The ruling on the repentance of one who returns to the sin after repenting from it
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Question:
When a person commits sins, then repents, then returns to them, and so on, repenting and then returning, are those repentances valid, or must he resolve not to return, but his self overcomes him and he returns? Please inform us about such repentance. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
If the repentance is valid, meaning: it is with intention, with resolve, with cessation and regret, then it is valid even if he returns. He is judged by the subsequent act, not the first one. So, for example, if he commits unlawful sexual intercourse, then repents, or drinks intoxicants, then repents with a sincere repentance, regretting and resolving not to return to that matter, ceasing from the sin and being determined not to return, and then he falls into it after a year, or two years, or three, he is judged by the second act—the second sin—and the first one has been completed with its repentance. So, if he repents from the second one, Allah accepts his repentance as well. If something happens from him a third time after this, he is judged by the third one. If he repents, Allah turns to him in mercy, and so on. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
When a person commits sins, then repents, then returns to them, and so on, repenting and then returning, are those repentances valid, or must he resolve not to return, but his self overcomes him and he returns? Please inform us about such repentance. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
If the repentance is valid, meaning: it is with intention, with resolve, with cessation and regret, then it is valid even if he returns. He is judged by the subsequent act, not the first one. So, for example, if he commits unlawful sexual intercourse, then repents, or drinks intoxicants, then repents with a sincere repentance, regretting and resolving not to return to that matter, ceasing from the sin and being determined not to return, and then he falls into it after a year, or two years, or three, he is judged by the second act—the second sin—and the first one has been completed with its repentance. So, if he repents from the second one, Allah accepts his repentance as well. If something happens from him a third time after this, he is judged by the third one. If he repents, Allah turns to him in mercy, and so on. 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.