REPENTANCE

[DeserT FloWer]

Assalamu alaikum wr wb,

 

The following article is taken from a Islaamic Magazine

called "Ad-da'wah ilallaah: The Call to Allaah", Volume 1 Issue 1.

 

 

REPENTANCE

 

The word Tawbah (Repentance) in Arabic literally means 'to

return'. In an Islamic context, it refers to the act of leaving

what Allaah has prohibited and returning to what He has

commanded.

 

The subject of repentance is one which concerns all people who

believe in God, and is vital one for the Muslims to understand

because our salvation in the hereafter is dependent on our

repentance to Allaah, as is shown by Allaah's order: "AND TURN

YOU ALL TOGETHER IN REPENTANCE TO ALLAAH O BELIEVERS, THAT YOU

MAY BE SUCCESSFUL" [An-Noor (24):31]

 

In Soorah al-Baqarah, Allaah tells us: "SURELY ALLAAH LOVES

THOSE WHO TURN UNTO HIM IN REPENTANCE AND LOVES

THOSE WHO PURIFY THEMSELVES." [2:222]

 

This shows how pleasing our repenting is to Allaah. Also, the

Prophet, Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam gave us an example of

just how pleasing to Allaah our repenting is an authentic

hadeeth in which he,Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam said: "Allaah

is more delighted with the repentance of His servant than one of

you would be, who suddenly finds his camel laden with supplies

after 22losing it in a barren land" (1)

 

Try to imagine your joy if you were to suddenly retrieve

everything you ever possessed after losing all hope of

recovering what you had lost. Then think that Allaah's delight

is even greater than this when His slave repents to Him. So much

so, that if man stopped repenting to Allaah, He would replace us

with another creation that would turn to Him for forgiveness.

The Prophet, Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam said: "If you did

not commit sins, Allaah would sweep you out of existence and

replace you by another people who would commit sins, ask for

Allaah's forgiveness and He would forgive them." (2)

 

The problem with many of us today, is that we don't fear Allaah,

which means that we don't think twice about disobeying Him and

therefore falling into sin, which we give no real tought to. So

perhaps we should think about the statement which Ibn Mas'ood

(3) radi Allaahu 'anhu, made: "A believer sees his sins as if

he were sitting under a mountain which he is affraid may fall on

him, whereas the wicked person considers his sins as flies

passing over his nose and he just drives them away like this

(and he moved his hand over his nose in illustration)." (4)

 

NEVER DESPAIR Someone might say, 'I want to repent but my sins

are too many.' But Allaah says: "SAY: O MY SLAVES WHO HAVE

TRANSGRESSED AGAINST THEMSELVES! DESPAIR NOT

FOR THE MERCY OF ALLAAH, VERILY ALLAAH FORGIVES ALL SINS. TRULY

HE IS OFT FORGIVING, MOST MERCIFUL." [Az-Zumar (39):53]

 

Therefore, we should never lose hope or stop asking for Allaah's

forgiveness. Its importance is shown to us in a hadeeth in which

the Prophet, Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam said: "O people!

Turn to Allaah in repentance and seek His forgiveness, for

surely I make repentance a hundred times every day." (5)

 

Repentance is such a great act of worship that doing it can

totally erase our sins altoghether, as the Prophet, Sallallaahu

'alaihi wa sallam said: "One who repents from sin is like one

without sin." (6)

 

ONLY ALLAAH CAN FORGIVE SINS Forgiveness for our sins is not

something that comes automatically, it is something that must be

sought sincerely and with consciousness. Also we should remember

that it is only through Allaah's Mercy that anyone will ever

enter Paradise. The Prophet, Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam

advised: "Do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately, and

rejoice, for no one's good deeds will put him in Paradise." The

Companions asked, "Not even you O Messenger of Allaah?" He

replied. "Not even me unless Allaah bestows His pardon and mercy

on me." (7) Therefore in Islaam, salvation rests on faith (which

includes), good actions and hope in Allaah's mercy, all combined

in truly unique manner which is not found in any other religion

or system. Furthermore, it is only Allaah who can forgive our

sins and He is not in need of any intercessor. The proof for

this is in a du'aa (supplication) which the Prophet Sallallaahu

'alaihi wa sallam taught his closest Companion Abu Bakr(8): "O

Allaah, truly I have wronged myself and none can forgive sins

except you." (9) Therefore it is a complete waste of time asking

forgiveness from the people such as "saints", pious people or

even the Prophet Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam. Allaah say in

reply to people who do such things: "VERILY, THOSE YOU CALL

UPON BESIDES ALLAAH, ARE ONLY SLAVES LIKE

YOURSELVES." [a;-A'raaf (7):194]

 

It is important that we never despair of Allaah's Mercy - no sin

is too great to repent for... or too little for that matter. As

one of the salaf (Pious predecessors) said: "Do not look at the

insignifance of your sins, but consider the greatness of The One

you are disobeying." (10)