The Quran
“And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins – and who can forgive sins except Allah? – and [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know. Those – their reward is forgiveness from their Lord and gardens beneath which rivers flow [in Paradise], wherein they will abide eternally; and excellent is the reward of the [righteous] workers.” [Qur’an; 3:135-136]
“…And if, when they wronged themselves, they had come to you, [O Muhammad], and asked forgiveness of Allah and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Accepting of repentance and Merciful.” [Qur’an; 4:64]
“But those who committed evil deeds and then repented afterwards and believed, verily, your Lord after (all) that is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Qur’an; 7:153]
“…and Allah would not punish them while they seek forgiveness.” [Qur’an; 8:33]
“…ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in showers and increase you in strength [added] to your strength…” [Qur’an; 11:52]
“It is He Who accepts repentance from His servants and pardons evil acts and knows what they do.” [Qur’an; 26: 25]
“Indeed, the righteous will be among gardens and springs, Accepting what their Lord has given them. Indeed, they were before that doers of good. They used to sleep but little of the night, And in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness…” [Qur’an; 51:15-19]
Hadith
Anas bin Malik Al-Ansari (MayAllah be pleased with him) the servant of the Messenger of Allah narrated: Messenger of Allah (peace bee upon him) said, “Verily, Allah is more delighted with the repentance of His slave than a person who lost his camel in a desert land and then finds it (unexpectedly)”. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Allah, the Exalted, has said: ‘O son of Adam, I forgive you as long as you pray to Me and hope for My forgiveness, whatever sins you have committed. O son of Adam, I do not care if your sins reach the height of the heaven, then you ask for my forgiveness, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, if you come to Me with an earth load of sins, and meet Me associating nothing to Me, I would match it with an earthload of forgiveness.'” [Tirmidhi]
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Allah, the Exalted, and Glorious said, ‘A slave committed a sin and he said, ‘O Allah, forgive my sin,’ and Allah said, ‘My slave committed a sin and then he realized that he has a Rabb Who forgives the sins and punishes for the sin.’
He then again committed a sin and said, ‘My Rabb, forgive my sin,’ and Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) said, ‘My slave committed a sin and then realized that he has a Rabb Who forgives his sin and punishes for the sin.’
He again committed a sin and said: ‘My Rabb, forgive my sin,’ and Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) said, ‘My slave has committed a sin and then realized that he has a Rabb Who forgives the sin or takes (him) to account for sin. I have granted forgiveness to my slave. Let him do whatever he likes”. [Bukhari and Muslim] (Editor’s Note: The last sentence “let him do..”. means, as long he keeps asking for forgiveness after the commission of sins, and repents, Allah will forgive him because repentance eliminates previous sins.)
Extracts from the book Purification of the Soul:
Turning away from wrong actions by turning to the Concealer of faults and the Knower of all secrets is the basis of those who travel to Him, the initial investment of those who finally profit, the first step in the quest for His Face, the key to putting right whatever is not correct, and the primary stage in the selection of those whole will be brought close to Him.
The station of seeking repentance is at the beginning, the middle, and at the end. The servant who seeks Him never abandons it.
Allah the Most Exalted says, “And turn to Allah altogether, O you who believe, so that you may succeed.” [24:31]
This ayah is in a Madinan surah in which Allah addresses the people of iman and those who have been honoured from among His creation. He called upon them to turn in repentance to Him after they had already believed, made hijra, and fought jihad. Then He made success conditional on repentance, using the word ‘may’ in order to make the believers aware that they could only hope for success if they turned to Him in repentance, may Allah make us follow in their footsteps.
There are three conditions for repentance to be valid if the wrong action is to do with what is due to Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He: feeling regret, abandoning the wrong action, and resolving never to repeat it again.
If the wrong action was committed against a fellow human being, then the one who repents must either put right whatever damage he has caused or make amends to the person whose rights he has infringed.
This kind of wrong action is a transgression against two parties, each of whom have their own particular rights. The wrongdoer shows his repentance by paying his fellow human being his due, and by paying what is due to Allah by inwardly regretting his wrong action. This regret is a private matter, between him and his Creator.
In Arabic, seeking repentance is termed as tawbah. It elevates a the rank of the repenter because it involves recognizing and acknowledging one’s sins, feeling ashamed, and resolving to turn back to Allah and avoid the sin. If the sin involves harm to another person, then tawbah includes restoring the rights of that person or making up for the harm.
Sins can haunt a person in this life as well as in the Hereafter. It is often seen that the more sins we commit, the more we are deprived of Allah’s (Glorified and Exalted be He) assistance, and the more punishment we encounter.
أَوَلَا يَرَوْنَ أَنَّهُمْ يُفْتَنُونَ فِي كُلِّ عَامٍ مَّرَّةً أَوْ مَرَّتَيْنِ ثُمَّ لَا يَتُوبُونَ وَلَا هُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ ﴿١٢٦﴾
“Do they not see that they are tried every year once or twice but then they do not repent nor do they remember?” [Qur’an; 9:126]
Tawbah clears the heart of the heavy baggage of guilt which one must otherwise carry around, affecting one’s disposition, clarity of thinking, etc. It is a transformational process which can bring light to the heart and brightness to the face. It brings a state of humility in the heart and scholars have commented that one’s supplications are more likely to be accepted in such a state.
The Quran
“Maintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in particular] the middle prayer and stand before Allah, devoutly obedient.” [Qur’an; 2:238]
“But yes, whoever fulfills his commitment and fears Allah – then indeed, Allah loves those who fear Him.” [Quran; 3:76]
“…They will only be reminded who are people of understanding – those who fulfill the covenant of Allah and do not break the contract…” [Qur’an; 13:19-20]
“… And fulfill [every] commitment. Indeed, the commitment is ever [that about which one will be] questioned.” [Qur’an; 17:34]
Hadith
“One who was devoted to the Qur’an will be told to recite, ascend and recite carefully as he recited carefully when he was in the world, for he will reach his abode when he comes to the last verse he recites.” [Abu Dawud]
Yahya related to me from Malik that Yahya ibn Said said, ”Ubada ibn al-Walid ibn Ubada ibn as-Samit informed me from his father that his grandfather (Ubada) said, ‘We made a contract with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to hear and obey in ease and hardship, enthusiasm and reluctance, and not to dispute with people in authority and to speak or establish the truth wherever we were without worrying about criticism.’” [Muwatta Malik]
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “(Allah said), ‘Every good deed of Adam’s son is for him except fasting; it is for Me. and I shall reward (the fasting person) for it.’ Verily, the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better to Allah than the smell of musk.” [Sahih Bukhari]
“There are four characteristics, whoever has them all is a pure hypocrite, and whoever has one of its characteristics, he has one of the characteristics of hypocrisy, until he gives it up: When he speaks he lies, when he makes a covenant he betrays it, when he makes a promise he breaks it, and when he disputes he resorts to obscene speech.” In the narration of Sufyan (one of the narrators) it is: “And if he has one of them, he has one of the characteristics of hypocrisy.” [Sahih Muslim]
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, ”Every betrayer will have a flag on the Day of Resurrection” [Sahih Bukhari]
The Quran
“Kind speech and forgiveness are better than charity followed by injury. And Allah is Free of need and Forbearing.” [Qur’an; 2:263]
“Who spend [in the cause of Allah] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people – and Allah loves the doers of good;” [Quran; 3:134]
“And whoever does a wrong or wrongs himself but then seeks forgiveness of Allah will find Allah Forgiving and Merciful.” [Qur’an; 4:110]
“Hold to forgiveness, command what is right, and turn away from the ignorant.” [Qur’an; 7:199]
“And indeed, the Hour is coming; so forgive with gracious forgiveness.” [Qur’an; 15:85]
“…and let them pardon and overlook. Would you not like that Allah should forgive you?” [Qur’an; 24:22]
“And the men and the women who remember Allah much with their hearts and tongues. Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward (i.e. Paradise)” [Qur’an; 33:35]
“And the retribution for an evil act is an evil one like it, but whoever pardons and makes reconciliation – his reward is [due] from Allah . Indeed, He does not like wrongdoers.” [Qur’an; 42:40]
“And whoever is patient and forgives – indeed, that is of the matters [requiring] determination.” [Qur’an; 42:43]
Hadith
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Sometimes I perceive a veil over my heart, and I supplicate Allah for forgiveness a hundred times in a day.” [Muslim]
Narrated Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him), “I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saying, ‘If somebody commits a sin and then says, ‘O my Lord! I have sinned, please forgive me!’ and his Lord says, ‘My slave has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for it, I therefore have forgiven my slave (his sins).’ Then he remains without committing any sin for a while and then again commits another sin and says, ‘O my Lord, I have committed another sin, please forgive me,’ and Allah says, ‘My slave has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for it, I therefore have forgiven my slave (his sin). Then he remains without committing any another sin for a while and then commits another sin (for the third time) and says, ‘O my Lord, I have committed another sin, please forgive me,’ and Allah says, ‘My slave has known that he has a Lord Who forgives sins and punishes for it I therefore have forgiven My slave (his sin), he can do whatever he likes.'” [Bukhari]
On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: Allah the Almighty said: O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it. [Hadith Qudsi]
Narrated Anas ibn Malik: I never saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that some dispute which involved retaliation was brought to him but he commanded regarding it for remission. [Abu Dawud]
It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said: “A man brought the killer of his relative to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Pardon him,’ but the refused. He said: ‘Take the blood money,’ but he refused. He said: ‘Go and kill him, but then you will be like him.’ Someone caught up with him and reminded him that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had said: ‘Go and kill him, but then you will be like him.’ So he let him go. [Ibn Majah]
“Love your beloved moderately, perhaps he becomes hated to you someday. And hate whom you hate moderately, perhaps he becomes your beloved someday.” [Tirmidhi]
“The Compassionate One has mercy on those who are merciful. If you show mercy to those who are on the earth, He Who is in the heaven will show mercy to you.” [Abu Dawud]
Umi Al-Muradi reported: The verse was revealed, “Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorant.” (7:199) The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to the Angel Gabriel, “What does this mean?” Gabriel said, “I do not know until I ask the All-Knowing.” Gabriel returned and he said, “O Muhammad! Verily, Allah the Blessed and Almighty commands you to forgive those who wrong you, to give to those who deprive you, and to maintain relations with those who renounce you.” [Source: Tafsīr Abdul Razzāq 7:199. Grade: Hasan (fair) according to Al-Iraqi / Alt Narration]
Narrated Abu Huraira that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “There was a merchant who used to lend the people, and whenever his debtor was in straitened circumstances, he would say to his employees, ‘Forgive him so that Allah may forgive us.’ So, Allah forgave him.” [Bukhari]
“It is not lawful for the Muslim to shun his brother for more than three (days); they come fare to fare and this one turns away, and that one turns away. The best of them is the one who initiates the salam.” [Tirmidhi]
“A believer will be brought close to his Lord on the Day of Resurrection and enveloping him in His Mercy, He (Glorified and Exalted be He) will make him confess his sins by saying, ‘Do you remember (doing) this sin and this sin?’ He will reply, ‘My Rabb, I remember.’ Then He (Glorified and Exalted be He) will say, ‘I covered it up for you in the life of world, and I forgive it for you today.’ Then the record of his good deeds will be handed to him”. [Bukhari and Muslim]
Further Resources
Forgiving like Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him)
Recitation of Surah Mulk