Repentance from sins is necessary for every Muslim, including those who have strong faith and are righteous, pious, and sincere. No matter how noble a Muslim one may be, no one is free from sin. Even the best of believers need Allah’s Mercy, as confirmed in a Hadith in Sahih Muslim, where the Prophet (PBUH) said that no one, not even himself, will enter Heaven by virtue of his actions, as there is no one who doesn’t require Allah’s Mercy.
In a Hadith in Sunan ibn Majah, the Prophet (PBUH) said that all of mankind persistently sins, but the best of them are the ones who persistently repent.
Sinners are also reassured in Surah Az-Zumar, as Allah tells them not to lose hope in His Mercy, for He forgives all sins. This shows us the importance of repentance. God’s Mercy is regularly mentioned in the Quran. Thus, repentance and seeking the Forgiveness of our Merciful Lord, no matter how sinful we may be, is a crucial part of Islam. Furthermore, repentance should not be neglected by those who are righteous, as we’re all in need of Allah’s Mercy.
What are the four steps and conditions of repentance?
- The first step is to stop committing the sin.
- The second step is to have regret.
- The third step is to ask Allah for forgiveness.
- The fourth step is to make an intention not to return to the sin again.
Repentance from sins is accepted by Allah
Allah says in Surah An-Nisa that He wishes to accept His servants’ repentance, but those who follow their desires want Allah’s slaves to turn far away from their Lord. Hence, we can see that Allah is keen to forgive His repentant slaves, and believers should never lose sight of this reality. In Surah At-Tawbah, we also learn that Allah is the One Who accepts our repentance and is the Merciful. This should encourage all Muslims to repent for their wrongdoings and seek Allah’s Forgiveness.
Allah loves sinners who turn to Him in Repentance
In Surah Al-Baqarah, Allah informs us that He loves those who continuously turn to Him to repent. Also, in a Hadith in Sunan Ibn Majah, the Prophet (PBUH) said that if humanity stopped sinning, Allah would replace them with others who would sin and then be pardoned by Him, as He is Most-Merciful. Repentance is something that is beloved to Allah. Believers should never stop repenting, even if their sins are like a towering mountain.
Repentance from sins brings immense pleasure to Allah
There is a hadith in Sahih Muslim in which the Prophet (PBUH) explained how happy Allah is when we repent. He said that Allah is more pleased when His servants repent than one who finds his riding camel in the desert after it had run off with his food and drink. After the individual lost hope, he went and lay down in the shade of a tree. While he was in this hopeless state, the camel returned to him.
He was so overjoyed that he grabbed the camel’s reins and exclaimed that God is his slave, and he is God’s lord. This mistake in wording by him was due to the immense delight that overcame him. The hadith emphasizes that Allah’s pleasure at our repentance from sins outweighs the happiness of the person in the example above. Hence, repentance brings tremendous joy to Allah. We must ensure that we strive to repent for all our sins, as believers should always aim to please Allah.
How do you repent in Islam? When do you repent in Islam?
We can seek Allah’s Forgiveness at any time. Repentance is not restricted to the day or night. Rather, Allah accepts our repentance at all times. The Prophet (PBUH) confirmed this in a Hadith on repentance in Sahih Muslim. He told us that Allah accepts repentance during the night for sins committed in the day. He also accepts repentance during the day for sins committed in the night. Repentance will be valid until the sun rises from the West, which is a major sign of the Last Day.
It is thus evident that repentance from sins in Islam is a straightforward matter. We do not need to worry about the time of our repentance. Our repentance will always reach the Omnipotent Lord. Repentance in Islam is a pure concept, as there are no intermediaries. Muslims don’t need to make confessions to other sinners. We go directly to the Most-Merciful Creator for forgiveness. Moreover, there are no time restrictions. Any time of the day or night is suitable for repentance, throughout the year.
Repentance is accepted even if one is repeatedly sinning
Even if one is repeatedly committing an evil deed, Allah continues to accept his repentance. Allah continues to grant His Forgiveness even when one ends up falling into sin again. The example of the Children of Israel demonstrates how Allah repeatedly forgives sins. The Children of Israel kept sinning again and again and were continuously pardoned. Even after they started worshipping the golden calf, Allah forgave them, as mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah.
There is also a Hadith in Sahih Al-Bukhari about the pardoning of repeated sinning. In it, the Prophet (PBUH) said that if someone repents to Allah after sinning, He forgives him. After some time, he sins again, repents again, and is pardoned again. Later, he falls into sin again and asks Allah to pardon his sin yet again. Allah then forgives his sin again.
Therefore, as believers, we should never despair of Allah’s Mercy. If one succumbs to sin repeatedly, he should not succumb to Satan’s agenda and consider himself a lost cause. Instead, he should continue to turn to Allah in sincere repentance and steadfastly strive to stop sinning.
When one becomes Muslim, his previous sins get wiped out
When one becomes a Muslim for the sake of Allah, his earlier sins are eradicated. Regardless of how grave one’s sins may have been before embracing Islam, they no longer count. The only condition for one’s pre-Islam sins to be erased is that the acceptance of Islam should be solely for Allah, as the Prophet (PBUH) stated in a Hadith in Sahih Al-Bukhari. Whoever becomes a Muslim for Allah’s sake won’t be held accountable for his sins prior to accepting Islam.
Allah’s Mercy is beyond the comprehension of humans. Believers are required to believe in Allah and obey the teachings of Islam. We have to follow the Quran and Sunnah to the best of our ability. However, humans are flawed creatures and inevitably commit errors, which necessitate repentance. Hence, repentance from sins is an integral aspect of Islam.
Conclusion
Repentance from sins is a crucial component of Islam, and all Muslims must repent often. The Prophet (PBUH) said that Allah created humans and if they didn’t sin, He would create another species that would sin then turn to Him in repentance. Allah loves sinners who repent, and He grants them forgiveness. This is a great act in Islam. Even if a person is sinning repeatedly, he can gain Allah’s forgiveness by repenting.
