Sincere Repentance

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

The following is a transcript of a discourse delivered by Mawlana Wafi’ Muhammad. 

Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) is reported to have said, “Whoever says, ‘Laa ilaha il Allah’ will enter Paradise.”  We need to understand that this is the “passport” for entry into Paradise.  We need to also understand that going to Paradise is one thing; but when will we actually enter Paradise is another matter.  There would be some who would have to go through the Hellfire before they enter Paradise.  Because of their deeds and actions they will have to go to Hell first and then through Allah’s (s.w.t.) Mercy, He will Take them out and Enter them into Paradise.  However they will be referred to as the Dwellers of Hell. 

We do not want to go to Hell, no matter how short the stay.  As a result Allah (s.w.t.) Tells us in many places in the Qur’an that we should constantly beg Him for Forgiveness.  For example Allah (s.w.t.) Says: 

سُوۡرَةُ التّحْریم

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ تُوبُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ تَوۡبَةً۬ نَّصُوحًا عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمۡ أَن يُكَفِّرَ عَنكُمۡ سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمۡ وَيُدۡخِلَڪُمۡ جَنَّـٰتٍ۬ تَجۡرِى مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرُ يَوۡمَ لَا يُخۡزِى ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّبِىَّ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَعَهُ ۥ‌ۖ نُورُهُمۡ يَسۡعَىٰ بَيۡنَ أَيۡدِيہِمۡ وَبِأَيۡمَـٰنِہِمۡ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ أَتۡمِمۡ لَنَا نُورَنَا وَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَآ‌ۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ ڪُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدِيرٌ۬ (٨) 

O you 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 You have Power over all things.” (Surah at-Tahrim:8) 

Allah (s.w.t.) Addresses the believers in the ayat.  Allah (s.w.t.) also Tells us in another ayat: 

سُوۡرَةُ النّحل

وَلَوۡ يُؤَاخِذُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّاسَ بِظُلۡمِهِم مَّا تَرَكَ عَلَيۡہَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ۬ ... (٦١) 

If Allah were to Punish men for their wrongdoing, He would not leave, on the (Earth), a single living creature ... (Surah an-Nahl:61) 

No matter how much we try at the end of the day, we are all humans and we may still commit mistakes knowingly or unknowingly.  And no matter how much faith we may have today, we all have past records and it may not be as we would want it to be.  As result, Allah (s.w.t.) Advises us to constantly repent.  Repentance is not just a mechanical exercise or lip service as some say.  It demands sincerity.  Sincerity means that we are truly sorry for the wrong we would have committed and for soiling our soul with black spots.  And if we repent sincerely, Allah (s.w.t.) Says in the ayat mentioned above; in the hope that our Lord will Remove from us our ills and admit us to Gardens beneath which rivers flow. 

Even if we did something wrong, we do not let it hinder us from humbling yourself and begging Allah (s.w.t.) to Forgive us.  It is very easy to make a mistake and Satan has real capacity and power and knows our weak spots and how to work on them.  However, one simple thing can nullify all his power and this is, “I seek refuge in Allah (s.w.t.).”  We do not think, for example, that we can recite plenty of swalawat or give lots of charity to balance off our wrong deeds.  We try our best to stay away from evil in totality.  We cannot foster good and evil in our hearts at one and the same time.  We must keep struggling and working on our nafs and Allah (s.w.t.) Says that He will Make our light bright and shinning. 

What we do here is to firstly, seek repentance for our shortcomings and to also strengthen the other dimension of our personality which is to culture our qalb to resonate, “Allahu”.  If we have Allah (s.w.t.) in our heart, Satan cannot divert us.  It’s a barrier between us and him.  He is always looking to catch us and will use every method possible as Allah (s.w.t.) has Given him Permission.  The only thing that will pull us through is belief in our Lord.  Today, sadly we see that for some people, life has no value.  We keep in mind, however, that those on the Straight Path, Allah (s.w.t.) will Help and Protect them, insha’Allah. 

Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) is reported to have said, “Seek Forgiveness and repent more than seventy times a day.  And He is the Messenger of Allah; therefore if he did it, we should try our best to do the same.  And we should always pray for those who have gone before us.  If we are generous in this matter, we would have done a service to not only our beloved ones but also ourselves as Allah (s.w.t.) is Most Merciful and would Bless us in the process. 

We need to always be mindful that life is an onward journey and part of our mission is to send goodness before us.  We should begin from now and remove any black sports we have stained our souls with by sincerely repenting to our Most Compassionate Lord.  May Allah (s.w.t.) Enable us with the capacity to always repent to Him daily and may He Guide us and Protect us from the ills facing society, insha’Allah.