Repentence 1
Written by: SK.
Translated by Dr. Faheem Bukhatwa
dd mmm yyyy h
dd mmm yyyy ac
Thanks be to Allah. Peace and
prayers be upon the most honored of all messengers.
You, Servants of Allah, know
that Allah made it an obligation for his believing servants to repent. He says
in sura Annoor: “All of you believers do repent to Allah for you may do well”.
He also says: “You believers repent to Allah a well informed (correct)
repentance. Your God may clear out your sins, allow you to enter into gardens
with rivers flowing beneath them”.
Prophet Mohammed peace be
upon him was reported saying: “People, do repent to Allah, for I repent to him
a hundred times a day”. So, if this was the prophet who was assured by Allah
that all his earlier and later sins were forgiven still repents a hundred
times a day… What do you think we need to do??
The Quran, the Sunnah and the
entire Muslim nation are in an agreement that repentance is a must. Dear
brothers, repentance is an obligation on all Muslims, male and female for all
types of sins and forbidden acts (major and minor) inclusive.
Repentance is giving up the
sin (of either doing a forbidden act or not doing a compulsory act).
Repentance is returning from disobeying Allah to obeying him.
There are two situation of
Repentance based on the acts to repent from. The first situation is sinful act
involves the person and Allah and does not involve another human being.
In this situation repentance
has three conditions in order to be successful in receiving Allah’s
acceptance. The three conditions are:
1) To stop doing the
sinful act
2) Feeling remorse,
regret, sorrow and sorry for the committed sin and wishing and wanting not to
do it again.
3) Making a strong true
intention not to return to the sinful act again.
Those are the conditions if
the sinful act was of the first situation which is the act was between the
person and Allah
The second situation is when
the sinful act involves or was between one human being and another. In this
situation the conditions will include a fourth extra condition on top of the
previous three conditions mentioned earlier. The fourth condition is: is for
the repentant to clear out the rights of the other human being who was
transgressed against. For example returning money taken wrongly, correcting a
wrong doing.
If any of the conditions is
not met then the repentance will not be right.
Scholars have added one more
condition normally taken for granted and that is: The repentance should be
truly be intended for Allah and nothing else. Expecting and wanting his
forgiveness, rewards, fearing his punishment. Repentance is not accepted if
done out of fear of a ruler or with the aim of making financial or other
earthly gains.
Some Muslims have so many
sins and commit so many unlawful acts that they start believing that their
sins are too much to be forgiven. They get into a state of desperation and
lose all hope in Allah’s mercy. So they never repent.
Listen to this Godly call
from the merciful himself, he says in his Quran: “Say all yea my servants,
those who have done far too much wrong doings to themselves, Do not despair of
the mercy of Allah. Allah forgives all sins, He is the forgiving, the
merciful”
“Do not despair of Allah’s
kindness , it is only the unbelievers who despair of Allah kindness”
The doors of repentance to
Allah are always open. The prophet said: “Allah opens out his hand at night
for those who sinned during the day can repent, and opens out his hand during
the day for those who sinned at night can repent until the time the sun shall
rise from where it normally sets down”
Listen to this Aya from Surat
Furqan “Those who with Allah do not call another god, and do not kill a soul
which Allah has forbid except rightly, and do not commit adultery and those
who do that will in the day of judgment find sins, and punishment will be in
folds and for ever suffer in shame, Except those who repent and do a good act,
For those Allah will change their sins into good acts, And Allah was forgiving
and mercifull”
Some Muslims intentionally
commit wrongful acts with the intention to repent afterwards. But, Repentance
needs a help from Allah and who knows one may not be successful in getting to
the path of repentance. Or who knows one may die before one repent or even
during committing the unlawful act.
One other point to be taken
into consideration is announcing and not hiding the sinful acts.
Some people forget that Allah
is so forgiving, But on the other extreme, others do continually and
intentionally commit wrongful acts and say so confidently “Allah is forgiving”
It is true Allah is forgiving but also Allah has the most painful punishment.
Forgiving to those who
confess their bad doings and repent and indulge into good acts. Allah is tough
in punishment to those who do not listen to Allah, insist on their sins and do
not repent. A Muslim lives a life between fear and hope.
We said the doors to repent
are always open. But let us remember that there are times that the those doors
are closed:
1) The time of death
when the spirit is about to be taken (many Ayas in the Quran and many Hadeeth
confirms this)
2) When the sun rises
from the west. Doors to Repentance is closed for all people then.
Assalam Alaikum -
The Islamic greeting, literately means: Peace
be with you. Used when approaching or leaving. When used during approaching
it will be like saying: I bring no harm to you . and when said during
leaving somebody it will mean: No harm will come to you after I leave.
Aya (or Ayah):
is a verse of the Koran.
It also means a miracle or a sign from God.
Arafa (or Arafah or Arafat):
is a mountain
outside the city of Mecca
that represents the climax of the Hajj worship. All doing
Hajj must stay at this location on the same
day.
Badr
- The place of the first significant battle between the Muslims and the
pagans of the Quraish. It is located in Saudi Arabia.
Caliph
- A Muslim ruler. See:
(Khalifa)
Dajjal
- Antichrist or the False Massiah.
Dawah
- The proliferation of Islamic teachings through word and deed.
Deen (Din)
- Religion or way of life.
Duaa:
a prayer in the form of
talking to Allah;
praising him and asking him for help.
Fatwa
- Legal verdict given based on the Qur'an (Koran) and the Sunnah which are
the recorded sayings and deeds of Muhammad.
Ferdose:
is the highest level of
the all the gardens of Eden or paradise.
Fiqh
- Religious law.
Hadeeth:
is something reported
that the messenger have said. It includes all the speeches and ceremonies he gave.
It is usually narrated or told by one
of his companions. There is a list of hadeeths approximately 14000 that are
reported and checked to be genuine. No
more hadeeths are acceptably added to this list.
Hajar -
The Black Stone set into the corner of the
Ka'aba in Mecca. It is said to be a stone from Heaven.
Hajj -
The pilgrimage to Mecca which takes place in
the last month of the Islamic calendar. One of the five pillars of Islam.
Hasana or hasanas:
is the reward for a good deed. a hasana is a point or a merit for a good deed.
Hadith
- The sayings and not deeds of the prophet Muhammad recorded by his
followers. Considered authoritative and perfect.
Hajj: is
the worship of pilgrimage.
Hijra (or
Hejrah):
the event of the immigration of the messenger from Mekkah to Madina. This
event marks the start of the Islamic calendar. the Islamic calendar has 12
months based on the lunar cycle, each is 29.5 days. Hijra is also used as a
name for the Islamic dating system.
Ibadah -
Worship. All the words and deeds with which
Allah is pleased. These deeds could be prayer and charity.
Iblis - (Ibleese):
On of Satan's names.
Ibn (Ebn): the son of. Used
by Arabs as part of an individual's name. Example: Ali whose father is Omar
or the son of Omar, would be called: Ali Ibn
Omar.
Imam
(or Emam)- The leader for a prayer. In the Shiaa sect, an Imam is the individual who has the religious authority.
Iman:
belief or faith
Injil (Enjeel) -
The Bible. The book inspired to Jesus for the
Christians.
Islam
- Submission, the religion of all the
prophets of Allah culminating in Muhammad.
Jannah -
The heavenly garden, Paradise. The place of
the faithful in the afterlife.
Jihad:
is striving in the
line
of Allah in many forms. Includes a very wide scope varying from improving
oneself to fighting a defensive war in protection
of Allah's word. The greatest Jihad is the
fight one's self against temptations.
It also means "holy war."
Jinn
-
Supernatural, invisible beings race of
beings, below angels. They were made from fire. Like humans, there amongst
them are the faithful and the non beleivers and Jinn shall be judged on
Judgment Day.
Ka'aba:
A cube shaped building in
Mecca containing a stone laid there by Abraham and Ishmael. Some say
Ka'aba was first built by Adam, and some say by
Abraham. It is the holiest place for Muslims. It is where all Muslims face in their daily prayers.
Ka'aba also makes a major part of the pilgrimage
in a ritual known as Tawaf.
Khalifa:
is the Muslim ruler. Head of the Islamic empire. Exact translation:
"Successor".
Khutbah -
A sermon given in a Mosque, usually on Friday.
Kufr -
Denial or Disbelief. A term Muslims use for
anyone who denies existence of Allah or the prophecy of Muhammed.
Koran
- Also spelled Qur'an. The holy book
of Islam revealed to Muhammad by Allah through the Archangel Gabriel. Koran
literally means "the recital." It is the final revelation of Allah given to
the prophet Muhammad. It consists of 114 surahs (or chapters.)
Madinah - (Medinah): A city in the
Arabian
peninsula
(in the country known now as Saudi Arabia). A city where the messenger had to
immigrate to.
Then it was called Yathrib.
Masjid -
A
center for Muslim activity. It is referred to as a mosque.
Masiah -
A
sin, or a sinful act
Mecca or Makkah:
is
the holiest city for Muslims. It contains the Ka'aba mosque with the famous
black cubical shape. Mecca is the birth place of the messenger (PPBU).
Mosque - A Muslim
house of worship.
Muhajir -
(Muhajireen)
Immigrant, one who leaves his home town due to lack of religious freedom. It
was first used to describe early Muslims immigrating from Mecca to Median
and Ethiopia.
Muhammad -
the final messenger and
prophet of God whose message abrogated all previous revelations. He
received the Koran through the angel Gabriel over a 23 year period. Born in
Mecca and died in Medina at the age of 63. His full name: Muhammad
ibn Abd-Allah
Muslim
- One who holds faith to the religion of
Islam.
Nafilah:
a voluntary prayer other
than the five obligatory prayers; performed at any time.
Nasara -
Christians. Nasrani:
A Christian individual. Nasraniah:
Christianity.
Ommah:
is the Arabic word for a
nation. It usually refers to
the Islamic nation unless otherwise specified.
Paradise -
Another word for heaven. A
garden of bliss, fruits, rivers and all forms of pleasures imaginable and
imaginable. No suffering, disease or death. Service is provided by angels.
All live in it an ever lasting youthful life. Promised by Almighty
Allah to all faithful, true Jews, true Christians and True Muslims. Paradise
is one of two places every person will go to, either Paradise or Hellfire.
PPBU
(P.B.U.H.) :
Peace and Prayers Be
Upon him. A statement Muslims use any time they mention the name of the
messenger or make a reference to him.
Qadar -
Fate. Preordainment is the teaching that all
things, good and bad, are preordained to occur.
Qadr - (night of Qadr):
The night when the first
revelation of the Koran took place. Most likely it happened during one of the
last ten nights of the month of Ramadan. Or when the Koran was brought down to
the nearest heaven in one go, and from there it was brought down in bits and
few verses at a time over a period of 23 years. This night is considered the
holiest night for Muslims with tremendous advantages.
Qibla -
The direction which Muslims turn for daily
prayers, towards Mecca.
Quraish -
An ancient Arab tribe to which the messenger
Muhammad belonged.
Ramadan -
The ninth month of the Islamic calendar which
is the month of the fast. The holiest month in the Muslim colander.
Salat -
Prayers. Generally it covers all forms of
worship, but more specifically refers to the Muslim rituals which is
performed to worship Allah five times daily.
Shiaa:
A sect of Islam that teaches that a religion
leader (Imam) should be the political ruler and must be direct descendants
of the messenger (PPBU). Therefore, disapproving of all Muslim leaders who
ruled After the messenger (PPBU) except Ali, the messenger's grandson.
Shirk -
Associating another god with Allah. Or associating anyone or anything with
Allah. Or using anyone or anything as a medium to Allah. The opposite of
Monotheism or Tawheed.
Siam or Soam-
Fasting
Sunni:
is a the title of those Muslims who are suppose to be following the life
style of the messenger. This differentiates them from the Shiaa of Iran.
Sunna (Sunnah):
Is how the Messenger PPBU lived, what he did or said. It includes the way he
dressed, ate, drank, prayed, interacted with other people and fought.
Basically, sunnah is the life style of the messenger PPBU. It is considered
the second source of legislation in Islamic laws and it is considered to be an
important reference to be used for concluding arguments and disputes.
It is also a title give to the main stream Muslims who make 90% if all
Muslims.
Surah -
A
chapter of the Koran.
Tawaf:
part of the pilgrimage (Hajj)
ritual. It involves walking round the Ka'aba Mosque in anti-clock wise
direction a number of seven circles.
Tauhid - Tawheed -
Monotheism, in Islam is the teaching that
there is only one God who alone is worthy of worship. The first requirement
of becoming a Muslim. It is included in the testimony of faith for new
Muslims when declaring that God is one: (No God but Allah)
Taqwah -
Proper fear and veneration of Allah. A divine spark that enables the person
to understand God.
Taurat: The old
Testaments and scriptures of Mosa.
Ummah -
the word means: a Nation. Usually refers to
the Islamic nation unless otherwise stated.
Umrah - (Amrah):
A mini hajj. A Minor form of pilgrimage to
Mecca. Unlike Hajj which can only be done on the 12th month of the Islamic
year, Umrah can be performed at any time.
Wathoo (wadoo): a washing up ritual
done by Muslims before each of the five daily prayers known as ablution.
Zaboor -
The
Psalms
Zakat -
The
third pillar of Islam. Alms giving, charity that is given to the poor.
