its conditions must be present, and they are: sincere regret for the disobedience you committed, ceasing the disobedience and leaving it out of fear of Allah and exalting Him, and the sincere resolve not to return to it. These are the conditions of repentance: three.
Regret for what you did in the past, that you are sad, that you regret it, that you wish you had not done it, and then you leave that thing and do not do it.
And a third matter, which is the sincere resolve not to return to it.
And if the disobedience concerns a created being, then a fourth matter is necessary, which is: seeking his pardon, or giving him his right. If the disobedience was money you took from so-and-so, or a beating you gave him, or you killed his son, or his brother, it is necessary to give him his right. It is necessary to give the oppressed person his right. If it was money, you give him his money. If it was retaliation (qisas), you give him the retaliation. And so, it is necessary to give him his right unless he forgives. Yes.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.