ON REPENTANCE

Repentance is incumbent on every Muslim male and female. Allâh says: “turn to Allâh in repentance, a sincere repentance.” [31] This verse issues an order which shows that it is incumbent. Allâh says: “Do not be like those who forgot Allâh”, in other words, they made a covenant with Allâh and then flung His Book behind their backs, “and so they forgot their own selves”. [32] In other words, their condition caused them to forget their selves to the extent that they did not prohibit their selves and did not do any good for their selves.

The Messenger of Allâh said: “The person who loves to meet Allâh, Allâh loves to meet him. The person who dislikes to meet Allâh, Allâh dislikes to meet him.”

“It is they who are the deviated ones.” In other words, those who go against His obedience, who break their promises. In other words, they deviate from the path of guidance, mercy and forgiveness.

A fâsiq is of two types. One is an unbeliever. The other is an insolent and shameless deviated person. The fâsiq who is an unbeliever is the one who does not believe in Allâh, His Messenger, who leaves the path of guidance and treads the path of deviation. Allâh says: “So he turned away from the command of his Sustainer.” In other words, he left the path of obedience when his Sustainer ordered him to believe. As for the insolent and shameless deviated person, he is the one who consumes intoxicants, who eats the prohibited, who commits adultery, who disobeys Allâh , who leaves the path of worship and enters the path of sinning, but does not commit acts of polytheism.

The difference between the two is that the fâsiq who is an unbeliever cannot hope for his forgiveness unless he bears testimony [to the oneness of Allâh and the prophet-hood of Muhammad ] before death comes to him. As for the insolent and shameless deviated person, he can hope for his forgiveness through repentance and remorse before death.

It should be borne in mind that forgiveness can be hoped for every sin whose source is personal desire. And that forgiveness cannot be hoped for every sin whose source is pride. The source of Satan’s disobedience was pride. It is therefore necessary that you repent from your sins before death, out of hope that Allâh will accept you. Allâh says: “It is He who accepts repentance of His servants, who pardons evils, and knows whatever you do.” [33] In other words, He overlooks what they did by accepting repentance.

The Messenger of Allâh said: “The person who repents from a sin is like a person who committed no sin.”

It is related that there was a person who, whenever he committed a sin, would record it in a register. One day he committed a sin and opened his register in order to record it. But he found it blank except for the words of Allâh : “for it is for such that Allâh shall transform their bad deeds into good deeds.” [34] In other words, He changes polytheism into îmân, adultery into forgiveness, disobedience into protection and obedience.

It is related that on one occasion ‘Umar ibn al-Khattâb was walking in the alleys of Madinah when a youth was walking towards him, carrying a bottle under his clothes. ‘Umar said to him: “O youth! What are you carrying under your clothes?” There was alcohol in that bottle, so the youth felt ashamed to say that he was carrying alcohol. He therefore said silently: “O my Allâh! Do not disgrace and humiliate me before ‘Umar. Conceal my sin before him and I will never consume alcohol again.” He then said to ‘Umar: “O Leader of the Believers! I am carrying vinegar.” He said to the youth: “Show me so that I could have a look at it.” The youth opened the bottle before him and when ‘Umar saw it, it had become vinegar. Look at a creation who repented out of fear of another creation, and so Allâh changed his alcohol into vinegar because of his sincere repentance. If a sinful person who is completely bankrupt of good deeds makes a sincere repentance and is remorseful of his sins, Allâh will change the alcohol of his sins into vinegar of obedience.

Abû Hurayrah reports: “After offering the ishâ salâh with the Messenger of Allâh one night, I went out. On the way I saw a woman who said to me: ‘O Abû Hurayrah! I have committed a sin. Is there any way of repentance for me?’ I said: ‘What sin have you committed?’ She replied: ‘I committed adultery and then killed my child which was born from this adultery.’ I said to her: ‘You are destroyed and you have also destroyed [the child]. I take an oath by Allâh that there is no way of repentance for you.’ She continued on her way in a swoon. I then thought to my self: ‘How can I issue a verdict when the Messenger of Allâh is in our midst? So I returned to him and informed him of what transpired. You are destroyed and you have destroyed [this woman]. Don’t you know this verse: “Who invoke no other sovereign with Allâh and do not kill the soul which Allâh has forbidden except for a just cause. And they do not commit adultery. Whoever does that has fallen into sin. The punishment will be doubled for him on the day of resurrection and he shall remain therein disgraced. Except he who repented and believed and did some good deeds – for it is for such that Allâh shall transform their bad deeds into good deeds. And Allâh is forgiving, merciful.” [35] I then went out asking: Who will direct me to the woman who asked me a question? [I went about searching for her in search earnest that] even the children began saying that Abû Hurayrah is gone mad. I eventually found her and informed her of what the Messenger of Allâh said. She groaned out of delight and said: ‘I have an orchard which I am giving as charity for the pleasure of Allâh and His Messenger .’”

It is related with regard to ‘Utbah al-Ghulâm rahimahullâh that he was a shameless sinner, well known for causing corruption and drinking alcohol. One day he went to the assembly of Hasan al-Basrî rahimahullâh when the latter was explaining the verse: “Has not the time come for the believers that their hearts submit for the remembrance of Allâh?” [36] In other words, has not the time come for their hearts to fear? In explaining this verse, Hasan al-Basrî rahimahullâh delivered a very eloquent speech to the extent that he caused the people to cry. A youth from among them stood up and said: “O pious person from among the believers! Will Allâh accept a shameless sinner like me if I repent?” He replied: “Yes. Allâh will accept the repentance of your shameless sinning.” When Utbah al-Ghulâm heard this, his face turned yellow, he began trembling fiercely, he screamed out and fell unconscious. When he regained consciousness, Hasan al-Basrî rahimahullâh went to him and said these couplets:

“O youth who is disobedient to the Lord of the throne. Do you know what the punishment is for those who are sinners? It is the blazing fire for the disobedient ones. This fire has a moaning sound and fury on the day when the sinners will be dragged by their forelocks. If you think you can patiently bear the fires, then disobey Him. If not, then distance yourself from disobedience. Why have you mortgaged your soul by earning these sins? Now make an all out effort to rescue yourself.”

On hearing this, ‘Utbah gave out a loud scream and fell unconscious. When he regained consciousness, he said: “O Shaykh! Will the merciful Allâh accept the repentance of an evil and wicked person like me?” The Shaykh replied: “Who but the forgiving Allâh can accept the repentance of an uncouth servant?” He then raised his head and made three supplications: (1) “O Allâh! If You accept my repentance and forgive me my sins, then honour me with understanding and memory so that I could memorize all that I hear of knowledge and the Qur’ân. (2) O Allâh! Honour me with a beautiful voice so that every person who hears my recitation will increase the softness of his heart even if he is a hard hearted person. (3) O Allâh! Honour me with lawful sustenance and provide me with sustenance from avenues I did not even imagine.” Allâh accepted all his supplications to the extent that his understanding and memory increased, when he used to recite the Qur’ân, everyone who heard his recitation would repent, and daily a bowl of curry and two round-flat breads would be placed by his house without anyone knowing who placed it there. He remained in this condition till he left this world. This is the condition of the person who turns to Allâh in repentance. Allâh does not waste the reward of he who does good.

An âlim was asked whether a servant can know whether his repentance has been accepted or rejected. He replied: “We cannot say for certainty. But there are signs and indications for this: he must see himself protected from sinning, he must see joy having disappeared from his heart, that Allâh is watching him, he must be keeping close company with the pious while distancing himself from sinners, he must consider the little of this world to be a lot while he must consider a lot of deeds of the hereafter to be little, he must see his heart engrossed in what Allâh made incumbent on him, he must be safeguarding his tongue, he must be in constant reflection, always sorrowful and regretful over his past sins.