The Legitimacy of Repentance from Sins, Even if Repeated
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Question:
The questioner says: I ask about the ruling of the Shari'ah, in your view, O Shaykh, regarding a woman who pledged to Allah not to commit sins, but she violated that pledge and returned to them, then she repented afterwards and sought forgiveness from Allah . Is such a repentance accepted?
Answer:
Yes, if a person repents, even if the sin has been repeated, and even if he repents and then sins again, and then repents and then sins again, whenever he is sincere in his repentance, Allah accepts his repentance.
Sincere, earnest repentance is to feel remorse for the past, to resolve not to return to it, and to abandon the sin, leaving it out of fear of Allah and out of reverence for Allah. If he does that, his repentance is valid, even if he had done it previously and repented from it. A person is exposed to danger; he may sin and then repent, then sin and then repent. For example, he may engage in unlawful sexual intercourse, then repent to Allah from it, then be afflicted with it again, then repent. If he repents, Allah turns to him in mercy. Or he may drink intoxicants, or engage in backbiting, or something similar.
The point is that if repentance is repeated and he is sincere, Allah accepts it from him. Authentic hadiths have been narrated regarding this, and the Qur'an indicates it in the statement of the Exalted and Majestic: [Surat al-Nur: 31]. He, the Exalted, said: [Surat al-Ma'idah: 74]. He, the Exalted, said: [Surat al-Tahrim: 8].
It was reported from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), so if the repetition is accompanied by sincerity in repentance, it does not harm.
As for playing with it, that harms him. If there is no sincere repentance, that is a great abomination, a great evil, and a great danger. But if he is sincere, feels remorse, and abandons it, then is afflicted with the sin, then repents and abandons it sincerely, then Allah turns to him in mercy, the Exalted. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you, O Shaykh.
The questioner says: I ask about the ruling of the Shari'ah, in your view, O Shaykh, regarding a woman who pledged to Allah not to commit sins, but she violated that pledge and returned to them, then she repented afterwards and sought forgiveness from Allah . Is such a repentance accepted?
Answer:
Yes, if a person repents, even if the sin has been repeated, and even if he repents and then sins again, and then repents and then sins again, whenever he is sincere in his repentance, Allah accepts his repentance.
Sincere, earnest repentance is to feel remorse for the past, to resolve not to return to it, and to abandon the sin, leaving it out of fear of Allah and out of reverence for Allah. If he does that, his repentance is valid, even if he had done it previously and repented from it. A person is exposed to danger; he may sin and then repent, then sin and then repent. For example, he may engage in unlawful sexual intercourse, then repent to Allah from it, then be afflicted with it again, then repent. If he repents, Allah turns to him in mercy. Or he may drink intoxicants, or engage in backbiting, or something similar.
The point is that if repentance is repeated and he is sincere, Allah accepts it from him. Authentic hadiths have been narrated regarding this, and the Qur'an indicates it in the statement of the Exalted and Majestic:
And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.
وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَSo will they not repent to Allah and seek His forgiveness
أَفَلا يَتُوبُونَ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَهُO you who have believed, repent to Allah with sincere repentance.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَصُوحًاIt was reported from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)
That Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, says to His servant: If My servant commits a sin and then seeks My forgiveness, I forgive his sins, and then he returns and seeks My forgiveness, I forgive him.
أن الله جل وعلا يقول لعبده: إذا أذنب عبدي ثم استغفرني غفرت ذنوبه، ثم عاد فاستغفرني غفرت لهAs for playing with it, that harms him. If there is no sincere repentance, that is a great abomination, a great evil, and a great danger. But if he is sincere, feels remorse, and abandons it, then is afflicted with the sin, then repents and abandons it sincerely, then Allah turns to him in mercy, the Exalted. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you, O Shaykh.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.