Chapter Two: The Meaning of Repentance; the Wisdom behind it, and its Rulings

 Chapter Two: The Meaning of Repentance; the Wisdom behind it, and its Rulings
Section One: The Meaning of Repentance.
Section Two: The Door to Repentance is Open.
Section Three: The Excellence of Repentance and its Benefits.

Section One: The Meaning of Repentance
Firstly: the linguistic definition of repentance:
In the Arabic language repentance means returning; going back; penitence; and regret.

In usage, we can either say:
‘the repentance was accepted by Allah’ –in which case the preposition ‘by’ is used, or we can say: ‘the repentance of the servant to Allah’– in which case the preposition ‘to’ is used.

Allah –he Most High– says:
]إِنَّمَا ٱلتَّوۡبَةُ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ لِلَّذِينَ يَعۡمَلُونَ ٱلسُّوٓءَ بِجَهَٰلَةٖ ثُمَّ يَتُوبُونَ مِن قَرِيبٖ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ يَتُوبُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِمۡۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمٗا]
Sura an-Nisa; (4):17
]Meaning: The repentance accepted by Allah is only for those who do wrong in ignorance or carelessness and then repent soon after. It is those to whom Allah will turn in forgiveness, and Allah is all- Knowing, all-Wise.]

He –the Mighty and Majestic– also says:
]وَتُوبُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ]
Sura an-Nur; (24):31
]Meaning: And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you may be successful.]

Similarly, He says:
]وَمَن تَابَ وَعَمِلَ صَٰلِحٗا فَإِنَّهُۥ يَتُوبُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَتَابٗا]
Sura al-Furqan; (25):71
]Meaning: And whosoever repents and does righteous good deeds, then verily, he repents to Allah with true repentance.][654]

Secondly: the technical definition of repentance:
It is possible to define repentance as being:
The abandonment of sin due to its ugliness; out of regret for having committed it; having firm resolve not to return to it and making up for it if possible; and fulfilling any obligations missed, while also having sincerity to Allah, hoping for His reward and fearing His punishment – providing this is done before the onset of death and before the rising of the sun from the west.[655]

This definition is inclusive of all the conditions of repentance.

There are more concise definitions for repentance, such as the definition of Ibn Al-Qayyim –may Allah have mercy upon him– who wrote:
“The reality of repentance is having regret for that which a person has committed in the past, to stop doing so in the present, and being determined not to return to it in the future.”[656]

He also defines it by saying:
“The reality of repentance is that a person returns to Allah by committing to carry out that which He loves and forsaking that which He hates. Thus, it is returning from something disliked to something beloved – returning to what is beloved to Allah constitutes half of repentance and giving up that which He hates constitutes the other half.”[657]

Thirdly: What things should a person repent from?
A person should repent from all sins – minor and major alike. The person who repents must know which sins he is repenting from, even if it is in a general manner.

al-Ghazali –may Allah have mercy upon him– said:
“Know that repentance is the abandonment of a sin. However, it is not possible to abandon something except after having knowledge of it. As repentance is obligatory, so too are the prerequisites required to reach such an obligation. Thus, having knowledge of sin also becomes obligatory. Sin refers to everything that opposes Allah’s commandments, be they orders or prohibitions. Studying this in detail would require explaining the concept of legal responsibility in its entirety, but as this is not our objective, we will suffice with a mention of it in broad terms and outline its categories; and Allah is the One Who grants success through His mercy.”[658]

He –may Allah have mercy upon him– then went on to clarify the types of sin.[659]

Ibn Al-Qayyim –may Allah have mercy upon him– dedicates a chapter in his book ‘Madarij as-Salikin’ to the types of sin that repentance is to be made from.’

He writes:
“A servant does not deserve to be called repentant until he abandons them.

There are twelve types of sin mentioned in the Quran which are the basis for all prohibitions, namely:
disbelief; polytheism; hypocrisy; debauchery; disobedience; transgression; aggression; immorality; wickedness; oppression; speaking about Allah without knowledge; and following other than the way of the Believers.

Everything that Allah has made forbidden is represented by these twelve types of sin which all of mankind except for the followers of the Messengers –peace be upon them– are immersed in.

A person –knowingly or unknowingly– may engage in most of them, some of them, or one of them.

Sincere repentance is that a person renounces them entirely and protects themselves by abstaining from such environments – something which is only possible if we have knowledge of them.”[660]

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(654) See: ‘Mu’jam Maqayis al–Lughah’ of Ibn Faris (1/37); & ‘Lisan al–Arab’ of Ibn Manthur (1/233).

(655) See: ‘Madarij as–Salikin’ of Ibn Al–Qayyim (1/113, 199); & ‘Fath al–Bari’ of Ibn Hajr al– ‘Asqalani (11/106).

(656) See: ‘Madarij as–Salikin’ (1/199).

(657) See: ‘Madarij as–Salikin’ (1/313).

(658) See: ‘Ihya Ulum ad–Din’ (4/16).

(659) See: ‘Ihya Ulum ad–Din’ (4/16–22).

(660) See: ‘Madarij as–Salikin’ (1/344).

Section Two: The Door to Repentance is Open
Allah –through His grace and generosity– has opened the door to repentance, commanding with it and encouraging it while promising its acceptance – regardless of whether it be performed by a disbeliever, a polytheist, a hypocrite, an apostate, a tyrant, an atheist, an oppressive, or a sinful person.

Through the following points we shall glimpse some of Allah’s favours upon us by His opening of the door to repentance.
1. Allah –the Mighty and Majestic– commanded us with repentance.
He –the Almighty– says:
]وَأَنِيبُوٓاْ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمۡ وَأَسۡلِمُواْ لَهُۥ مِن قَبۡلِ أَن يَأۡتِيَكُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابُ ثُمَّ لَا تُنصَرُونَ]
Sura az-Zumar; (39):54
]Meaning: And turn to your Lord and submit to Him before the punishment comes upon you; then you will not be helped.]

Ibn Kathir –may Allah have mercy upon him– says in explanation of this verse: “i.e. return to Allah and yield to Him before the punishment comes upon you; then you will not be helped – meaning: hasten to repent and perform righteous deeds before His wrath befalls you.”[661]

2. Allah has promised to accept the repentance of a person however grave the sin may be.
He –the Almighty– says:
]وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي يَقۡبَلُ ٱلتَّوۡبَةَ عَنۡ عِبَادِهِۦ وَيَعۡفُواْ عَنِ ٱلسَّيِّ‍َٔاتِ وَيَعۡلَمُ مَا تَفۡعَلُونَ]
Sura ash-Shura; (42):25
]Meaning: And it is He who accepts repentance from his servants and pardons misdeeds, and He knows what you do.]

Similarly, Allah says:
]وَمَن يَعۡمَلۡ سُوٓءًا أَوۡ يَظۡلِمۡ نَفۡسَهُۥ ثُمَّ يَسۡتَغۡفِرِ ٱللَّهَ يَجِدِ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٗا رَّحِيمٗا]
Sura an-Nisa; (4):110
]Meaning: And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allah's Forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.]

Likewise, Allah says concerning the hypocrites:
]إِنَّ ٱلۡمُنَٰفِقِينَ فِي ٱلدَّرۡكِ ٱلۡأَسۡفَلِ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ وَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُمۡ نَصِيرًا ١٤٥ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ تَابُواْ وَأَصۡلَحُواْ]
Sura an-Nisa; (4):145-6
]Meaning: Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire -and never will you find for them a helper- except for those who repent and rectify themselves.]

Regarding the Christians, He –the Exalted– says:
]لَّقَدۡ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَٰثَةٖۘ وَمَا مِنۡ إِلَٰهٍ إِلَّآ إِلَٰهٞ وَٰحِدٞۚ وَإِن لَّمۡ يَنتَهُواْ عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنۡهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ]
Sura Maidah; (5):73
]Meaning: They have certainly disbelieved, those who say: “Allah is the third of three.” And there is no god who has the right to be worshipped except One God. And if they do not desist from what they are saying, there will surely afflict the disbelievers among them a painful punishment.]

He then encourages them to repent by saying:
]أَفَلَا يَتُوبُونَ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَيَسۡتَغۡفِرُونَهُۥۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٞ رَّحِيم]
Sura al-Maidah; (5):74
]Meaning: Will they not repent to Allah and ask His Forgiveness? For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.]

He –the Almighty– says regarding the people who dug the trench to torture and burn the believers alive:
]إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ فَتَنُواْ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِ ثُمَّ لَمۡ يَتُوبُواْ فَلَهُمۡ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابُ ٱلۡحَرِيقِ]
Sura al-Buruj; (85):10
]Meaning: Indeed, those who have tortured the believing men and believing women and then have not repented will have the punishment of Hell, and they will have the punishment of the Burning Fire.]

al-Hasan al-Basri –may Allah have mercy upon him– commented on this verse, saying:
“Look at this generosity and munificence – they killed His allies and He invites them to repent and seek forgiveness.”[662]

3. Allah warns us against despairing in His mercy.
He –the Almighty– says:
]قُلۡ يَٰعِبَادِيَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسۡرَفُواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ لَا تَقۡنَطُواْ مِن رَّحۡمَةِ ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَغۡفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًاۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ]
Sura az-Zumar; (39):53
]Meaning: Say: “O My servants who have transgressed against themselves by sinning, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He Who is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.]

Ibn Kathir –may Allah have mercy upon him– said:
“Ali bin Abi Talhah narrates that Ibn Abbas –may Allah be pleased with them both– said regarding this verse: “Allah –the Almighty– invites all people to seek His forgiveness: those who claim that the messiah is God himself; those who claim that he is the son of God; those who claim that Ezra is the son of God; those who claim that Allah is poor; those who claim that Allah’s Hand is chained (a  miser) and those who claim that Allah is the third of three.

He addresses all of them with His saying:
]أَنَا۠ رَبُّكُمُ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰ]
Sura al-Ma•idah; (5):74
]Meaning: Will they not repent to Allah and ask His Forgiveness? For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.]

He even invites the one (pharaoh) who says:
‘I am your Lord the Almighty’ and who says: ‘I know of no other god for you besides myself’ to repent.

Ibn Abbas –may Allah be pleased with them both– said:
“Whoever causes the servants of Allah to despair of His mercy after this, then he has disbelieved in the Book of Allah –the Mighty and Majestic–.”[663]

Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah –may Allah have mercy upon him– says regarding the previous verse mentioned in Sura az-Zumar (Chapter 59: The Troops):
“This verse forbids us from despairing of Allah’s mercy, even if a person’s sins are serious and grave. It is impermissible for anyone to despair of the mercy of Allah themselves or to incite others to despair in His mercy. It is for this reason some of the pious predecessors used to say: ‘The true jurist is the one who does not cause the people to despair of Allah’s mercy, nor does he encourage them to disobey Allah.’

Desperation is if a person believes that Allah will not forgive them, either because they think He will not accept their repentance or forgive their sins; or because they convince themselves that they are unable to repent, and Satan has control over them. Such a person despairs in his own repentance although he knows that if he were to repent then Allah would forgive him. This is something many people are beguiled by.”[664]

4. Allah outstretches His Hand during the night so that the sinners of the day may repent, and He outstretches His Hand during the day so that the sinners of the night may repent. The Prophet –peace be upon him– said: “Allah –the Mighty and Majestic– will continue to outstretch His Hand during the night so that the sinners of the day may repent, and He will continue to outstretch His Hand during the day so that the sinners of the night may repent, until the sun rises from the west.”[665]

5. Allah has placed a generous reward for repentance and has promised the people who repent plentiful good. Further discussion regarding this shall follow in the coming chapter – if Allah wills.

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(661) See: ‘Tafsir Ibn Kathir’ (4/61–2).

(662) See: ‘Tafsir Ibn Kathir’ (4/60).

(663) See: ‘Tafsir Ibn Kathir’ (4/60).

(664) See: ‘at–Tawbah wal–Istighfar’ of Ibn Taymiyyah with the checking of Muhammad al–Hajjaji and ‘Abdullah Badran (pp. 27–8). Also see: ‘al–Istiqamah’ of Ibn Taymiyyah (2/190).

(665) Reported by Muslim (no. 2759).

Section Three: The Excellence of Repentance and its Benefits
Repentance has many virtues and immense benefits such as:
1. Repentance is a means to salvation and success:
Allah –the Almighty– says:
[وَتُوبُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ]
Sura an-Nur; (24):31
]Meaning: And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you may be successful.]

Abu as-Sa’ud –may Allah have mercy upon him– said:
“By way of this, you will be victorious in both abodes (i.e. in this worldly life as well as the Hereafter).”[666]

2. Repentance remits sin:
When a servant sincerely repents to Allah, He wipes out all of their sins and wrongdoings.

Allah –the Almighty– says:
]قُلۡ يَٰعِبَادِيَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسۡرَفُواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ لَا تَقۡنَطُواْ مِن رَّحۡمَةِ ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَغۡفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًاۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ]

 Sura az-Zumar; (39):53
]Meaning: Say: “O My servants who have transgressed against themselves by sinning, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He Who is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.]

Likewise, He says:
]يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ تُوبُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ تَوۡبَةٗ نَّصُوحًا عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمۡ أَن يُكَفِّرَ عَنكُمۡ سَيِّ‍َٔاتِكُمۡ وَيُدۡخِلَكُمۡ جَنَّٰتٖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ]

Sura at-Tahrim; (66):8
]Meaning: O you who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance! Perhaps your Lord will remit from you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow.]

3. Repentance causes bad deeds to be replaced with good ones:
If a person repents correctly, Allah will replace their bad deeds with good deeds through His bounty and His favour.

He –the Almighty– says:
]إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلٗا صَٰلِحٗا فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ ٱللَّهُ سَيِّ‍َٔاتِهِمۡ حَسَنَٰتٖۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورٗا رَّحِيمٗا]
Sura al-Furqan; (25):70
]Meaning: Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.]

Ibn Al-Qayyim –may Allah have mercy upon him– said regarding the aforementioned verse:
“This is from the greatest of glad tidings for the penitent whose repentance is coupled with true faith and righteous action. This is true repentance.

Ibn Abbas –may Allah be pleased with them both– said:
“I did not see the Prophet –peace be upon him– happier than he was on these two occasions: when this verse was revealed, and when the following verses were revealed:
]إِنَّا فَتَحۡنَا لَكَ فَتۡحٗا مُّبِينٗا ١ لِّيَغۡفِرَ لَكَ ٱللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنۢبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ]

Sura al-Fath; (48):1-2
]Meaning: Indeed, We have given you, O Muhammad, a clear conquest. That Allah may forgive you what preceded of your sin and what will follow.][667]

4. Allah loves repentance and the penitent:
The servitude demonstrated by repentance is from the most beloved and noble forms of worship in the sight of Allah. Allah –the Exalted– loves the penitent, as He informs us in His saying:
]إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلتَّوَّٰبِينَ وَيُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُتَطَهِّرِينَ]

 Sura al-Baqarah; (2):222
]Meaning: Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.]

5. Allah is pleased with the repentance of the penitent:
Repentance is greater in the sight of Allah –the Mighty and Majestic– than many other forms of worship. For this reason, Allah rejoices greatly at the repentance of His servant when he turns to him. Allah is more pleased with His servant’s repentance than a person who finds his mount loaded with provisions in a barren desert after having lost it and despairing of living, as the Prophet –peace be upon him– said: “Verily, Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than a person whose mount is carrying his provisions from food and drink in a barren desert. He then rests his head and sleeps for a short while only to find his riding beast gone when he awakens. Overwhelmed by the heat and thirst or whatever Allah wills him to endure, he says to himself: ‘I will return to my place.’ He returns and sleeps again, and when he raises his head he finds his riding beast standing beside him.”[668]

Ibn Al-Qayyim –may Allah have mercy upon him– comments on this narration, saying:
“There is no such joy associated with any other form of worship except for repentance, and it is evident that this joy has a great effect on the state of the repentant, his heart, and much more than is able to be described.

This is from the wisdoms of the predestination of sin upon mankind. By way of repentance, a person reaches and attains the station of being loved by Allah. Indeed, Allah loves the penitent and He loves the servant who repents after succumbing to temptation.”[669]

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(666) See: ‘Tafsir Abu as–Sa’ud’ (6/171).

(667) See: ‘Madarij as–Salikin’ (1/310).

(668) Reported by al–Bukhari (no. 6308); & Muslim (no. 2744).

(669) See: ‘Madarij as–Salikin’ (1/306). Also refer to Ibn Al–Qayyim’s beautiful speech regarding the meaning of Allah’s rejoicing at the repentance of the penitent; ibid (1/226–30).