توبہ

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant when he turns back to Him seeking forgiveness (after a sin) than one of you would be who, having his mount in the desert, then loses it — and on it was his food and water too. (He searches here and there but cannot find it.) Finally, in despair, he comes to a tree and lies down in its shade; while he is in that state, what does he see but his mount standing beside him. He grabs its rope, and in his overwhelming joy these words slip from his tongue: 'O Allah! You are my servant and I am Your Lord.' He made this slip out of the intensity of his joy."

According to the scholars, repentance can be an atonement for every sin. If the sin relates to the rights of Allah, there are three conditions for it: first, that he abandon the sin from which he is repenting; second, that he express remorse and shame over it; third, that he make a firm resolve never to commit that sin again. And if the sin relates to the rights of people, then along with these three there is a fourth condition — that he fulfil the right of the one wronged or seek his pardon and satisfy him. If even one of these conditions is missing, the repentance is not valid.

In the Noble Qur'an and the blessed ahadith, repentance is enjoined in many places, and it is stated that this deed is greatly beloved to Allah; Allah is exceedingly pleased with repentance. In one place Allah addresses His servants thus: "O you who believe! Turn to Allah in sincere repentance" (al-Tahrim: 8). Sincere repentance is that the servant be remorseful over the sin, seek Allah's forgiveness, and then not incline towards that sin again.

One further important point learned from this blessed hadith is that a mistake made without intention or deliberate purpose will, God willing, not be held to account.