Allah created the universe for humans, to see, to enjoy its beauty, and utilize it in the best possible way. We are nothing, but a drop, so we should be most humble. All of the creation of Allah (the sun, the moon, the stars, the seas, the birds and the animals) stays within their limits. Only we humans do not stay within our limits. We constantly cross limits and transgress. Allah says:
إِنَّمَا التَّوْبَةُ عَلَى اللَّهِ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السُّوءَ بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ يَتُوبُونَ مِن قَرِيبٍ فَأُولَٰئِكَ يَتُوبُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا
“Repentance with Allah is only for those who do evil in ignorance, then turn (to Allah) soon, so these it is to whom Allah turns (mercifully), and Allah is ever Knowing, Wise.” (Surah Nisa, 4:17)
We, humans, need to understand when all the vast creation of Allah is bowing down to HIM alone then why aren’t we bowing down to Allah as well? Why? It’s because the arrogance within us is not allowing us to be humble and bow to HIM. If we were to remove this arrogance and pride from our hearts, we would only kneel down to HIM. Allah says:
إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُولَٰئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
“Except for those who repent, have faith and good deeds, those Allah will change their sins for good deeds. Certainly, Allah is most forgiving and merciful.” (Surah Al-Furqan 25:70)
The fact that we are still able to experience these feelings of guilt means our hearts haven’t completely blackened and that is a blessing from the bounties of Allah. It is this blessing that drives us to turn back and rectify our ways. Each and every one of us is a sinner and the best of sinners are those who repent. We may feel as though we have spent so much time away from Allah and His remembrance and that there is no point in us turning back now.
أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ
“Do they not know that it is Allah who accepts the repentance of His servants?” (Surah Tawba, No.9, Ayat 104)
This world is full of so much heartbreak and hurt, so many trials and tribulations that our hearts will never find true contentment. A place that no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard and no heart can ever conceive, yet the place our souls yearn for, where we will be more familiar with our dwellings than we are with our houses in this world.
Here are some repentance and the forgiveness of sins:
- Repentance means turning to a life of faith and obedience
- Repentance motivates us to obey God’s commandments
- Repentance means to worship God in spirit and in truth
- Repentance begins with a positive side of God’s law
- Repentance entails putting away the sinful activities
- Repentance encourages the mental disposition
- Repentance is a result of a change in behaviour
- Repentance is linked to the message of God
- Repentance means to surrender one’s life
- Repentance means turning from sin
- Repentance is a gift of God
- Repentance is necessary for salvation
- Repentance is the fruit of Godly sorrow
- Repentance is a high-value truthfulness
- Repentance is the fruit of God’s goodness
- Repentance is inseparable from saving Faith
- Repentance always willing to put aside grievances
- Repentance is an action requiring deliberate choices
- Repentance means turning from the way to God’s law
- Repentance is a change of attitude and mental perspective
Allah always gives us many chances to come back to Him. We are the ones who don’t reflect on this creation. The soul of a disbeliever is corrupted so it does not make itself realize and repent over its mistakes, this is because of the great sins the disbeliever is immersed in. We all are born pure, but as we grow on earth, we don’t realize that we become corrupted. We have to understand, however, that if we came from Allah in a pure form then we must return to him in a pure form as well. Allah says:
وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَعْفُو عَنِ السَّيِّئَاتِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ
“And He (is) the One Who accepts the repentance of His slaves and pardons [of] the evil, and He knows what you do.” (Surah Ash-Shura 42:25)
Even after repenting, we may find ourselves falling into the same sins again and again but rather than losing hope, we must keep on turning back to Allah for He loves to forgive and will continue to forgive for as long as we keep turning back to Him. In the same way that Allah never tires of forgiving, we must never tire of asking.
وَاَقِمِ الصَّلٰوةَ طَرَفَىِ النَّهَارِ وَزُلَـفًا مِّنَ الَّيۡلِ ؕ اِنَّ الۡحَسَنٰتِ يُذۡهِبۡنَ السَّيِّاٰتِ ؕ ذٰ لِكَ ذِكۡرٰى لِلذّٰكِرِيۡنَ ۚ
“And establish the Prayer at the two ends of the day and in the first hours of the night. Indeed the good deeds drive away from the evil deeds. This is a Reminder to those who are mindful of Allah.” (Surah Hud, 11:114)
We can strengthen our connection with Him by calling upon these names and being conscious of them in our everyday lives. Allah is al-Ghafoor (the ever forgiving) and al-Ghaffar (the all-forgiving), no matter the quantity or the size of the sin, Allah is there to forgive us. Unlike the angels who are unable to sin and therefore unable to experience these qualities, we have been blessed with being able to ask for Allah’s infinite mercy.
Allah Almighty says in The Holy Quran:
- “And He wishes to forgive you” (Quran 4:146)
- “Allah wants to accept your repentance.” (Surah An-Nisa: 27)
- “Do not despair of God’s mercy; He will forgive you of all your sins.” (Quran:39:53)
- “Allah intends to make things easy on you. And man has been created weak.” (Quran 4:28)
- “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things).” (al-Noor 24:30)
- “Now you have no right to say on Judgment Day, ‘We were not aware of this.” (Quran 7:172)
- “And said, ‘Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver.” (Surah Nuh, 71:10)
When you stand to pray and say that first Allahu Akbar, know that Allah is greater than everything in this Dunya and leave your worries behind you as you engage in this meeting with your Lord. The veil between you and Allah is lifted and He faces you so pray as though you can see Him or at least know that He sees you. Allah says:
وَالَّذِينَ عَمِلُواْ السَّيِّئَاتِ ثُمَّ تَابُواْ مِن بَعْدِهَا وَآمَنُواْ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ مِن بَعْدِهَا لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
“But those who committed misdeeds and then repented after them and believed – indeed your Lord, thereafter, is Forgiving and Merciful.” (Surah Al-A’raf: 153)
All the creation of Allah, except humans, has no choice but to obey Him alone. In the case of humans, Allah has given us Akhal (understanding) to choose, to pick. We feel fortunate that we are the best creation of Allah. Allah elevated our level by commanding the angels to bow down to Adam (A.S), a man. It is a great Honor Allah has given us, yet we reject this honour and humiliate ourselves. Allah says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحًا
“O you who have faith, repent to Allah with sincere repentance.”(Surah Al-Tahrim 66:8)
Repent and return to Him before it’s too late before you breathe the last breath of your life. Don’t be like Firawn, who did nothing but reject Our power to choose will be stripped of us, just as the sun has no choice but to rise, and the moon to bloom and the sea to rising and fall, we will all be forced to bow to this Reality in that most undeniable moment. Allah says:
وَلاَ تَقْرَبُواْ الزِّنَى إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً وَسَاء سَبِيلاً
“Do not approach adultery! Surely it is an indecency and evil way.” (Surah Al-Isra 17:32)
We must turn to Allah before death approaches and takes us in its arms before it’s much too late for us as well. We follow the paths of Prophets and their teachings, and what Allah has mentioned in the Quran. A reality check is we can return to Allah anytime. Allah says:
وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ
“And whosoever fears Allah, Allah will create for him a way out. And will provide for him from where he didn’t expect..” (Quran 65: 2-3)
Many people are not happy despite being rich, but there is a missing link which is the detachment from believing in God. If you truly believed in God then receive the glad tidings of eternal happiness. In becoming modern we should not forget our values, this world is temporary. Remember this, the End is near. May Allah help us all to protect the purity of our hearts, and may He grant us forgiveness and mercy. Ameen.
