5. Repentance and Asking for Forgiveness

١٩٢. عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:

«يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ تُوبُوا إِلَى اللّٰهِ فَإِنِّي أَتُوبُ فِي الْيَوْمِ إِلَيْهِ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ».

192. It is narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (r.anhuma) that Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) said:

“O people, seek repentance from Allah. Verily, I seek repentance from Him a hundred times a day.” (Muslim, Kitab Al-Dhikr, 42. Also see. Abu Dawud, Witr, 26; Ibn Majah, Adab, 57)

١٩٣. عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى اْلاَشْعَرِيِّ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:

«إِنَّ اللّٰهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَبْسُطُ يَدَهُ بِاللَّيْلِ لِيَتُوبَ مُسِيءُ النَّهَارِ وَيَبْسُطُ يَدَهُ بِالنَّهَارِ لِيَتُوبَ مُسِيءُ اللَّيْلِ حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا».

193. Abu Mu’sa al-Ash’ari (r.a.) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) said:

“Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, Stretches out His Hand during the night so that the people repent for the fault committed from dawn till dusk and He stretches out His Hand during the day so that the people may repent for the fault committed from dusk to dawn. (He would accept repentance) before the sun rises in the west (before the Day of Resurrection).” (Muslim, Kitab Al-Tawba, 31; Ahmad, IV, 395, 404)

١٩٤. عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:

«مَنْ تَابَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا تَابَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ».

194. Abu Huraira (r.a.) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) said:

 “He who seeks repentance (from the Lord) before the rising of the sun from the west (before the Day of Resurrection), Allah turns to him with Mercy.” (Muslim, Dhikr, 43)

١٩٥. عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:

«إِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَقْبَلُ تَوْبَةَ الْعَبْدِ مَا لَمْ يُغَرْغِرْ».

195. According to a narration from Ibn Umar, the Prophet (pbuh) said:

“Allah the Exalted accepts his servant’s repentance so long as he does not show signs of dying.” (Tirmidhi, Daawat, 98/3537. Also see Ibn Majah, Zuhd, 30)

 

١٩٦. عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:

«مَنْ لَزِمَ الْاِسْتِغْفَارَ جَعَلَ اللّٰهُ لَهُ مِنْ كُلِّ ضِيقٍ مَخْرَجًا وَمِنْ كُلِّ هَمٍّ فَرَجًا وَرَزَقَهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ».

196. Abdullah ibn Abbas (r.anhuma) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

“If anyone continually asks pardon, Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress, and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide for him from where he did not reckon.” (Abu Dawud, Witr, 26/1518; Ibn Majah, Adab, 57. Also see. Ahmad, I, 248; Hakim, IV, 291/7677)

١٩٧. عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:

«أَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيَّ أَمَانَيْنِ لِأُمَّتِي:

(وَمَا كَانَ الله لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَاَنْتَ ف۪يهِمْ، وَمَا كَانَ الله مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ)

فَإِذَا مَضَيْتُ تَرَكْتُ فِيهِمُ الْاِسْتِغْفَارَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ».

197. Abu Musa (r.a.) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

Allah the Exalted revealed two trusts to me for my nation.

“But Allah was not going to send them a penalty whilst you were amongst them; nor was He going to send it whilst they could ask for pardon.” (Al-Anfal; 8:33)

When I leave them I leave asking for forgiveness (which is the second trust that will prevent Allah’s torment) with them until the Day of Judgment.” (Tirmidhi, Tafsir, 8/3082)

١٩٨. عَنْ عَبْدِ اللّٰهِ بْنِ بُسْرٍ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ يَقُولُ: قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:

«طُوبَى لِمَنْ وَجَدَ فِي صَحِيفَتِهِ اسْتِغْفَارًا كَثِيرًا».

198. According to a narration from Abdullah bin Boushr (r.a.) the Noble Prophet (pbuh) said:

“Glad tidings to those who find many repentences in their book of deeds on the Day of Judgment.” (Ibn Majah, Adab, 57)

 

١٩٩. عَنْ شَدَّادِ بْنِ أَوْسٍ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:

«سَيِّدُ الْاِسْتِغْفَارِ أَنْ تَقُولَ: (اَللّٰهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لَا إِلٰهَ إلَّا أَنْتَ خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ وَأَبُوءُ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ)» قَالَ:

«وَمَنْ قَالَهَا مِنَ النَّهَارِ مُوقِنًا بِهَا فَمَاتَ مِنْ يَوْمِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُمْسِيَ فَهُوَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ وَمَنْ قَالَهَا مِنَ اللَّيْلِ وَهُوَ مُوقِنٌ بِهَا فَمَاتَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُصْبِحَ فَهُوَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ».

199. It is narrated from Shaddad bin Aws that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

“The most superior way of asking for forgiveness from Allah is:

“Allahumma anta Rabbi la ilaha illa anta, Anta Khalaqtani wa ana abduka, wa ana ‘ala ahdika wa wa’dika mastata’tu, A‘udhu bika min Sharri ma sana‘tu, abu’u Laka bini‘matika ‘alaiya, wa abuu laka bi dhanbi faghfirli innahu la yaghfiru adh-dhunuba illa anta.”

“O my Allah! You are my Lord. There is no god worthy of worship other than You. You created me. I am your servant. I am still keeping as much as I can my promise and wow that I gave you in the beginning of time. I seek refuge in You from the evil of my wrongdoings. I cite the favors that You granted upon me with thankfulness and confess my sin. Please forgive me, there is no doubt that there is no one else other than you who will forgive sins.”

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) continued as follows:

“If somebody recites it during the day with firm faith in it, and dies on the same day before the evening, he will be from the people of Paradise; and if somebody recites it at night with firm faith in it, and dies before the morning, he will be from the people of Paradise.” (Bukhari, Daawat, 2, 16. Also see. Abu Dawud, Adab, 100-101; Nasai, Istiadha, 57/5519; Tirmidhi, Daawat, 15/3393)

Explanations:

There is no question that people may commit sins. It is natural for mankind to err or fall into sin, knowingly or unknowingly. However, it can never be approved to continue to be in that state. It is necessary for a smart believer to immediately accept and confess his mistake and turn away from sin and turn to Allah. Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

“Every person can err. However, the best of those who err are the ones who repent a lot.” (Tirmidhi, Qiyamah, 49/2499; Ibn Majah, Zuhd, 30)

Since Allah the Almighty desires that His servants hold on to repentance, He says:

“…And O Believers! Turn all together towards Allah, so that you may attain Bliss.” (Al-Nur; 24:31)

“O you who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance…” (Al-Tahrim; 66:8)

Before everybody else, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) himself obeyed this divine command of God Almighty and has repented and asked for forgiveness every day. He did this not because he had committed sins but rather to obey Allah’s command, to remember him, and to be an example to his followers and to show them how to repent and ask for forgiveness. He felt more than satisfied by confessing his weakness with great humility to our Exalted Lord and wrapping himself in a deep consciousness of being a subject of Allah. By recommending this state to his nation in our first hadith, he said “O people! Repent to Allah! I repent to Him one hundred times a day.”

As we mentioned before in similar cases, the number “one hundred” here is not meant to limit the amount of repentance and asking for forgiveness with that specific number but to express that it needs to be done many times. In fact, there would be times when the Prophet repented one hundred times only in one gathering.

Ibn Umar (r.anhuma) narrated:

“We counted that the Apostle of Allah (pbuh) said a hundred times during a meeting:

رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَتُبْ عَلَيَّ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ

“My Lord, forgive me and pardon me; You are the Pardoning and Forgiving One.” (Abu Dawud, Witr, 26/1516; Tirmidhi, Daawat, 38/3434)

One should repent as much as he is able to do, for this state would elevate the servant to the contentment of God Almighty.

It is expressed in a noble verse:

“…For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean.” (Al-Baqarah; 2:222)

The following noble hadith, which helps us understand how happy God Almighty becomes when one of His servants repents, should lead everyone to repent without losing time.

“Allah is more pleased with the repentance of a servant as he turns towards Him for repentance than this that one amongst you is upon the camel in a waterless desert and there is upon (that camel) his provision of food and drink also and it is lost by him, and he having lost all hope (to get that) lies down in the shadow (waiting for the death) and is disappointed about his camel and there he finds that camel standing before him. He takes hold of his nose string and then out of boundless joy says: O Lord, You are my servant and I am Your Lord. He commits this mistake out of extreme delight. (Muslim, Kitab Al-Tawba, 7; Tirmidhi, Qiyamat, 49; Daawat, 99)

Can anyone describe a happier moment than someone finding all his sustenance right beside him while he was hungry and thirsty and waiting for his death after losing everything?  Then, Almighty God is much happier because His servant who was lost in the deserts of sin and was drifting towards destruction has returned and reached the shore of salvation. That means He loves His servant so much.

In our second hadith, we are told that repentance should not be delayed and that Allah accepts repentance all the time. Almighty Allah expects that His servant who errs should immediately realize his mistake and turn back. He expects that someone who commits a sin during the day should repent before the day passes on it. Similarly, someone who commits a sin during the night should hug repentance during the day. Allah mentions in the Noble Qur’an those who hasten in repentance with praise:

“And those who, having done something to be ashamed of, or wronged their own souls, earnestly bring Allah to mind, and ask for forgiveness for their sins, and – who can forgive sins except Allah – and are never obstinate in persisting knowingly in (the wrong) they have done.” (Al-i Imran; 3:135)

Another aspect of the noble verse is the following: Only Allah the Exalted can forgive sins. Since sins carry the meaning of disobeying Allah, no one other than Allah can pardon from the punishment that will be given. (Al-i Imran; 3:129, al-Araf; 7:149)

While it is always possible to repent and ask for forgiveness, there is a special place for pre-dawn time in this respect. There are signs in certain noble verses and sayings of the Prophet indicating that it is better to repent and ask for forgiveness at times just before the morning.

We are informed that Allah’s contentment, Paradise, and bounties will be bestowed upon the pious servants who repent during pre-dawn time.

In another verse, it is also said that:

“They were in the habit of sleeping but little by night, and in the hour of early dawn, they (were found) praying for forgiveness.” (Al-Zariyat; 51:17-18)

For this reason, the time of pre-dawn and dawn are known as “the time for asking for forgiveness and prayer” among the salaf al salihun (the righteous predecessors) and paid attention accordingly. (Haythami, VII, 47; Mubarakfuri, Tuhfat al-ahwazi, II, 473-474; Ibn Hajar, Talkhis al-Khabir, IV, 206)

As stated in our third hadith, Allah the Exalted continues to accept repentances until “the rise of the sun from the West,” which is one of the major indicators of the Day of Judgment. On the other hand, He does not forgive those who repent after seeing the rise of the sun from the West. This is because there remains no one who does not believe in Allah after seeing this major event. Thus, the test has ended. The essential matter is to repent while the test is ongoing.

Allah the Exalted says:

“…The day that certain of the signs of your Lord do come, no good will it do to a soul to believe in them then if it believed not before nor earned righteousness through its faith.” (Al-An‘am; 6:158)

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) spoke of a gate located in the West and that its width is seventy years measured by the speed of a horse rider.

One of the scholars of hadith from Damascus, Sufyan b. Uyayna, said while talkin about this gate:

“Allah created this gate open when He created the Heavens and the Earth. This door will not be shut until the Sun rises from where it sets.” (Tirmidhi, Daawat, 98/3535; Taharat, 71; Also see Nasai, Taharat, 97, 113; Ibn Majah, Fitan, 32)

“True, the “Door of Repentance” will remain open until the Day of Judgment, but not everyone is guaranteed to live until the Day of Judgment. Each person’s Day of Judgment is his death. For this reason, in our fourth hadith, the arrival of the moment of death is compared to the rise of the Sun from West. When a person realizes that he will die for sure, there is no point of repentance and also no benefit will occur.

Allah the Exalted says:

“Of no effect is the repentance of those who continue to do evil, until death faces one of them, and he says, “Now have I repented indeed;” nor of those who die rejecting Faith…” (Al-Nisa; 4:18)

It is mentioned many times in the Noble Qur’an that no extra time will be given to those whose determined terms are reached. (Al-Muminun; 23: 43, Al-Araf; 7:34, Al-Munafiqun; 63:11, Al-Hijr; 15:5, Yunus; 10:49, Al-Nahl; 16:61)

On the other hand, no one knows his appointed time of death. The most curious conundrum that all the people want to solve is when they will meet the Angel of Death. In general, death suddenly seizes a person. Then, one should never delay repentance. One should hold on to repentance and asking for forgiveness immediately after wrongdoing. It is very wrong to think like “I am worried that I will nullify my repentance (i.e., return to sin), therefore I will repent in the future.” No matter how many times one nullifies his repentance, one should still hold on to repentance. However, one should try to be sincere in this respect. Indeed, there is no point of repentance while having in mind the intention to sin. One should repent after each sin with the intention to never nullify it again. The following conditions for an acceptable repentance also indicate this point:

1. To part from the committed sin.

2. To regret for having committed it.

3. To strongly intend not to do it again.

4. If one has violated the rights of someone else, to pay it and make it up.

If someone falls prey to his carnal self and sins afterwards, what needs to be done is to again tend sincerely towards repentance. This is because our Exalted Lord is very merciful to us His subjects. Truly no one despairs of Allah’s Soothing Mercy, except those who have no faith.” (Yusuf; 12:87)

Inviting his subjects who oppressed themselves by sinning to immediately repent Allah the Exalted says:

“Say: “O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah! For Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. “Turn to our Lord (in repentance) and bow to His (Will), before the Penalty comes on you: after that you shall not be helped.” (Al-Zumar; 39:53-54)

It is not right to continue sinning recklessly by giving up hope of Allah’s Soothing Mercy or being sure of Allah’s torment and not caring about sins. No matter how much a believer sins, he should stay between hope and fear, never turn away from his Lord, and immediately tend toward repentance. Indeed:

“For Allah does not love creatures ungrateful and wicked!…” (Al-Baqarah; 2:275-276)

As Allah the Exalted forgives those who rightfully repent before its time passes, He also turns its sins to rewards.

This good news is given as follows in a noble verse:

“Unless he repents, believes, and works righteous deeds, for Allah will change the evil of such persons into good, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Al-Furqan; 25:70)

However, it also understood from this verse that repentance and asking for forgiveness should not remain in the hearts and should be approved and supported by righteous deeds. This is because such righteous deeds performed after sins help remove the negative influence of sins. (Al-Hud; 11:114)

Indeed the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) advised a person who wants to repent from his sins to do good to his mother. When he learned that his mother was not alive, he told him to do good to his maternal aunt indicating that she is also at the same status of his mother. (Tirmidhi, Birr, 6; Ahmad, II, 13-14)

In the same fashion, expiation, which is a way to purify from certain sins, also aims to purify the carnal self from the dirt of sins by feeding and clothing the poor, sacrificing, or fasting. (Al-Maidah; 5:89, 95; Al-Mujadilah; 58:3-4)

The benefits and virtues of keeping on repenting are stated in our fifth hadith.

Since when one asks for forgiveness a lot the sins will be forgiven, Almighty Allah will start showering His purified subjects with His mercy, will save them from all sorts of trouble and problems and favor them with abundant blessings.

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At the time of Umar (r.a.), there was a drought and people were suffering from famine. They proposed the Caliph to go for a supplication for rain. When everyone gathered, Umar (r.a.) went up the pulpit to pray for rain. He started to ask for forgiveness. He was only asking for forgiveness and saying nothing else. After continuing in this fashion for a while, he came down the pulpit. The people there said in a perplexed fashion:

“O the Ruler of Believers, you went up to pray for rain but we never heard you pray. You only asked for forgiveness and came down?”

Umar (r.a.) said:

“I asked the mercy that you want by using the keys of heaven from which rain is descended” and as evidence to his word put forth the following noble verses:

“Saying: Ask forgiveness from your Lord; for He is Oft-Forgiving; He will send rain to you in abundance; Give you increase in wealth and sons; and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers (of flowing water).” (Nuh; 71:10-12)

“And O my people! Ask forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him (in repentance): He will send you the skies pouring abundant rain, and add strength to your strength: so turn you not back in sin!” (Al-Hud; 11:52)

“But ask forgiveness of your Lord, and turn unto Him (in repentance): For my Lord is indeed full of mercy and loving-kindness.” (Al-Hud; 11:90)

Umar who recited these verses concludes his speech as follows:

“Then, ask for forgiveness of your wrongdoings and sins from your Lord, repent sincerely, and turn towards Allah.” (Baihaqi, al-Sunan al-Kubra, III, 351-351)

Then, leaving sins and asking for forgiveness is a key that opens the Heavens. When people leave sins and make up with their almighty Lord, the doors of heaven will open and all sorts of mercy will shower us.

{

Once four people came to Hasan al-Basri and each one of them complained from different things: drought, poverty, one from lack of his kids, and another one from infertility of his fields. This great friend of Allah recommended asking for forgiveness to each one of them.

Those who were with him said:

“Master, even though these people were troubled with different things, you recommended the same thing to all of them?”

Then, Hasan al-Basri responded them by reciting the verses 10-12 of Chapter Nuh (71), just like Umar (r.a.) did. (Aynî, Umdat al-Qari, XXII, 277; Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, XI, 98)

{

In our sixth hadith, it is stated that people will not be subjected to divine torment as long as they ask for forgiveness. As asking for forgiveness is a shield against worldly torments, it is also a salvation from eternal torment. It is trust and safety.

In our seventh hadith, people with many istighfars (asking for forgiveness) in their books of deeds are given the good news and called “How happy they are!”  This is because, as stated in another noble hadith:

“Istighfar shines like light in the book of deeds. (Suyutî, Jaami, no: 3056)

Then, we need to keep on asking for forgiveness with sincerity and wholeheartedly. If asking for forgiveness is done only by the tongue, then it may not be seen in the book of deeds on the Day of Judgment. For this reason, the heart and soul need to participate in asking for forgiveness.

In our eighth hadith, the Messenger of Allah teaches a supplication for asking for forgiveness which includes every kind of prayer and repentance. Due to its importance, he names it as “Sayyid al-Istigfhar:” the Master of istighfars. Reciting this istighfar every day by making it one of our habitual recitations is a means for abundance in this world and in the hereafter. It is the renewal of the promise and contract that we gave in past eternity. Thus, how nice a deed it would be to recite and help everyone memorize such virtuous supplications and asking for forgiveness, just like our ancestors did. Muslims are in need of such direction from their leaders.^[1]  

Let us remind that a person should not be heedless to commit a sin by trusting in repentance and asking for forgiveness. A person who commits a sin by saying “Allah forgives” may not be saved from it and can go further. Or before he gets a chance to repent, he may face death when repentance is not accepted.

Our Exalted Lord warns us as follows:

“…Verily, the promise of Allah is true: let not then this present life deceive you, nor let the chief Deceiver deceive you about Allah.” (Luqman; 31:33) Also see. (Al-Fatir; 35:5)  

It is also true that not committing a sin is superior to being forgiven. Even though a sinner repents and his sin is forgiven, he loses many things. How nicely Mawlana Jalaladdin Rumi expresses this:

“True, there is forgiveness. However, even though he is forgiven, a thief would be happy to have saved his life. Otherwise, would it be possible for a thief to be a Wizir (Deputy King) or the Minister of Treasury?” (Masnawi, c. V, verse no: 3153-3154)