Repentance in Islam

The word "Tawbah" (Repentance) in Arabic literally means 'to return'. In an Islamic context, it refers to the act of leaving what God 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 central to Islamic belief as well. It is mentioned in the Qur'an.

" ... and turn you all together in repentance to Allah O believers, that you may be successful" An-Noor (24:31)

In Surah al-Baqarah, it is written:

"Surely Allah loves those who turn unto him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves." (2:222)

The importance of repentance to God has also been stressed by the last prophet of Islam, Muhammad, when he said

"Allah is more delighted with the repentance of His servant than one of you would be, who suddenly finds his camel laden with supplies after losing it in a barren land" (1)

The essence of tawbah is to return to God and to adhere to what He loves and renounce that which He dislikes. Tawbah is seen as a journey from the disliked to the liked.

The word tawbah is like the word taqwa, in the sense that the latter is used sometimes in a specific sense where it means, "immediately stopping from disobeying God or carrying out an obligation". However, the meaning of taqwa is more general.

Repentance only to God

Muslims do not view any human being as being infallible; they believe that infallibility belongs to God alone. Therefore they believe that the only source for forgiveness for a human is God. Muslims deny the authority of men to listen to another person’s confessions and then pronounce him forgiven of his sin. Islam does not have a priest class. This has meant that the connection between God and man has always been a direct one. Likewise repenting to anyone besides God is forbidden. In the Qur'an it is stated:

"Verily, those you call upon besides Allah, are only servants like yourselves."( a;-a'raaf (7):194)

God’s mercy

Muslims view God as being infinitely merciful. At the beginning of every chapter (except one) of the Qur'an the verses “ In the name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful” will be found. In another saying Muhammad has mentioned that the mercy of God supersedes his wrath. It is also mentioned in the Qur'an:

"Say: O my slaves who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not for the mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. truly he is oft forgiving, most merciful." Az-Zumar (39:53)

Again, God says to the believers in a Hadith–ul-Qudsi.

“O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me, and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth, and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it.”

Responsibility

At the same time Islam also expects the Muslims to be aware of their own sins. Ibn Mas'ood, a Muslim scholar, is reported to have said:

"A believer sees his sins as if he were sitting under a mountain which he is afraid 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)." (2)

Islam rejects the idea of original sin, nor does it subscribe to the philosophy of one man carrying another’s burden. Each individual will be held accountable for his or her own actions on "Yaum al-Qiyamah" (day of judgment). Before that day occurs however, an individual should constantly seek forgiveness from God and work to rectify the faults one finds within oneself. It is for this reason that Muhammad said

"Allah accepts the repentance of His servant, so long as death has not reached his collar bone"

He also stated:

"O people! Turn to Allah in repentance and seek His forgiveness, for surely I make repentance a hundred times every day." (3)

"One who repents from sin is like one without sin." (4)

Muslims believe that forgiveness for one’s sins is not something that comes automatically; it is something that must be sought sincerely and with true devotion. It is only through Allah’s mercy that one can hope to enter Paradise. Muhammad 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 Allah?" "He replied," "Not even me unless Allah bestows His pardon and mercy on me." (5)

Therefore in Islam, salvation rests on faith (which includes), good actions and hope in God’s mercy. Furthermore, it is only Allah 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 Muhammad taught his companion Abu Bakr:

"O Allah, truly I have wronged myself and none can forgive sins except you." (6)

It is important for Muslims never to despair of Allah’s mercy - no sin is too great to repent... or too little for that matter. As one of the salaf (Pious predecessors) said:

"Do not look at the insignificance of your sins, but consider the greatness of The One you are disobeying."(7) "Omar taught me the scientific method of repentance.To repent is to STOP. FEEL sorry. And PROMISE you'll never use that false short cut again. And instead, stop, retreat, and go back to where you and who were last sure you were doing things right, and start again from there - forgiven by your God, and then, God willing, by your witnesses, to seek the sign post reasons of the true short cuts that save us steps without making more steps for others. It's not where you went wrong. It's going back BEFORE that. so you have an "Unbroken Chain" of perfect memories.

Remember that Allah is all merciful. However, you must be genuinely sorry for your sin, and never commit it again: only then... will Allah forgive you (Inshallah (see Surah 2, of the Qur'an for further details))

References

1. Narrated by Anas and collected in the hadeeth collection of al-Bukhaaree (eng. trans. vol.8 p.214 no.321) & Muslim (eng. trans. vol.4 p.1434 no.6611)

2. Collected by al-Bukhaaree (eng. trans. vol.8 p.214 no.320)

3. Reported by al-Aghaar ibn Yasaar & collected in Saheeh Muslim (eng. trans. vol.4 p.1418 no.6523).

4. HASAN - Reported by Abu 'Ubaidah ibn 'Abdullaah & collected by Ibn Majah Authenticated by al-Albaanee

5. Reported by Aboo Hurayrah & 'Aa'ishah & collected by al-Bukhaaree (eng. trans. vol.8 p.315 no.474)

6. The full text of this du'aa can be found in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (vol.1 p.442 no.776), Muslim (vol.4 pp.1419-20 no.6533), at-Tirmidhee & Ibn Majah.

7. Collected in al-Baihaqee's 'Sh'abul Eemaan' (5/430).

ee also

*Muslim theology
*Itmam al-hujjah
*sin