The State of Repentance
Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah
The state of repentance, tawbah, is at the beginning, the middle and the end of all statesof submission to the will of Allah. The servant who seeks the pleasure of Allah never
abandons tawbah. He remains in the state of tawbah until his death. Whatever his state
of belief, the servant makes tawbah his constant companion.
Thus, tawbah is at thebeginning and at the end of his servitude to his Creator. His need for tawbah at the end, just as at the beginning, overrides, and supersedes all other needs. Allah says: “And turn to Allah altogether (make tawbah), O you who believe so that you may succeed,” (24:31)
The verse above is contained within a Madinan Surah (revealed after the migration to
Madinah), in which Allah addresses the people of emaan, who are the best of His
creation. He calls upon them to make tawbah “turn in repentance” to Him after they had
already believed, gone through hardships, trials of faith, executed patience, migrated
and performed jihad. Allah then made success conditional on perfecting such tawbah, as
the effect is often conditional on the cause.
No one can hope for success, except: those
who make tawbah. Allah says: “And those who do not make tawbah are indeed the dhaalimoon (wrongdoers).” (49:11)
Allah divides His servants into two categories only: the repentant and the wrongdoers.
There is no third category. Allah calls those who do not make tawbah, “dhaalimoon”
(wrongdoers and transgressors) and no one is more of a wrongdoer and a transgressor
than a person who does not repent for his evil actions. This state is a result of a person’s
ignorance of his Lord and the rights due to Him, as well as, his own defects and the evil
of his deeds.
The Prophet, sallallahu alayeh wa sallam, is reported to have said: “O
people, make tawbah to Allah. By Allah, I make tawbah to Him more than seventy times each day.” (Bukhari)
His companions used to count for him in each congregation his saying one hundred
times: “My Lord, forgive me and accept my repentance, for You are At-Tawwab
(the One who accept repentance), Al-Ghafoor (The Oft Forgiving).”
The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe
wa sallam, is also reported to have said: “No one will be rescued (on the Day of
Judgment) by his deeds. They (his companions) asked even you Messenger of Allah? He
said, even me, unless Allah would grant me His mercy and Grace.“
May Allah’s blessings and peace be upon His Messenger, the most knowledgeable among
His creation of Him, His Rights, His Greatness and what servitude He deserves. He is the
most knowledgeable of servitude and its requirements and the most committed in
servitude to Allah.
