Tawbah (Repentance) & Istighfar
(Asking Allah for His Forgiveness)
We are still discussing the concept of tawbah (turning to Allah in repentance) and istighfar (asking Allah for His forgiveness) or the concept of turning to Allah in repentance from sin and becoming restored to Allah’s Presence and Company. Allah, Exalted be He, bestowed His bountiful graces on us by legislating tawbah and stighfar. He did not treat us as Adam who got out of paradise on committing the first sin. This is due to Allah’s bountiful graces He bestows on us. We, as human beings, err and sin, forget and commit acts of disobedience. Some people are shackled by disobedience as Satan seized them in the dungeon of sins. Nevertheless, Allah legislated tawbah (turning to Allah in repentance) and istighfar (asking Allah for His forgiveness) to enable us to be set free from these shackles and get out of that vicious and closed circle, becoming restored again to Allah’s presence and company.
That’s why we should not forget this bountiful grace and know how to turn to Allah sincerely. Many people commit a sin repeatedly after repenting to Allah. Satan will make use of this and whisper evil to the sinner that he will never be able to repent to Allah because he has committed the sin repeatedly. Hence, the sinner will despair of having his repentance accepted. This is a mere evil whisper of Satan who wants the sinner to wallow in sins and despair of his Lord’s mercy until the moment of his death. Actually, Satan wants him to die a sinner, even if the sin he commits is minor.
Many people follow the devilish whispers and satanic temptations because it is far easier for them. Turning to Allah penitently will burden them with many commitments and commandments. For example, some men do not perform the major ritual ablution after having sexual intercourse with their wives. Accordingly, they do not perform wudoo (ablution) nor pray. Evidently, one act of disobedience leads to many acts of disobedience. By committing these acts of disobedience, one becomes so remote from Allah.
Allah legislated tawbah (repentance) because Adam became remote from his Lord by falling into the abysmal precipice of forgetfulness. He did not disobey his Lord; he did not refuse an order as Iblis did. Rather, he forgot that order. He accepted the whole order with complete obedience and submission. In fact, this accords with the original disposition Allah ordained His creation upon. Allah says: “(this religion is) the original disposition from Allah upon which He originated mankind.” (Sūrat Ar-Rūm “The Romans” (30), Verse 30). Each newly born baby is born naturally disposed for the original disposition just as Adam. This original disposition means Islam, that is, submission to Allah. All the sins we commit thereafter is a deviation from it. Then after saying: “So set your face upright to the religion, unswervingly upright; (this religion is) the original disposition from Allah upon which He originated (Literally: constituted) mankind. There is no exchange for the creation of Allah. That is the most upright religion, but most of mankind do not know.” (Sūrat Ar-Rūm “The Romans” (30), Verse 30), Allah says: “(and remain all always) turning penitently to Him;” (Sūrat Ar-Rūm “The Romans” (30), Verse 31).
“(And remain all always) turning penitently” is a circumstantial expression or phrase in Arabic grammar. It is an implementation of the Prophet’s saying: “O people! Ask Allah for His forgiveness and repent to Him, for, verily, I ask Allah for His forgiveness and repent to Him a hundred times a day.” In another narration, he (SAWS) said: “more than seventy times”. One should remain always turning penitently to Allah even if he does not sin.
The Prophet (SAWS) used to say after getting out of the toilet: “I ask You (Allah) for Your forgiveness! I ask You (Allah) for Your forgiveness!” The human being gets remote from his Lord not by disobeying Him, rather, but by not being able to remember him. He yearns to be restored thereto. Bilal, may Allah be pleased with him, is a good example for inabah (turning penitently and repeatedly to Allah). The Prophet (SAWS) heard the rustle of Bilal’s shoes in paradise and asked him about this he said: “Whenever I become in ritual impurity, I perform ablution, and whenever I perform ablution I pray what ever my Lord ordains me to!” So he was always turning to Allah penitently.
That’s why one should ask Allah for His forgiveness after doing anything that has made him kept remote from Allah even if he has not committed a sin.
The Prophet (SAWS) used to ask Allah for His forgiveness after performing prayers. When one does something that is religiously lawful and righteous, he yearns to turn to Allah again. One does not ask His lord for His forgiveness only because he sinned but because he was kept remote from his Lord. Istighfar (asking Allah for His forgiveness) means turning to Allah penitently and becoming restored to Allah’s grace.
This applies to two groups: those who turn to their Lord from sin and those who turn penitently to Him without committing a sin. The latter group repents to Allah penitently repeatedly. This was what the Prophet (SAWS) used to do. As he was infallible, his heart used to remain awake when he was asleep. Even in his sleep, he used to turn to Allah penitently.
Before going to sleep the Prophet (SAWS) used to say : ‘In Your name, o my Lord, I lie down and I in Your name I rise!’ After waking up he used to say: “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”. These were incidents of inabah (turning penitently and repeatedly to Allah) and amidst them his heart was remembering his Lord.
Another example is Hanzala, the righteous Companion. He met Abū-Bakr and told him: “Hanzala has become a munaafiq (hypocrite)”. When Abū-Bakr asked him why he said this, Hanzala said: “Whilst we are with the Prophet (SAWS), listening to him we see paradise and hellfire as if they are before our eyes. But when we leave him we become overwhelmed and preoccupied with our children and head to the markets!” On hearing this, Abū-Bakr said that the same happened to him. Both of them then went to the Prophet (SAWS) and told him this. He (SAWS) told them that if they had persisted in doing what they used to do when they were with him then the angels would have shaken hands with them on their beds and on their paths, but, verily, this should take place occasionally, this should take place occasionally.
The believer should yearn to enter paradise and fear hellfire. Although he does not see paradise he strives for it and will be rewarded therewith. Hanzala used to be in a high state of inabah (turning penitently to Allah) when he was with the Prophet (SAWS). Yet he used to lose this state on returning to his family. That’s why he considered this hypocrisy.
Adam was in paradise, that is, this earth’s paradise where he was taught all things. He was not mandated with anything save obeying Allah in not drawing near the tree. As Allah says: “and (both of) you should not draw near this tree,…” (Sūrat Al Baqarah “The Cow” (2), Verse 35). Nevertheless, he forgot the order and became wretched. Allah says: “Then We said, “O Adam, surely this is an enemy to you and to your spouse; so definitely do not let him drive you both out of the Garden, so that you (The Arabic pronoun here is singular) be wretched.” (Sūrat Taha (20), Verse 117).
Wretchedness here denotes wretchedness of being commissioned with Allah’s orders and prohibitions. Disobedience is much easier than adherence to Alalh’s Straight Path. Allah favored us by legislating tawbah (repentance) because when Adam was enjoined to obey his Lord’s order he did not refuse or object. Rather, he forgot the order. Allah says: “(this religion is) the original disposition from Allah upon which He originated (Literally: constituted) mankind. There is no exchange for the creation of Allah. That is the most upright religion, but most of mankind do not know.” (Sūrat Ar-Rūm “The Romans” (30), Verse 30).
Allah says: “So set your face upright to the religion, unswervingly upright; (this religion is) the original disposition from Allah upon which He originated (Literally: constituted) mankind. There is no exchange for the creation of Allah. That is the most upright religion, but most of mankind do not know, (and remain all always) turning penitently to Him; and fear Him, and keep up the prayer, and do not be of the associators, (Those who associate others with Allah). Of the ones who have caused disunity in their religion and become sects, each party exulting with what they have close to them.” (Sūrat Ar-Rūm “The Romans” (30), Verse 31, 32).
Allah says: ‘So set your face upright to the religion’. In this respect, it is worth mentioning that Allah, Exalted be He, does not say ‘‘So set your face upright to Allah’. The verb is in the imperative. The order was issued to the Prophet (SAWS) as he is the leader of this ūmma (Muslim nation). Nevertheless, this order was not restricted to him, rather, it encompasses all his ūmma! That’s why Allah says: “(and remain all) turning penitently to Him;” in the plural and does not say: “(And remain) turning penitently to Him;”
We should derive the denotation of the orders and commandments mentioned in the Noble Qūr’an. Allah says: “Then, as for the orphan, then do not subdue (him),” (Sūrat Ad-Duha “The Forenoon” (93), Verse 9). This order encompasses all Muhammad’s ūmma.
On saying: “So set your face upright to the religion, unswervingly upright;” the order was issued to the Prophet (SAWS) but this encompasses all his ūmmah. When one feels that he has become remote from his Lord, and that life has drifted him away from Him, then he has to set his face upright to the religion, unswervingly upright. The term ‘hanif’ means becoming purely remote from something. This was Ibrahim’s state, for he was far away from falsehood and went out seeking the True God. Hence, by getting away from falsehood and deviation he became upright.
The term hanif maintains its idiomatic meaning in the Noble Qūr’an, that is, to be unswervingly upright, remote from all falsehood because this is your the original disposition from Allah upon which He originated. May be life will dissuade us from this original disposition, yet you should turn to Him and set your face to this religion. That’s why Allah legislated tawbah so that people be restored to the original disposition from Allah upon which He originated.
Allah says: “And (remember) as your Lord took from the Seeds (Or. sons) of Adam, from their backs, their offspring, and made them bear witness concerning themselves, “Am I not your Lord?” They said, “Yes indeed, we bear witness.” (So) that you should not say on the Day of the Resurrection, “Surely we were heedless of this, (Sūrat Al Ara`af “The Battlements”, (7), Verse 172).
This was the very start; nevertheless, we might get far away from this pledge: “So set your face upright to the religion, unswervingly upright; (this religion is) the original disposition from Allah upon which He originated (Literally: constituted) mankind. There is no exchange for the creation of Allah. That is the most upright religion, but most of mankind do not know. “
Many non-Muslims protest against this ayah: And (remember) as your Lord took from the Seeds (Or. sons) of Adam, from their backs, their offspring, and made them bear witness concerning themselves, “Am I not your Lord?” They said, “Yes indeed, we bear witness.” (So) that you should not say on the Day of the Resurrection, “Surely we were heedless of this, ”. they claim that if they are certain that the True Religion is Islam they would embrace it. Their claim might be right if none of them embrace Islam. The one who converts to Islam will be an evidence against those who don’t embrace Islam on Doomsday. Hence, this fulfills Allah’s saying: So set your face upright to the religion, unswervingly upright; (this religion is) the original disposition from Allah upon which He originated (Literally: constituted) mankind. There is no exchange for the creation of Allah. That is the most upright religion,” (Sūrat Ar-Rūm “The Romans” (30), Verse 31). Whoso embraces Islam sets his face upright to the religion, unswervingly upright; turning to the original disposition.
On the other hand, some Muslims adopt Christianity or become a Jew in corroboration of Allah’s saying: “There is no compulsion in the religion; right-mindedness has already been evidently (distinct) from misguidance” (Sūrat Al Baqarah “The Cow” (2), Verse 256) No person can ever embrace Islam nor convert to Islam by force or compulsively. Islam respects the freedom of creed. As Allah is the True God, He wills not to be worshipped forcibly.
Allah says: “so whoever decides, then let him believe, and whoever decides, then let him disbelieve.” (Sūrat Al Kahf “The Cave” (18), Verse 29).
This means: ‘resort again to the original disposition from Allah upon which He originated (Literally: constituted) mankind’. This is dictated by logic. If a six-year-old child dies, he will enter paradise on Doomsday as he did not attain his puberty, when he is free to choose and has a free will of his own. Any child falls under the yoke of his parents’ influence, they make him either adopt Christianity or Judaism or even profess Islam.
That’s why I always advise Muslims to profess their faith and rejuvenate it. We are born Muslims and this obligates us to thank Allah and attribute all praises to Him. He should prostrate gratefully to Him for being favored with Allah’s graces and born to Muslim parents. We did not exert the efforts of choosing between religions, comparing between Judaism and Christianity, the incompatibility between Gospels, and the Old Testament as the one who converted to Islam did.
Allah says: “(and remain all always) turning penitently to Him; and fear Him, and keep up the prayer, and do not be of the associators, (Those who associate others with Allah).” (Sūrat Ar-Rūm “The Romans” (30), Verse 31).
“And fear Him” means that each person should beware his Lord on turning to Him penitently.. There is nothing whatsoever like unto Him. One should not think that he became among those who are near to Allah, nor pride in his prayers, fasting and faith lest Satan makes him slide back from obedience and commit a sin which has never occurred to him before.
In order to turn to Allah penitently you should know Him and His essence, Exalted be He. Therefore, when you turn to Him penitently you should fear Him. Whoso knows Allah should fear Him. Whoso does not know Him does not fear Him, hence commits sins becomes lost.
“And fear Him” means that you will not be able to turn penitently to Him and maintain this state of repentance save by effectuating your fear of Allah.
In the Noble Qūr’an, we will find: “fear hellfire” and “fear Allah”. We should fear Him and His hellfire, and find out the outcomes of the two fears. Whoso fears Allah will enter paradise and whoso fears hellfire will also enter paradise.
“Fear Allah” means ‘make a protection for yourself from Allah’s wrath. You will not make a protection for yourself from the All-Merciful because you want His mercy. Rather, you will make a protection for yourself and keep apart from Allah’s attributes of Majesty: (the Compeller, the Subduer, the Inflictor of vengeance (and not the Avenger because Allah inflicts His vengeance on the disbeliever but not the believer)). You are not seeking a protection for yourself from the Divine attributes of Grace (the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful, the Forgiving) because you need them. You are shielding yourself against His wrath. Similarly, you are shielding yourself against hellfire by locking all gates and paths that lead to it.
“And keep up the prayer,” why does this ayah mention ‘the prayer’ in specific? There is a great difference between the Pillars of Islam and the Muslims’ Pillars. There are some rites that cease to be valid in certain cases (poverty-senility-illness). For instance, a poor person who has no means should not go on pilgrimage. The Pillars of Islam are five yet the Muslims’ Pillars are two: ash-shahada (the Profession of the testimony (that is, to bear witness that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah)) and the performance of prayers. These two pillars do not cease to be valid by any means. Whether he is poor, ill, suffering, senile, he has to adhere to these two pillars. Whoso does not perform prayers will have no excuse, as the performance of prayers is the prop upon which religion rests, and with which piety is perfected.
Translated by sister Soad Naguib jazahaAllah kheiran