The Most Beloved Deeds to Allah: Repentance
Who is the one who repents? The conscious person or the heedless one? The conscious person who constantly holds himself accountable, realizing that he has erred; when he recognizes his mistake, he returns to Allah, the Exalted and Mighty, because he knows that only Allah forgives sins. He remembers his sin and returns to his Lord, seeking forgiveness, repentant, devoted, and returning. Thus, you say every day: “O Allah, I bear witness to You, to the bearers of Your Throne, to Your angels, and to all Your creation, that You are Allah, there is no deity except You, You are One, with no partner, and that Muhammad is Your servant and Messenger.” You renew your testimony every day in your prayer, renewing the covenant between you and Allah, the Exalted and Mighty. Do not be selective and say, “By Allah, cheating in measurement is not obligatory like prayer.” No, Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, said: “Woe to those who give less [than due]” (Al-Mutaffifin). Those who deceive people are like those who abandon prayer; the soul that commands evil and heedlessness block the path to Paradise, because this world opens its doors wide to human desires. Therefore, you must hasten to repent to Allah, for repentance and turning from disobedience to obedience to Allah are beloved to Him: “Indeed, Allah loves those who repent and loves those who purify themselves.”
Doors of Repentance
We see some people despair of Allah’s mercy due to the magnitude of their sin. However, Allah is Merciful to the servant who repents and does not persist in disobedience. The door of repentance remains open until the sun rises from the west. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Indeed, Allah, the Exalted and Mighty, extends His hand by night to accept the repentance of the one who sinned during the day, and extends His hand by day to accept the repentance of the one who sinned during the night, until the sun rises from the west.” How many people who repented from numerous great sins had Allah accept their repentance and replace their evil deeds with good ones?
Sincere Repentance
Repentance is obligatory upon every believer: “O you who have believed, repent to Allah with sincere repentance.” Repentance is among the causes of success: “And repent to Allah all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.” Sincere repentance is by which Allah forgives sins, no matter how great or numerous they are: “Say, ‘O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.’”
Conditions of Repentance
Sincere repentance for the sake of Allah has five conditions: First, sincerity to Allah, intending by it His pleasure, reward, and salvation from His punishment. Second, remorse for committing the sin, feeling sorrow over it, and wishing one had not done it. Third, immediate cessation of the sin. If it is a sin against Allah, one must abandon it if it was a prohibited act, or hasten to perform it if it was an omitted obligation. If it is a sin against a created being, one must hasten to rectify it, either by returning the right to its owner or seeking forgiveness and absolution from him. Fourth, firm resolve not to return to that sin in the future. Fifth, repentance must occur before the acceptance of repentance is no longer valid, either at the time of death or when the sun rises from the west. Allah says: “And repentance is not [accepted] of those who continue to do evil deeds until, when death comes to one of them, he says, ‘Indeed, I have repented now.’” And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever repents before the sun rises from the west, Allah will accept his repentance.” We ask Allah, the Exalted and Mighty, to grant us success in sincere repentance and to accept it from us. Indeed, He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.
