- Sins and wrongdoings, hasten to repent from them in Ramadan
- The most beautiful repentance and return to Allah in Ramadan
- The first step to accept your fasting and emerge victorious on the Night of Decree
- 3 conditions for Allah to accept your repentance
- How can you live with the name of Allah the Ever-Relenting, no matter your sins?
- Repentance is not only about wrongdoing... things you need to repent for
Khaberni - Dr. Amr Khaled, a Muslim preacher, said that repentance to Allah is the first step to ensuring the acceptance of fasting. It leads to piety, the answering of prayers during the Night of Decree, and achieving the highest levels of Paradise in the hereafter.
Khaled explained in the ninth episode of the Ramadan program "Guide - Journey with the Quran" that there are three conditions for the acceptance of repentance, namely:
1- Regret: (an emotion filled with sincerity and self-confrontation, by admitting the mistake made, without tormenting oneself).
2- Ceasing the sin (a sincere stance and choice).
3- Resolving not to return (requires a strong decision, such as changing bad company for good ones and ending unlawful relationships).
Surah At-Tawbah opens the door of hope for sinners
Khaled mentioned that repentance is mentioned in the Quran 87 times, including 17 times in Surah At-Tawbah, which mentions it the most, and widely opens the door to repentance even to the most disbelieving disbelievers, and all the more so if one is a Muslim no matter how great their sins might be, according to his question.
Khaled explained the reason behind the naming of this chapter as At-Tawbah, stating that war was not the purpose but a means to open the door of repentance. This surah was revealed at the moment of Islam's victory, and now the aim is not to take revenge on the defeated but to open the door of repentance.
He attributed the mention of repentance amidst the discussion of disbelievers, hypocrites, war, and jihad to Allah almighty not wanting a society oppressed by war and power but rather a repentant society that loves Allah, and not out of coercion.
Despite this, the surah does not begin with Bismillah, which Khaled attributes to it being a war surah thus denying disbelievers God's mercy, yet it is full of repentance and forgiveness. He explained that it offers repentance from three dimensions, and broadens your understanding of the concept of repentance, as follows:
1- How can you doubt His repentance upon you when you sin, while He opens the door for accepting the repentance of the gravest disbelievers and those who deny and defy Allah and His Messenger?
2- Help people to repent, prepare what helps them in that, and revive in them living by the name of Allah the Ever-Relenting, and do not alienate people from repentance, give them a chance to repent.
3- Repentance is not only from wrongful acts but also from not making Allah Almighty the center of your life, who has provided you with everything, so how can He not be your top priority before worldly life and money? And also, repentance from selfishness, living for yourself and not contributing anything to Islam, your society, and your country.
Khaled considered it one of the wonders of repentance that it changes the past, a nearly impossible feat in people's lives, where it takes enormous effort and resources to erase the bad picture of the past, whereas with Allah, repentance erases all previous when you repent.
Themes of Surat At-Tawbah
Khaled divided the surah into three themes as follows:
The first theme: How can you doubt Allah’s repentance towards His servants?... Live by Allah’s name, the Ever-Relenting in every aspect of your being no matter your sins. "And a declaration from Allah and His Messenger to the people on the day of the greater pilgrimage that Allah and His Messenger are free from liability to the idolaters if you repent it is best for you".
The second theme: Aid people in repentance, do not alienate them nor despair them. "And if one of the idolaters seek protection from you, grant him protection so that he may hear the words of Allah, then deliver him to his place of safety. That is because they are a people who do not know".
The third theme: Repentance is not just about sins but also requires repentant if Allah is not your top priority, repentance from neglecting Allah. "Say, if your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth you have acquired, commerce you fear may slacken, and dwellings you desire are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger and jihad in His cause, then wait until Allah executes His command. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people".
Encouraging people to repent
Khaled urged to encourage people to repent by improving their lives through paying Zakat, warning of the consequences of hoarding and not fulfilling the rights of Allah in what people earn from wealth. "... and those who hoard gold and silver and do not spend them in the way of Allah, then give them tidings of a painful punishment, on the day when it will be heated in the fire of Hell, and seared therewith will be their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs, 'This is what you hoarded for yourselves, so taste what you used to hoard'".
He also urged helping people repent by stopping war in the sacred months (Rajab– Dhu al-Qi'dah– Dhu al-Hijjah– Muharram), to give a chance for guidance and reflection. "Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve in the Book of Allah from the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves therein...".
He clarified that repentance also consists of living selflessly, eating and drinking and confining your life to your family and wealth, without giving thanks for Allah’s blessings by turning them into service for people, religion, and society. "O you who have believed, what is [the matter] with you that, when you are told to go forth in the cause of Allah, you adhere heavily to the earth? Are you satisfied with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But little is the enjoyment of the life of this world compared to the Hereafter * If you do not go forth, He will punish you with a painful punishment and will replace you with another people, and you will not harm Him at all. And Allah is over all things competent".
No making up excuses
Khaled urged in this context to face oneself and not fabricate excuses for repentance:
-Do not look for the easy path: "If there had been immediate gain and an easy journey, they would have followed you, but the distance was too great for them. And they will swear by Allah, 'If we could have, we would have gone out with you,' destroying themselves, for Allah knows that they are surely lying"
-Do not allege that Allah does not want you: "Had they intended to go out, they would have made some preparation for it, but Allah disliked their being sent, so He kept them back, and it was said, 'Sit back with those who sit back'".
-Avoiding serving the community for fear of trouble: "If good befalls you, it distresses them; but if disaster strikes you, they say, 'We took our matter [in hand] before,' and turn away while they are rejoicing * Say, 'Never will we be struck except by what Allah has decreed for us; He is our protector.' And upon Allah let the believers rely".
-Do not do good in anticipation of receiving something from people in return: "And among them are those who criticize you concerning the [distribution of] charities. If they are given from them, they approve; but if they are not given from them, at once they become displeased* And if they had been satisfied with what Allah and His Messenger gave them and said, 'Sufficient for us is Allah; Allah will give us of His bounty, and [so will] His Messenger. Indeed, to Allah do we desire'".
-Making up foolish excuses: "And among them is he who says, 'Permit me [to remain at home] and do not put me to trial.' Unquestionably, into trial have they fallen, and indeed, Hell will encompass the disbelievers".
Khaled indicated that the environment plays a key role in repentance, as it is essential to have righteous companionship, "The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Those - Allah will have mercy upon them. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise * Allah has promised the believing men and believing women gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally, and pleasant dwellings in gardens of perpetual residence; but approval from Allah is greater. That is the supreme success".
Watch the episode:
