Assalamualaikum Dear Brothers & Sisters,

Tomorrow is too late, yesterday is all gone and now is the right time to repent & change your life and the hereafter before the opportunity is gone.

It is no wonder that we all commit sins, but it is necessary for us to return to Allah apologetically after any committed sin. It is said; he who does good deeds is close to Allah and he who does always sinful deeds is close to the devil and he who does good deeds after committing of a sin is a successful person.

Those who constantly repent are the most beloved to Allah.

Allah says in the Qur’an: Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.” Surah Baqarah (2:222)

‘Abdullah bin Busr said that: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Glad tidings to those who find a lot of seeking forgiveness in the record of their deeds.” Sunan Ibn Majah 3818

Meaning of Tauba/ sincere repentance

Tauba means repenting for a sin, promising Allah to not repeat the same evil again and returning to Him alone. Repentance is the beginning in the life of a person who intends to walk in the path of religion. It is the first step of discipline, the key to guidance to the straight path, the weapon of purification of those who wish to come close to Allah and is a dear thing to all prophets.

If we only know our actual worth, we would never humiliate ourselves by doing sins. While we know our actual purpose in this life is to worship Allah and not to please ourselves.

Allah says: And We sent not before you any messenger except that We revealed to him that, “There is no deity except Me, so worship Me. Surah Al-Anbiya (21:25)

Even Allah’s Apostle Prophet (ﷺ) who was the pious, sinless human being the earth has ever witnessed used to seek Allah’s forgiveness over 70 times a day.

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, “I swear by Allah that I seek Allah’s Pardon and turn to Him in repentance more than seventy times a day.” [Al-Bukhari, Hadith 1870].

What is sin?

Doing an act which has be prohibited by Allah and to the doer of any such action is held accountable and is liable to some sort of punishments by Allah, sometimes the punishment will have to be borne only in this world and sometimes in both worlds.

Sins are like flat tyres, people with them go nowhere if not changed at the right time. The worst scenario is when sins turns into habit so much so that sometimes any sin performed regularly become culture which we can’t drop. No wonder sins may sound or look tempting and irresistible but there’s a line above and below everything we do. Sometimes we know that we are addicted to a certain type of sin but waiting for them to be told or just finds it hard to drop as we are used to it so much that it has become an integrated part of life.

So, what’s the solution to this condition?

We must every now keep checking our situation, our actions, our state of Imaan, closeness to our deen and our indulgence in good work and good deeds. Never pause in your sins so much that you put our Akhirah on risk, just drop the sin and move away from it.

Easier said than done but please try, just take one step then see how Allah makes it easy for you to turn away from bad, even He can turn your bad deeds to good deeds, insha Allah.

Talk about it to the upcoming taker of such sin or bad habit. Warn them of the dangers in such sin. Sins do not fall from heavens, they grow with us, they grow because we find joy in living with them, maybe we are proud of it in secret or in the open or may be because we do it as everyone around is doing too. But my dear brothers & sisters any sin is contagious, you don’t need to be physically strong to beat it, but you first need to prepare your mind with the wisdom of staying far from it or having and replacing it with a better habit you enjoy and proud of, insha Allah.

Remember, with strong determination no sin is too hard to replace with a better good action or habit, just make up your mind.

Also remember, the accepted & beloved deeds are those done only for the sake of Allah and when one abstains from sins or bad deeds only for the sake of Allah nothing like that. Is there any good that sins give you? No, only it takes you away from your creator and worsens your hereafter. No attainment of heart and soul at all. Remember, we belong to Allah and the peace of heart and mine can only be found.

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Allah, the Exalted, has said: ‘I have prepared for my righteous slaves what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and the mind of no man has conceived.’ If you wish, recite:

‘No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do.”‘ Surah Al-Sajda (32:17) [Al-Bukhari and Muslim, Hadith 1881].

Few Advantages of Sincere Repentance or Tawbah

1. You will be counted amoungts the best

The best of sinners are those who repent, and Allah loves those who keep going back to Him very often.

Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Allah, the Exalted, will continue to stretch out His Hand in the night so that the sinners of the day may repent, and continue to stretch His Hand in the daytime so that the sinners of the night may repent, until the sun rises from the west”.[Muslim, Hadith 16]

2. Allah pardons, forgives the sins of the one who repents.

Allah says: Indeed, I am the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents and believes and does righteousness and then continues in guidance. Surah Ta-Ha (20:82).

3. Allah relieves the repentant from anxiety, worries and problems.

Ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “If anyone constantly seeks pardon (from Allah), Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress and a relief from every anxiety and will provide sustenance for him from where he expects not.” [Abu Dawud, Hadith 1873].

4. Allah erases the poverty; his shortage is reduced, and he is being directed to better opportunities.

5. Allah opens the means of sustenance. Allah volumes up his livelihood and survival.

6. Allah relieves the repentant from grieve and struggles or hurdles.

Al-Agharr Al-Muzani (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Sometimes I perceive a veil over my heart, and I supplicate Allah for forgiveness a hundred times in a day.” [Muslim, Hadith 1869].

7. Allah removes the black spot which has been placed on the sinner’s heart after his indulgence in the sin.

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

When the believer commits sin, a black spot appears on his heart. If he repents and gives up that sin and seeks forgiveness, his heart will be polished. But if (the sin) increases, (the black spot) increases. That is the Ran that Allah mentions in His Book: “Nay! But on their hearts is the Ran (covering of sins and evil deeds) which they used to earn.” [Hadith 4385, 83:14]

8. Allah increases or gives sustenance to the repentant from such places which he would have never ever thought he would get from; his sustenance is been made easy and comfortable.

9. Allah generates gardens and flowing rivers, sends beneficial rain from the sky such is the benefits of seeking His forgiveness.

Allah says: ‘And Nuh (A.S) said; ‘Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in [continuing] showers and give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers’. Surah Nuh (71:10-12)

Anas (RAA) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: “All the sons of Adam are sinners, but the best of sinners are those who repent often.” Related by At·Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah with a strong chain of narrators. Hadith 1477

Your takeaway from this lesson:

1. Keep seeking forgiveness from Allah sincerely.
2. Recite different duas of forgiveness, even if just saying ‘Astaghfirullah’ with pure intention. As solutions to all your problems can be found with constant repentance, insha Allah.

In the next part we will learn about the Conditions and Four principles of Tawbah, insha Allah.

May Allah help us to repent & seek His forgiveness in the way accepted, Aameen Ya Rab!

JazakAllahu Khair

Muneer Bint Fayaz