Repentance is a means to the infinite mercy of Allah and it is a shelter for the individual servant. Repentance should be made immediately, losing no time and should never be delayed. Lots of glad tidings are covenanted to those who repent and ask Allah for pardon. This is the greatest glad tidying for those who repent and combine their repentance with faith and good deeds. 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)

Repentance is the noblest and most beloved form of obedience in the eyes of Allah. He loves those who repent and it is because of His love for His creation that He tests them with sins so that He may shower His blessings and favours upon them after they repent. Feeling Allah’s satisfaction has a great impact on the heart of the one repenting. Hence, the repenting person reaches the status of being amongst the beloved through his repentance. 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 An-Nisa` 4:17)

Repentance is extremely important in Islam since the beginning of the creation of mankind when Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree, and that by itself was a sin and they repented to Allah Azza Wa Jal. That is why the Almighty descended them to Earth with the promise that if they do well and their descendants they will go to Paradise. Repentance is a feeling of regret for bad deeds in the past, then aim your heart to Allah for the rest of your life and control yourself to do bad deeds.

Repentance, Redemption, & Salvation in the Islamic Framework:

1. Repentance means turning to a life of faith and obedience
2. Repentance motivates us to obey God’s commandments 
3. Repentance means to worship God in spirit and in truth
4. Repentance is at the heart and core of God’s message
5. Repentance begins with a positive side of God’s law
6. Repentance does not end with the initial conversion
7. Repentance entails putting away sinful activities
8. Repentance is a result of a change in behaviour
9. Repentance encourages the mental disposition
10. Repentance is linked to the message of God
11. Repentance means surrendering one’s life
12. Repentance means turning from sin
13. Repentance is a gift of God
14. Repentance is necessary for salvation
15. Repentance is the fruit of Godly sorrow
16. Repentance brings about the love of Allah
17. Repentance is the fruit of  God’s goodness
18. Repentance is inseparable from saving Faith
19. Repentance always willing to put aside grievances
20. Repentance is an action requiring deliberate choices
21. Repentance means turning from the way to God’s law
22. Repentance provides an overview of the changes in mind
23. Repentance is a change of attitude and mental perspective
24. Repentance involves both a turning from sin and a turning to God
25. Repentance means to God’s will as expressed in His revealed Word

Repentance covers surrender a servant to his Rabb, Sabah (back) to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala. But you should consistently do His commands forever. So, if you just leave bad deeds, but you do not do good deeds that are loved by Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala, then that is not considered as repentance. Allah says:

إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ تَابُواْ وَأَصْلَحُواْ وَاعْتَصَمُواْ بِاللّهِ وَأَخْلَصُواْ دِينَهُمْ لِلّهِ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ مَعَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَسَوْفَ يُؤْتِ اللّهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَجْراً عَظِيماً

“Except for those who repent, correct themselves, hold fast to Allah, and are sincere in their religion for Allah, for those will be with the believers. And Allah is going to give the believers a great reward.” (An-Nisa: 146)

The important thing is to regret and repent without insisting on one’s sins. In the verses, our Lord reveals that He will forgive those who do good deeds, pay alms live the moral values of the Qur’an and take them under His grace: By repenting, we will get many important blessings from Allah Subhnahu Wa Ta’ala. What important repentance is in Islam? Let us explain to you in this article. Allah says:

وَاللّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَيُرِيدُ الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الشَّهَوَاتِ أَن تَمِيلُواْ مَيْلاً عَظِيماً

“Allah wants to accept your repentance.” (Surah An-Nisa: 27)

Repentance is one of the obedience forms in Islam. By doing repentance, we will be more obedient to Allah SWT and Allah will also accept our repentance. Repentance brings about humbleness and a sense of helplessness that is not easily acquired through other forms of worship. Allah says:

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)

Repentance has a status that no other form of worship has. This is why Allah is extremely happy when a servant repents just as a traveller is happy when he finds his lost mount in the desert. This pleasure (of Allah) has a great impact on the heart of the one repenting. Hence, the repenting person reaches the status of being amongst the beloved through his repentance. Allah says:

إِنَّ اللّهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ وَيُحِبُّ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ

“Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.” (Al-Baqarah: 222)

After sinning, a person who fears Allah and gives high respect to Him would feel a sense of despondency and despair thinking, “How will God forgive me for this sin?” However, it is noteworthy that despairing of God’s mercy is in itself one of the major sins in Islam for God is ever merciful, ever forgiving. 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)

Repentance is the noblest and most beloved form of obedience in the eyes of Allah the All-Mighty. He loves those who repent. Repentance has a status that no other form of worship has. This is why Allah is extremely happy when a servant repents just as a traveller is happy when he finds his lost mount in the desert. Allah says:

إِلَّا الَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَأَصْلَحُوا وَاعْتَصَمُوا بِاللَّهِ وَأَخْلَصُوا دِينَهُمْ لِلَّهِ فَأُولَٰئِكَ مَعَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَسَوْفَ يُؤْتِ اللَّهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا

“Except those who repent and correct (themselves) and hold fast to Allah and are sincere (in) their religion for Allah, then those (will be) with the believers. And soon Allah will give the believers a great reward.” (Surah an-Nisa 4:146)

Repentance breeds good deeds, whilst sinning (without repentance) can cause a deprivation of obedience altogether. It has been said that committing sins regularly will darken and harden the heart and make purifying it once again a difficult mission. It may even lead a person to reject Allah completely (Allah forbid) or lead him to commit a bigger sin. Allah says: