Turn to Repentance

Allaah – the Might and Majestic – says: “Say O My Slaves who have transgressed against their own souls! Do not despair of Allaah’s mercy. Indeed Allaah forgives all sins, Truly He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Soorah az-Zumar 39:53].

There is a consensus from the Scholars that this noble aayah (verse) was revealed for the taa’ibeen (those who repent). So whoever sincerely repents from his sins, then Allaah will forgive him all his sins, as occurs in the saving of Allaah – the Most Perfect – :

 

“O you who Believe! Turn to Allaah in sincere repentance. Perhaps your Lord may remove from you your sins and admit you into Paradise beneath which rivers flow.” [Soorah at-Tahreem 66:8].

So in this aayah (verse), Allaah has made the removal of sins and entry into Paradise dependant upon sincere repentance.

And sincere repentance is conditional upon:

[i] abandoning the sin and keeping away from it,

[ii] having regret and remorse for committing the sin,

[iii] truly intending not to commit the sin again,

[iv] remembering the greatness of Allaah and hoping for His reward, whilst fearing His punishment.

“Turn you all in repentance to Allaah, O Believers, in order that you may be successful.” [Soorah an-Noor 24:31].

in this aayah (verse) Allaah the Mighty and Majestic – linked success with tawbah (repentance) and points to the fact that the repentant person will reach success and happiness, and if such a person were to follow up this repentance with eemaan (faith) and doing righteous actions, then Allaah would efface his evil actions and change them to good actions, as Allaah the Most Perfect – said after mentioning the sins of Shirk (directing worship that is due only for Allaah to other than Allaah), taking a life without just cause and fornication and adultery

“And whoever does this, will receive the punishment, The punishment will be doubled for him on the Day of Judgement and he will live therein in disgrace. Except for those who repent, have eemaan (faith) and do righteous actions. For them Allaah will change their evil deeds into good ones, and Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Soorah al-Furqaan 25:68-70]

 

And from the causes of tawbah (repentance) are humility and submissiveness to Allaah – the Most Perfect – and asking Allaah for guidance and ability, and that acceptance of one’s repentance is considered as a Favour from Allaah, as Allaah – the Most Perfect – said:

 

‘‘Call upon Me and I will respond to your supplication.” [Soorah Ghaafir 40:60] And He – the Mighty and Majestic – said: “And when My servant asks you concerning Me, say to them that I am indeed near, And I respond to the supplication of the one who supplicates to Me.” [Soorah al-Baqarah 2:186].

 

Also, from the causes of tawbah is choosing good companionship and friendship and following them in righteous conduct, whilst staying clear of bad companionship. It is authentically related from Allaah’s Messenger sallaallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam that he said:

 

“A person is upon the way of life of his friend, so let one of you look to whom he keeps as a friend.”2 And the Prophet sallaallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam also said: “The example of a good companion and a bad companion is like that of a seller of musk, and the one who blows the blacksmith’s bellows. As for the seller of musk, then either he will grant you some, or at the very least you enjoy a pleasant smell from him. As for the one who blows the blacksmith’s bellows, then either he will burn your clothes or you will get an offensive smell from him.”3

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1. Al-Fataawaa (1/251-253)
2. Hasan: Related by Abu Dawood (no.4812) and others, from Abu Hurayrah radiallaahu ‘anhu. Imaam an-Nawawee authenticated it in Riyaadus-Saaliheen (no.174).
3. Related by al-Bukhaaree (4/323) and Muslim (no.2628), from Abu Moosaa al-Asharee radiallaahu ‘anhu.

source: http://abdurrahman.org/character/cry-for-help.html

“The True Rahmah” – Ibn Qayyim (rahimahullaah)

 

 

“From that which is befitting to know is that “Rahmah” is a characteristic which requires the bringing about of that which is beneficial and good to the servant. This is the case even if the soul dislikes it and it is difficult upon it. This is the true “Rahmah”. The most merciful of the people to you is the one who is hard/difficult upon you with regards to bringing about that which is to your benefit and repelling that which is harmful from you.

Therefore from the mercy of the father for his child is that he compels his child to observe discipline with regards to the attainment of knowledge and the practice of it. He (the father) is hard upon his child with regards to that by way of disciplining the child and other than that. Also he is hard upon him by way of preventing him from the fulfillment of his (evil) desires which will return to him as that which will harm him. Whenever the father is negligent in that affair with regards to his child, that is a result of a lack of his “Rahmah” for him. Even if he (the father) thinks that he is having “Rahmah” upon him, giving him comfort and giving him relief, this is “Rahmah” that is accompanied with ignorance. Similar to the “Rahmah” of the mother.

Based upon this, from the completeness of the “Rahmah” of the Most Merciful of those who show mercy, He (Allaah) sent down upon the servant different types of trials and test. Indeed He (Allaah) is most knowledgeable of that which is of his benefit. Therefore His (Allaah) testing of him (the servant) and preventing him from many of his goals and desires is from His “Rahmah” for him. However the servant due to his ignorance and oppression he falsely accuses His Lord (of that which is not befitting) for His testing of him. He (the servant) doesn’t know His (Allaah’s) goodness to him by way of His testing him with test. There has come in the narration:

“When the one who is being tested is supplicated for:-Oh Allaah have mercy upon him- Allaah the Most High says -How can I have mercy upon from something which I am having mercy upon him with-”

In another narration:

“Indeed when Allaah the Most High loves His servant, He protects him from the worldly life, its goodness and its desirable affairs just as He protects one of you from his sickness”

This is from the completeness of His “Rahmah” for him (the servant) and not from His stinginess upon Him. How could this be when He is The Most Generous The Glorified. He is the one who possess all generosity. The generosity of the creation in comparison to His generosity is less than an atom in the mountains of the world and its sand.

From His “Rahmah” with His servants:

His testing of them with the commandments and the prohibitions as a means of a “Rahmah” and protection. He (Allaah) has no need for them in that which He has commanded them with, for He is The Self-Sufficient, The All-Praiseworthy. Likewise this is not stinginess from Him upon them in that which He prohibited them from, for He is The Most Generous and The Most Noble.

From His “Rahmah”:

He disturbs and spoils the worldly life upon them so that they do not seek to inhabit it (forever) and become at ease with it. Also (this is done) so that they desire the established bounty in its abode and proximity. Therefore He drives them to that with the whips of trials and tribulations. He prevents them in order to give them. He test them in order to pardon them. He causes them to die in order to give them life.

From His “Rahmah” for them:

He warns them against Himself in order that they do not become deceived by it and as a result of that, they deal with Him (Allaah) in a manner which is not not befitting for them to deal with Him. It is just as He stated:

“Allaah warns you against Himself and Allaah is merciful to His servants” (Soorah Aali ‘Imraan: 30)

More than one from amongst the Salaf stated:

“From His mercy with the servants is that He warned them against Himself in order that they do not become deceived by it”.

Translated by:
Abu Yusuf Khaleefah Brooklyn NYC
Taken from the book “Kitaabul Ma’aarifis Saniyyah min Kutub Shamsiddeen Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah” By Abdur Rahmaan ibn Abdil-Azeez Suhmaan p.g. 78-79
http://31097.multiply.com/journal/item/59