Feeling of Sins
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Q: A young man says: I am seventeen years old, and I perform—praise be to Allah—the pillars of Islam and their obligations that Allah has made obligatory upon His servants, and I strive to put myself in the best possible state. However, I have a feeling in my heart through which I sense that I am committing a grave sin that will also expose me to the punishment and anger of Allah, and that I have committed it without realizing it. I feel that I am like the slave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) who was struck by an arrow from the disbelievers on the day of Khaybar, so the Muslims said, "May he have Paradise," and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih al-Bukhari 6707 The bottom line is that I am in a state of sin and I do not know what it is.
I hope you will answer me regarding this feeling: is it a sign of good and mindfulness of Allah, or a sign of something else? I ask for your comment on this.
A: This is among the signs of your intense fear of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and your exaltation of His sacred rights. So you are on the right path, if Allah wills. You must distance yourself from this unfounded fear, for it is from Shaytan to tire you out, depress you, and narrow your life. Know that it is from the enemy of Allah because he saw in you a love for good, zeal for the sake of Allah, and eagerness for good deeds. He wanted to tire you out, so disobey him and distance yourself from what he wants from you, and be reassured by your Lord.
And know that repentance is sufficient, even if the sin is greater than all great things, for the repentance of Allah is above that. There is no sin greater than shirk (associating partners with Allah), and whenever a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) repents, Allah repents toward him and forgives him, (Glorified and Exalted is He). So you must repent from what you know you have committed of sin. After repentance, everything ends, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: : [Al-Anfal: 38], and He said: : [An-Nur: 31]. Thus, (Glorified and Exalted is He) linked forgiveness and success to repentance in these two verses. He said: : [Az-Zumar: 53]. The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) agreed that this verse was revealed regarding those who repent.
So it is obligatory for you to repent to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) from all the sins you know and those you do not know. This is done by regretting what has passed, abandoning them, and making a sincere resolve not to return to them; out of desire for what is with Allah and exaltation of Him, seeking His pleasure and fearing His punishment. Be glad of the good and the good outcome that Allah has promised to those who repent. And remember the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Ta-Ha: 82].
There is a greater verse in meaning, which is that whenever a servant repents and follows his repentance with faith and righteous deeds, Allah replaces his evil deeds with good ones, as the Exalted said in Surat al-Furqan:[Al-Furqan 25:68]Except for those who repent, believe, and do righteous deeds. For those, Allah will replace their evil deeds with good ones, and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. [al-Furqan: 68 - 70] So He informed that He will replace their evil deeds with good ones because of their sincere repentance, their faith, and their righteous deeds. So, in your mentioning of the sin you referred to, your repentance from it, and following what happened from you with righteous deeds, faith, affirmation, and desire for what is with Allah , He will replace the evil deed with a good one.
And so, all the bad deeds from which a slave repents and follows with faith and righteous deeds, Allah replaces them for him with good deeds, as a favor and kindness from Him. And to Allah belongs praise and gratitude for that.
No! By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, for the sheet which he stole from the war booty before its distribution on the day of Khaibar, is now burning over him.
كلا والذي نفسي بيده إن الشملة التي أخذها من المغانم يوم خيبر لم تصبها القسمة لتشتعل عليه ناراI hope you will answer me regarding this feeling: is it a sign of good and mindfulness of Allah, or a sign of something else? I ask for your comment on this.
A: This is among the signs of your intense fear of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and your exaltation of His sacred rights. So you are on the right path, if Allah wills. You must distance yourself from this unfounded fear, for it is from Shaytan to tire you out, depress you, and narrow your life. Know that it is from the enemy of Allah because he saw in you a love for good, zeal for the sake of Allah, and eagerness for good deeds. He wanted to tire you out, so disobey him and distance yourself from what he wants from you, and be reassured by your Lord.
And know that repentance is sufficient, even if the sin is greater than all great things, for the repentance of Allah is above that. There is no sin greater than shirk (associating partners with Allah), and whenever a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) repents, Allah repents toward him and forgives him, (Glorified and Exalted is He). So you must repent from what you know you have committed of sin. After repentance, everything ends, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: :
Say to those who have disbelieved [that] if they cease, what has previously occurred will be forgiven for them
قُلْ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِنْ يَنْتَهُوا يُغْفَرْ لَهُمْ مَا قَدْ سَلَفَAnd turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.
وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَSay, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."
قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُSo it is obligatory for you to repent to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) from all the sins you know and those you do not know. This is done by regretting what has passed, abandoning them, and making a sincere resolve not to return to them; out of desire for what is with Allah and exaltation of Him, seeking His pleasure and fearing His punishment. Be glad of the good and the good outcome that Allah has promised to those who repent. And remember the saying of Allah the Exalted:
But indeed, I am the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents and believes and does righteousness and then continues in guidance.
وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٌ لِمَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا ثُمَّ اهْتَدَىThere is a greater verse in meaning, which is that whenever a servant repents and follows his repentance with faith and righteous deeds, Allah replaces his evil deeds with good ones, as the Exalted said in Surat al-Furqan:
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.
وَالَّذِينَ لا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ وَلا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلا بِالْحَقِّ وَلا يَزْنُونَ وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَامًا And so, all the bad deeds from which a slave repents and follows with faith and righteous deeds, Allah replaces them for him with good deeds, as a favor and kindness from Him. And to Allah belongs praise and gratitude for that.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.