Rescuing your Soul?

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The Degree of Repentance

Allah says in the Qur’an:

“..Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean.” (2:222)

“Say: "O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (39:53)

It is the reality of Islam. Leaving everything that displeases Allah and come onward with whatever pleases Allah.

Allah says in the Qur’an:

“Unless they repent thereafter and mend (their conduct): for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (24:5)

The one who repents deserves to be loved by Allah. This is the greatest value of repentance.

Prophet Mohammed (SAW) said: “Turn you people in repentance to Allah and seek His Forgiveness. I turn to Him in repentance a 100 times a day.” (Muslim)

E.g. It was narrated that in the days that Musa (AS) wandered with Bani Israel in the desert a grizzly drought befell them. Together, they all raised their hands towards the heavens praying for the blessed rain. Then, to the astonishment of Musa (AS) and all those watching, the few clouds that scattered the sky vanished, the heat scorched down, and the drought intensified.

It was revealed to Musa that there was a sinner amongst Bani Israel that had disobeyed Allah for more than 40 years of his life. “Let him separate himself from the congregation,” Allah told Musa. “Only then shall I shower you all with rain.”

Musa (AS) called out to the throngs of humanity, “There is a person amongst us who has disobeyed Allah for 40 years. Let him separate himself from the congregation and only then shall we be rescued from the drought.” That man, waited, looking left and right, hoping that someone else would step forward…but no one did. Sweat poured from his brow and he knew he was the one.

If he stayed amongst the congregation all would die of thirst; yet, if he stepped forward he would be humiliated for all eternity.

He raised his hands with sincerity he had never known before, with humility he had never tasted, tears poured on both cheeks, “O Allah, have mercy on me! O Allah, hide my sins! O Allah, forgive me!”

As Musa (AS) and Bani Israel waited for the sinner to step forward, the clouds hugged the sky and the rain poured. Musa (AS) asked Allah Ta’ala, “O Allah, you blessed us with rain even though that sinner did not come forward.” And Allah Ta’ala replied, “O Musa, it is for the repentance of that very person that I blessed all of Bani Israel with water.”

Musa, wanting to know who was this blessed man, asked, “Show him to me O Allah!” Allah Ta’ala replied, “O Musa, I hid his sins for 40 years. Do you think that after his repentance I shall expose him?”

The Reality of Repentance is to

1. Magnify the Sin: The more we think that the sin we did is major no matter how small it is, the more we will repent to Allah. So each sin we should consider it as a major sin. To acquire magnifying the sin:
   • Attribute high importance to the command of Allah.
   • Attribute high importance to the one who is giving command.
2. Question the Repentance: How to know that Allah accepted our repentance? The more we be sceptic about our repentance, the more we will repent to Allah.
3. Acquire Protective Jealousy: When the orders of Allah are not being obeyed, it should move us (i.e.) make us sad, etc. We should at least talk to the person or do some Da’wah when Allahs commands are not obeyed.

   Prophet Mohammad (SAW) said: “Whosoever of you sees an evil action, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart, and that is the weakest of faith.” (Muslim)

Check our Heart

1. If reciting and listening to the Qur’an does not move us.
2. If in an Islamic gathering, what we hear, does not change us.

Conditions of Tawbah

1. Sincerity to Allah, Most High.
2. Remorse for the sin.
3. Ceasing the sin immediately.
4. Determination not to go back to doing the sin in future.
5. The repentance should not occur before the time when its acceptance is terminated, either by death or by the rising of the sun from the west.

"Allah will accept the repentance of him who repented; before the gurgling of the throat." (meaning the last breath). And another hadith says: "Allah will accept the repentance of him who repented before the appearance of the sun from the West."

Allah says in the Qur’an:

“O ye who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance: in the hope that your Lord will remove from you your ills and admit you to Gardens beneath which rivers flow― the Day that Allah will not permit to be humiliated the Prophet and those who believe with him. Their Light will run forward before them and by their right hands, while they say "Our Lord! perfect our Light for us, and grant us Forgiveness; for Thou has power over all things." (66:8)

When we taste the sweetness of repentance and then tears flow, this is the best form of repentance.

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