Tauba
All praise and thanks are due to Allah SWT the Rabb of the Worlds and peace and blessings on His Messenger SAW the last and final Nabi and Rasool, our master Muhammad SAW, his family and companions and all those who follow them in excellence until the Day of Judgment. Thereafter –
There are only two things that a person needs in life.
1. Hidaya (Right guidance) in this worldly life
2. Maghfirah (Forgiveness) after death
A person may have all the wealth, power, luxury, beauty and comfort of the world but if he dies without Islam (without right guidance) then he will be in the Hellfire and will be asked:
Takathur 102: 6. Verily, You shall see the blazing Fire (Hell)! 7. And again, you shall see it with certainty of sight! 8. Then, on that Day, you shall be asked about the delight (you indulged in, in this world)!
Whereas if a person is on right guidance (Islam) then it doesn’t matter what he has or doesn’t have in terms of worldly things. On the Day of Judgment he will be among the successful. About this Allah SWT said:
A’al Imraan 3:185. Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, (only) he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception (a deceiving thing).
This being the case, how is one to be sure that the path that one is on, is in fact the right path?
There are two things to do to ensure that we are on the right path.
1. Ensure that all that we do is in accordance with the Qur’an and Sunnah and never to deviate from the Way of Muhammad SAW.
2. Make Tawba after every action that we do to please AllahSWT.
Allah SWT said:
Tahreem 66: 8. O you who believe! Turn to Allâh with sincere repentance! It may be that your Lord will remit from you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise) the Day that Allâh will not disgrace the Prophet (Muhammad SAW) and those who believe with him, their Light will run forward before them and with (their Records Books of deeds) in their right hands they will say: “Our Lord! Keep perfect our Light for us [and do not put it off till we cross over the Sirât safely] and grant us forgiveness. Verily, You are Able to do all things.
It is important to note that Allah SWT is not addressing the Mujrimoon, or Dhalimoon or the Munifiqoon or the Mushrikoon or the Kafiroon. He is addressing the Mu’minoon. Also it is important to note that the ayah is an order from Allah SWT as is indicated by the form of the address.
It is essential to make Tawba because Tawba is an indication of Uboodiyat. It is a way of making Shukr to Allah SWT and it is a guarantee against the invariable faults and defects with any action that we may do. All our actions are beset with negligence, insincerity, faulty methodology and a million other problems. All of them make the action unfit to be accepted by the Creator of the Universe who accepts only that which is perfect. That is the reason Tawba is necessary because it wipes out the defects. It is a sign of Taqwa to do good and then make Tawba because by it, we are indicating our own incapability to please Allah SWT and to honor and glorify Him as it is His right. We ask for His forgiveness and we return to Him.
Ibn al Qayyim Al Jawziyya in Madaarij as-Saalikeen said: The state of repentance, Tawba, is at the beginning, the middle and the end of all states of submission to the will of Allah SWT. The servant who seeks the pleasure of Allah SWT never abandons Tawba. He remains in the state of Tawba until his death. Whatever his state of belief, the servant makes Tawba his constant companion. Thus, Tawba is at the beginning and at the end of his servitude to his Creator. His need for Tawba at the end, just as at the beginning, overrides, and supersedes all other needs.
Allah SWT says:
An Noor 24:31. And turn to Allah altogether (make tawbah), O you who believe so that you may succeed
The ayah above is contained within a Madinan Surah, in which Allah SWT addresses the people of Imaan, who are the best of His creation. He calls upon them to make Tawba “turn in repentance” to Him after they had already believed, gone through hardships, trials of faith, executed patience, migrated and performed jihad. Allah SWT then made success conditional on perfecting such Tawba, as the effect is often conditional on the cause. No one can hope for success, except: those who make Tawba.
Allah SWT says:
Al-Hujurat 49:11. And those who do not make Tawba are indeed the dhaalimoon (wrongdoers).
We must differentiate between Tawba – returning to Allah SWT and Istighfaar – asking forgiveness. Istighfaar is the way to return to Allah SWT.
Ibn al Qayyim also mentioned: Allah SWT divides His servants into two categories only: the repentant and the wrongdoers. There is no third category. Allah SWT calls those who do not make tawbah, “dhaalimoon” (wrongdoers and transgressors) and no one is more of a wrongdoer and a transgressor than a person who does not repent for his evil actions. This state is a result of a person’s ignorance of his Rabb and the rights due to Him, as well as, his own defects and the evil of his deeds. Rasoolullah SAW is reported to have said: “O people, make Tawba to Allah SWT. By Allah SWT I make Tawba to Him more than seventy times each day.” (Bukhari)
His companions used to count for him in each congregation his saying one hundred times: “My Rabb, forgive me and accept my repentance, for You are At-Tawwab (the One who accept repentance), Al-Ghafoor (The Oft Forgiving).” The Prophet SAW is also reported to have said: “No one will be rescued (on the Day of Judgment) by his deeds. They (his companions) asked even you Messenger of Allah? He said, even me, unless Allah SWT would grant me His mercy and Grace.”
May Allah’s blessings and peace be upon His Messenger, the most knowledgeable among His creation about Him, His Rights, His Greatness and what servitude He deserves. He is the most knowledgeable of servitude and its requirements and the most committed in servitude to Allah SWT.
Allah SWT told us which kind of Tawba He accepts and which is not acceptable to Him
An-Nisa 4: 17. Allâh accepts only the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and foolishness and repent soon afterwards; it is they to whom Allâh will forgive and Allâh is Ever AllKnower, AllWise. 18. And of no effect is the repentance of those who continue to do evil deeds until death faces one of them and he says: “Now I repent;” nor of those who die while they are disbelievers. For them We have prepared a painful torment.
It is clear from the above that when one commits any sin, then it is essential not to delay in making Tawba and asking for Allah SWT forgiveness (Istighfaar).
When Allah SWT created Adam & Hawwa (AS) He sent him into the Jannah to live their forever. The only instruction to them was not to go near a particular tree. However in the Mashee’aa of Allah SWT, He knew that they would be led astray by Shaytaan and so when they did make that mistake, He taught them the way to return to Jannah. As soon as Adam & Hawwa (AS) realized their mistake they immediately said:
Al A’araf 7:23. They said: “Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us not, and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be of the losers.”
They didn’t blame anyone, they accepted responsibility for their actions, they were contrite and regretful and they begged forgiveness. And Allah SWT accepted their repentance.
On the other hand see what happened to another one who also disobeyed Allah SWT but instead of begging forgiveness, asked for time:
Al Hijr 15: 36. [Iblis (Satan)] said: “O my Lord! Give me then respite till the Day they (the dead) will be resurrected.”
Allah SWT consigned him to the eternal fire of Jahannam. Allah mentions those who deliberately commit sin and refuse to repent. Such people attract the anger of Allah. He said about them and what happens to them:
Al Ana’am 6:44 Then, when they had forgotten all that they had been told to take to heart, We threw open to them the gates of all [good] things until -even as they were rejoicing in what they had been granted – We suddenly took them to task: and lo! they were broken in spirit;
Allah SWT says about those who commit sins repeatedly and refuse to obey Allah on the false plea that they were weak:
An Nisa 4:97. Verily! As for those whom the angels take (in death) while they are wronging themselves, they (angels) say (to them): “In what (condition) were you?” They reply: “We were weak and oppressed on earth.” They (angels) say: “Was not the earth of Allâh spacious enough for you to emigrate therein?” Such people will find their abode in Hell – What an evil destination! 98. Except the (truly) weak ones among men, women and children who cannot devise a plan, nor are they able to direct their way.
We are all aware of the dangerous tendency among Muslims today to be selectively obedient. They do what pleases their Nafs and leave out what they don’t like. This attitude is one of extreme arrogance where the slave has the temerity to pick and choose what he will do from among the commands of His Rabb. It is an attitude of extreme foolishness and the cause of attracting the anger of Allah SWT.
Al Baqara 2:85 Then do you believe in a part of the Scripture and reject the rest? Then what is the recompense of those who do so among you, except disgrace in the life of this world, and on the Day of Resurrection they shall be consigned to the most grievous torment. And Allâh is not unaware of what you do. 86. Those are they who have bought the life of this world at the price of the Hereafter. Their torment shall not be lightened nor shall they be helped.
Some people complain that they are too weak and that Shaytaan is too strong for them and so they commit sin. These are nonsensical excuses because the Shaytaan has no power to force anyone to do anything. He only whispers and suggests and we make the choices. That is why on the Day of Judgment Allah SWT told us that he will say:
Ibrahim 14: 22. And Shaytaan will say when the matter has been decided: “Verily, Allah promised you a promise of truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you. I had no authority over you except that I called you, so you responded to me. So blame me not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I deny your former act in associating me (Satan) as a partner with Allah (by obeying me in the life of the world). Verily, there is a painful torment for the Zalimun
And Allah SWT told us about the Shaytaan and his deception
Hasr 59:16. (Their allies deceived them) like Shaitan (Satan), when he says to man: “Disbelieve in Allah.” But when (man) disbelieves in Allah, Shaitan (Satan) says: “I am free of you, I fear Allah, the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists)!”
Allah SWT tells us about the real power of Shaytaan:
An Nahl 16: 99. Verily! He has no power over those who believe and put their trust only in their Lord (Allâh). 100. His power is only over those who obey and follow him (Satan), and those who join partners with Him (Allâh)
Shaytaan can only deceive those who disregard what the Qur’an and Rasoolullah SAW have told us and instead choose to listen to their own selves and to follow their base desires. He deceives those who have little or no faith in the Aakhira and whose belief in accountability to their Rabb is shaky and weak. It is those more than anyone else who need to make Tawba and ask forgiveness of Allah SWT and ask for the protection of Allah SWT from Shaytaan.
There are three conditions for the acceptance of Istighfaar.
1. The person must be genuinely regretful and ask Allah SWT for forgiveness sincerely.
2. The person must hate ever to go back to doing the sin that he was engaged in and must never do so.
3. If the sin involved harming someone else (like defaming someone or misappropriating their property or any other harm) then he must ask forgiveness of the person and compensate him.
For this last one, Rasoolullah SAW said that Allah SWT will not forgive transgressions against someone until that person forgave it first. So it is essential to ask forgiveness from those we may have harmed or caused pain to and to make amends for our actions. If this is not done then Allah SWT will compensate them on the Day of Judgment from the good deeds that we may have in our account or if there are no good deeds then the evil deeds of those people we harmed will be loaded on our scales.
The Book of Virtue, Good Manners and Joining of the Ties of Relationship (Kitab Al-Birr was-Salat-I-wa’l-Adab) Book 032, Number 6251:
Abu Huraira (RA) reported Rasoolullahr as saying: Do you know who is poor? They (the Companions) said: A poor man amongst us is one who has neither dirham with him nor wealth. He (Rasoolullah SAW) said: The poor of my Ummah would be he who would come on the Day of Resurrection with prayers and fasts and Zakat but (he would find himself bankrupt on that day as he would have exhausted his funds of virtues) since he hurled abuses upon others, brought calumny against others and unlawfully consumed the wealth of others and shed the blood of others and beat others, and his virtues would be credited to the account of one (who suffered at his hand). And if his good deeds fall short to clear the account, then his sins would be entered in (his account) and he would be thrown in the Hell-Fire.
Finally Allah SWT told us never to despair from His Mercy and Forgiveness. He said:
Zumar 39: 53. Say: ” O ‘Ibadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. 54. “And turn in repentance and in obedience with true Faith (Islam) to your Rabb and submit to Him, (in Islam), before the torment comes upon you, then you will not be helped.
And for those who make sincere Tawba, the glorious Mercy of Allah SWT who promised not only to forgive our sins but to actually convert them to good deeds. What more can anyone ask?
Furqan 25: 70. Except those who repent and believe (Islam), and do righteous deeds, for those, Allâh will change their sins into good deeds, and Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful
We ask Allah SWT to give us the Tawfeeq to make sincere Tawba before we die, to accept our Tawba and to forgive us and to enter us into Jannah without holding us to account.
The Gridded Path 