Repentance

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘When a servant (of Allah) repents in the form of the repentance of Nasuh (sincere advise to one’s soul, or name of a person who repented in the real sense), Allah then loves him, covers and protects him in this world and in the next life.’ 1 then asked, ‘How will He cover him?’ The Imam said, ‘He will make the two angels forget what they have written against him. He will inspire the parts of his body to hide his sins and the places of earth to hide the sins that he had committed thereat. Allah will meet him while there will be nothing to testify anything against him.’”

“About the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘. . . one who has received advice from his Lord and has stopped committing sins will be rewarded for his previous good deeds . . .’ (2:275) The Imam said, ‘Advice means repentance.’”

“Once I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘Believers, turn to Allah in repentance, in a Nasuh manner, with the intention of never repeating the same sin.’ (66:8) The Imam said, ‘It means a servant (of Allah) repents from sins and never repeats them. ’ “Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl has said, ‘I asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.) about it (repentance in a Nasuh manner) he said, ‘One repents from sin and then does not repeat it. The most beloved among the servants (of Allah) to Allah, the Most High, are those who are put to trial and who repent from sins.”’

“Once I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘Believers, turn to Allah in repentance, “In a Nasuh manner,” with the intention of never repeating the same sin.’ (66:8) The Imam said, ‘It is the sin that one never repeats.’ I then asked, ‘Who among us does not repeat?’ The Imam said, ‘O abu Muhammad, of His servants Allah loves those who are put to trial and the ones who repent very often.’”

“Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has given three things to the repenting people. Had any of it been given to all of those in the heavens and on earth, all have had their salvation. The following words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, mention those three things: ‘Allah loves those who ‘Repent’ and those who cleanse themselves, (2:222) whomever Allah loves He will not punish him.’ ‘The bearers of the Throne glorify their Lord with His praise. They believe in Him and ask Him to forgive the believers. They say, “Our Lord, Your mercy and knowledge encompass all things. Forgive those who turn to You in ‘Repentance’ and follow Your path. Lord, save them from the torment of hell. (40:7) Lord, admit them and their fathers, spouses, and offspring who have reformed themselves to the gardens of Eden which You have promised them. You are Majestic and All-wise. (40:8) “Lord, keep them away from evil deeds. Whomever You have saved from evil on the Day of Judgment has certainly been granted Your mercy and this is the greatest triumph.’ (40:9) “The last thing is in the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘ . . . who do not worship idols besides Allah, nor without a just cause murder a soul whom Allah has granted protection, who do not commit fornication; those who do so have committed a sin (25:68) and on the Day of Judgment their torment will be double. They will suffer forever in disgrace. (25:69) But only those who ‘Repent’ believe and act righteously will have their sins replaced with virtue; Allah is All-forgiving and All-merciful.’” (25:70)

“Once abu Ja’far (a.s.) said, ‘O Muhammad ibn Muslim, if believing people repent for their sins they will be forgiven. Believing people must resume their good deeds after repentance and forgiveness. By Allah, this is only for the believers.’ I then asked, ‘What if he goes back to sin after repenting and asking for forgiveness and repents again?’ The Imam said, ‘O Muhammad ibn Muslim, do you think a believing servant (of Allah) regrets his sins, asks forgiveness and repents but Allah does not accept his repentance?’ I said, ‘He, however, has done it many times. He sins, repents and asks forgiveness (from Allah).’ The Imam said, ‘Whenever a believing servant (of Allah) returns back for repentance and pleas for forgiveness, Allah returns to him with forgiveness; Allah is forgiving and merciful. He accepts repentance and effaces the evil deeds. You must never cause a believer to lose hope in the favor and mercy of Allah.’”

“Once I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘When a Satanic thought starts to bother the pious ones, they understand and see the light.’ (7:201) The Imam said, ‘It means that a servant (of Allah) intends to commit an evil deed then he realizes it and holds back and that is indicated in His words, ‘They understand and see.’”

“I heard abu Ja’far (a.s.) saying, ‘Allah, the Most High, is more pleased for the repentance of His servant than one who loses his animals, that carry his load and supplies, in a dark night and then finds them out. Allah is more pleased for the repentance of His servant than the person who finds his lost properties.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Allah loves the servant who is put to trial (by sin) and repents, however, one without such (sinful) condition is better.’”

“I heard abu Ja’far (a.s.) saying, ‘A person repenting from sins is like one who has not sinned. One who persists in sin and asks forgiveness is like one contemptuous of it (repentance).”’

“Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, sent revelation to David, ‘Meet My servant Daniel and say to him, ‘You have disobeyed Me and I forgave you, you disobeyed Me, I forgave you, you disobeyed Me and I forgave you. If you will disobey Me the forth time I will not forgive you.’ David went to meet Daniel and said, ‘O Daniel, I am the Messenger of Allah and He says to you, “You disobeyed Me and I forgave you, you disobeyed Me and I forgave you, you disobeyed Me and I forgave you. If you will disobey Me the forth time I will not forgive you.’” Daniel said, ‘O prophet of Allah, you have conveyed your message.’ In the early morning Daniel woke up and prayed to his Lord, saying, ‘O Lord, Your prophet David informed me that I have disobeyed You and You forgave me, I disobeyed You and You forgave me, I disobeyed You and You forgave me and if I will disobey You the forth time You will not forgive me. I swear by Your Majesty, if You will not protect me I will certainly disobey You, I will certainly disobey You, I will certainly disobey You.’”

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘When a servant (of Allah) repents in the form of the repentance of Nasuh (sincerely repenting) Allah loves him and covers him up.’ I then asked, ‘How does he cover him up?’ The Imam said, ‘He makes his two angels forget whatever they have written against him and Allah sends inspiration to the parts of his body and to the parts of the earth to hide his sins and he will meet Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy in his meeting while there will be no one to testify anything against him for his sins.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘The repentance of a servant (of Allah) from sins pleases Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, more than a person’s finding a dearly cherished thing that he has lost.’”