Between Hope and Fear
Q: How can someone feel that God has forgiven him for something bad he did regarding his relation to God? The person regrets what he did very much and can not forgive himself and can not bear living with the guilt feeling. If that person is praying (supplicating) to God asking for something he wishes to have very much, should he pray to God so that he can give him what he is hoping for?
A: Every Muslim knows that Allah has legislated for all human beings the procedure of repentance and has guided them the ways to return toward Him. He also urges them to make sincere repentance and assures that everyone regardless of how great his sins, if he repents towards Allah, He forgives him and covers by his Mercy.
Allah Says (interpretation of meaning):
{Say: “O ‘Ibâdî (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allâh, verily Allâh forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. “And turn in repentance and in obedience with true Faith (Islâmic Monotheism) to your Lord and submit to Him, (in Islâm), before the torment comes upon you, then you will not be helped.}[33:53-54].
Allah also Says: {Truly, Allâh loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves (by taking a bath and cleaning and washing thoroughly their private parts, bodies, for their prayers, etc.).}[2:222].
Many texts from the Qur’an and Hadith emphasize making repentance as soon as possible, but it is even obligatory on every Muslim. All the Muslim scholars have agreed upon this fact.
Repentance would not be considered unless it meets the following five conditions:
1. Sincerity, i.e. should only be performed to please Allah.
2. Giving up the sin.
3. Feeling deep regret for what he has committed.
4. Taking a strong decision not to practice it in the future.
5. Repentance should be made before one faces the death struggle.
These conditions are set for the sin, which is between a slave and his Lord. But if a sin relates to the rights of other person; then in addition to the above conditions, one should also seek the pardon of the person to whom he has caused harm.
The Prophet said: “Whoever has wronged his brother, should ask for his pardon (before his death), as (in the Hereafter) there will be neither a Dinar nor a Dirham. (He should secure pardon in this life) before some of his good deeds are taken and paid to his brother, or, if he has done no good deeds, some of the bad deeds of his brother are taken to be loaded on him (in the Hereafter).” [Reported by Imam Al-Bukhari].
Note that when a person makes repentance he should keep himself between the hope of the acceptance of his repentance and between the punishment for his evils.
Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {And those who give that (their charity) which they give (and also do other good deeds) with their hearts full of fear (whether their alms and charities, etc., have been accepted or not), because they are sure to return to their Lord (for reckoning).}[23:60].
Imam Tirmizi reported from Aisha (
) that she asked Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) about this verse, “And those who bring what they have brought while their hearts are quaking,” whether they were the people who drank wine and stole. He replied, “No, daughter of as-Siddiq, but they are those who fast, pray and give Sadaqa while fearing that it may not be accepted from them. They are those who compete with one another in good deeds.”
One can not claim that Allah has accepted one’s repentance. But there are some good signs showing that Allah might have accepted his repentance.
Some of those signs are that a person feels deep sorrow for what he had committed.
He bears the grief that he violated the rights of Allah, besides in the future he keeps himself away from all kinds of evils and does not go to any bad place or event. Moreover, he befriends pious Muslims, engrosses himself in doing good deeds and regards repentance as a great blessing and favor of Allah bestowed upon him. So he always tries to keep it, does not violate it in addition fears Allah’s Punishment if he breaks his repentance.
Allah knows best.
