Fatwa: 178

Category: miscellaneous fatwas

The condition of repentance
of sins and evil acts

The question:

I am a young man from those who were tried a lot with temptations. So Satan erred me and I fell in an illegal sexual intercourse but I regretted my act and turned in repentance to Allah. I become persevering with prayer. My question is: will my repentance be accepted – knowing that Al-Hudûd (Allah’s set limits and punishment for those who violate them) are non- existent nowadays?

The answer:

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon whom Allah sent as a mercy to the Worlds, upon his Family, his Companions and his Brothers till the Day of Resurrection.

You should know that Allah accepts repentance from His slaves according to His statement:

﴿قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لاَ تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللهِ إِنَّ اللهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ﴾ [الزمر: 53].

The meaning of the verse:

O `Ibâdî (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allâh: verity, Allâh forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.﴿ [Az-Zumar (The groups): 53)], and His saying:

 

﴿وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ وَلاَ يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ وَلاَ يَزْنُونَ وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَامًا. يُضَاعَفْ لَهُ الْعَذَابُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَيَخْلُدْ فِيهِ مُهَانًا. إِلاَّ مَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلاً صَالِحًا فَأُولَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ وَكَانَ اللهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا﴾ [الفرقان: 68-70].

The meaning of the verse:

And those who invoke not any other ilâh (god) along with Allâh, nor kill such person as Allâh has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse - and whoever does this shall receive the punishment. The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace. Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous deeds; for those Allâh will change their sins into good deeds and Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful﴿ [Al-Furqân (The Criterion): 68-70].

Allâh تعالى gets pleased with the repentance of His servants as it is stated in this hadith: “Verily, Allah is more pleased with the repentance of one of you than the person who lost his camel in a desert land and then finds it (unexpectedly)”(1). And he صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم said: “The repentance from a sin is like the one who has no sins”(2). There are three conditions to be met in order that repentance be accepted by Allah: returning to Allah by abandoning committing sins and evil acts, to feel sorry for committing every past sin and to decide not to recommit a sin in the future according to Allah's تعالى saying:

﴿وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا عَلَى مَا فَعَلُوا وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ﴾ [آل عمران: 135].

And do not persist in what (wrong) they have done, while they know﴿ [ Âl `Imrân (The Family of Imrân): 135].

In addition, you should work hard sanctifying and purifying your soul with good manners and in keeping it away from bad beliefs and wicked words and deeds that soil it. You should also abide by obedience and avoid mischief. Its reform and disciplining will be complete with repentance and faithfulness as stated by Allah تعالى:

﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا تُوبُوا إِلَى اللهِ تَوْبَةً نَصُوحًا عَسَى رَبُّكُمْ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ عَنْكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَيُدْخِلَكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ﴾ [التحريم: 8].

The meaning of the verse:

O you who believe! Turn to Allâh with sincere repentance! It may be that your Lord will expiate from you sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise)﴿ [At-Tahrîm (The Prohibition): 8].      You should also know that Allah knows everything about you, in every moment of your life. You should be convinced that He knows all about you, according to His saying:

﴿إِنَّ اللهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا﴾ [النساء: 1].

The meaning of the verse:

Surely, Allâh is Ever All-Watcher over you﴿ [An-Nissâ (The Women): 1]. Allah تعالى also says:

﴿وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ فَاحْذَرُوهُ﴾ [البقرة: 235].

The meaning of the verse:

And know that Allâh knows what is in your minds, so fear Him﴿ [Al-Baqara (The Cow): 235]. In another verse, He تعالى says:

﴿وَمَا تَكُونُ فِي شَأْنٍ وَمَا تَتْلُو مِنْهُ مِنْ قُرْآنٍ وَلاَ تَعْمَلُونَ مِنْ عَمَلٍ إِلاَّ كُنَّا عَلَيْكُمْ شُهُودًا إِذْ تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِ﴾ [يونس: 61].

The meaning of the verse:

Neither you (O Muhammad صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم) do any deed nor recite any portion of the Qur’an, nor you (O mankind) do any deed (good or evil), but We are Witness thereof, when you are doing it﴿ [Yûnus (Jonah): 61].

Moreover, the Messenger صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم said, “Worship Allah as if you see Him. Verily, You cannot see Him. But surely He sees you”(3). Among the ways of its reform and sanctity is self-reckoning. Then if you see a lack in your worship, just remedy it with supererogatory practice of worship as long as that worship can be caught up on. If not, you should seek Allah's forgiveness, feel sorry, turn into repentance and do good which you see that it remedies the mischief you did. Allah تعالى says:

﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللهَ وَلْتَنْظُرْ نَفْسٌ مَا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ وَاتَّقُوا اللهَ إِنَّ اللهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ﴾ [الحشر: 18].

The meaning of the verse:

O you who believe! Fear Allâh and keep your duty to Him. And let every person look to what he has sent forth for the morrow, and fear Allâh. Verily Allâh is All-Aware of what you do﴿ [Al-Hashr (The Gathering): 18].

Thus are those who keep their duties to Allâh and do good righteous deeds. They fear their Lord above them and reckon their negligence. They blame themselves for it and adhere to piety. They also prohibit themselves following their lusts and respond to Allah's statement:

﴿وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَى. فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَى﴾ [النازعات:40-41].

The meaning of the verse:

But as for him who feared standing before his Lord, and restrained himself from impure evil desires and lusts. Verily, Paradise will be him abode﴿ [An-Nâzi ̀ât (Those Who Pull Out): 40-41].

The perfect knowledge belongs to Allah عزَّ وجلَّ. Our last prayer is all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon our Prophet, his Family, his Companions and Brothers till the Day of Resurrection.

Algiers, Safar 21st, 1426H.
Corresponding to: March 31st, 2005.



(1) Reported by Muslim, chapter of “Repentance” (hadith 7129) and Ahmad (hadith 8416) on the authority of Abu Hurayra رضي الله عنه.

(2) Reported by Ibn Mâjah, chapter of “Asceticism” (hadith 4250), by Al-Bayhaqi (hadith 21150) and by At-Tabarâni in Al-Mu ̀jam Al –Kabîr (hadith 10281) on the authority of `Abd Allâh Ibn Mass ̀ûd رضي الله عنه. Ibn Hajar stated in Fat’h Al-Bâri (13/557) that the hadith’s chain of narration is Hassan (good). Al-Albâni classed it as Hassan in Sahîh Al-Jâmi (hadith 3008).

(3) Reported by Al-Bukhâri, chapter of “Faith” (hadith 50) on the authority of Abu Hurayra رضي الله عنه, by Muslim, chapter of “faith” (hadith 102), by Abu Dâwûd, chapter of “The Sunna” (hadith 4697), by At-Tirmidhi, chapter of “Faith” (hadith 2815), by An-Nassâ'I, chapter of “Faith and its branches” (hadith 5007) and Ibn Mâjah in the introduction of his Sunan (hadith 66) on the authority of `Umar Ibn Al-Khatâb رضي الله عنه.

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