Question:
Assalamualaikum Datuk. I am in desperate need of your explanation. I am married. After my marriage I’ve committed a grave sin several times. Now, I have repented and stopped from committing it. However, my old sins haunted my thoughts. According to the Islamic ruling, the punishment for my sin would be stoned to death. Subhanallah…Allahuakbar. Is it mandatory for me to be punished for Allah SWT to forgive my sins? I once heard a story of how a woman who committed adultery came and confessed her sin to the Prophet PBUH. The Prophet PBUH then asked her to return until she gives birth. Then the woman came back after giving birth to her child. The Prophet PBUH then asked her to return and care for the child until the child no longer need to be nursed. Afterwards, the woman came yet again and only then she was stoned to death for her crime. What about my situation Datuk? I really hope that Allah SWT would forgive my past sins. Hope for an explanation from Datuk.
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
The first thing that one should do is to contemplate the wrong that we have done and never feel proud of the sins that we have committed neither should we ever consider the sin as trivial and tell it to others. It is a secret between you and Allah SWT. This is explained by the Prophet PBUH in a hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah RA:
كُلُّ أُمَّتِي مُعَافًى إِلَّا الْمُجَاهِرِينَ وَإِنَّ مِنْ الْمُجَاهَرَةِ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ الرَّجُلُ بِاللَّيْلِ عَمَلًا ثُمَّ يُصْبِحَ وَقَدْ سَتَرَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ فَيَقُولَ يَا فُلَانُ عَمِلْتُ الْبَارِحَةَ كَذَا وَكَذَا وَقَدْ بَاتَ يَسْتُرُهُ رَبُّهُ وَيُصْبِحُ يَكْشِفُ سِتْرَ اللَّهِ عَنْهُ
"All the sins of my followers will be forgiven except those of the Mujahirin (those who commit a sin openly or disclose their sins to the people). An example of such disclosure is that a person commits a sin at night and though Allah screens it from the public, then he comes in the morning, and says, 'O so-and-so, I did such-and-such (evil) deed yesterday,' though he spent his night screened by his Lord (none knowing about his sin) and in the morning he removes Allah's screen from himself."
Sahih al-Bukhari (6069)
Al-‘Aini states that the act of revealing one’s sins and transgressions is a crazy thing to do. Refer ‘Umdah al-Qari Syarh Sahih al-Bukhari (32/225)
This means, never ever reveal the sin committed if the purpose is to boast and considering it lightly. Hide and keep it hidden. Let it only be a secret between you and Allah SWT. However, if one did so to ask for guidance or advice, then Imam al-Nawawi said it is permissible by only stating the sin committed. Refer Fath al-Bari (10/486)
The same if the sin is towards another person, then seek forgiveness from Allah SWT and ask for forgiveness to the person we hurt.
Second, Allah SWT states:
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ تَابُوا۟ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ وَأَصْلَحُوا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
“Except for those who repent after that and correct themselves. For indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.”
Surah Ali Imran (89)
Syeikh al-Maraghi commented on this verse saying, repentance that does not affect the actions of the doer, it is not considered as a repentance according to Islam. Most people showed that they have repented by regretting and reciting istighfar but then return and commit the sin again. The reason is their repentance did not affect them and it should serve as a reminder when they forget. Real repentance should lead them towards the road of islah and improvement in their lives. If they did this, then they will receive the forgiveness of Allah SWT and would deserve to enter His paradise. Refer Tafsir al-Maraghi (3/207)
This verse means that one should repent and this must be followed by proof through good deeds where they would act as a fortress protecting him from falling back into sin. Among the good deeds that one could do are:
- Increase one’s istighfar. Ask and seek forgiveness to Allah SWT as much as possible. There is no sin that Allah SWT would not forgive except the sin of syirk. Allah SWT states:
نَبِّئْ عِبَادِىٓ أَنِّىٓ أَنَا ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
[O Muhammad], inform My servants that it is I who am the Forgiving, the Merciful.”
Surah al-HIjr (49)
- Perform the 5 daily prayers. It is one of the worships that nullify one’s sins. The Prophet PBUH said:
أَرَأَيْتُمْ لَوْ أَنَّ نَهَرًا بِبَابِ أَحَدِكُمْ يَغْتَسِلُ فِيهِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ خَمْسًا مَا تَقُولُ ذَلِكَ يُبْقِي مِنْ دَرَنِهِ قَالُوا لَا يُبْقِي مِنْ دَرَنِهِ شَيْئًا قَالَ فَذَلِكَ مِثْلُ الصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْسِ يَمْحُو اللَّهُ بِهِ الْخَطَايَا
"If there was a river at the door of anyone of you and he took a bath in it five times a day would you notice any dirt on him?" They said, "Not a trace of dirt would be left." The Prophet (ﷺ) added, "That is the example of the five prayers with which Allah blots out (annuls) evil deeds."
Sahih al-Bukhari (528) and Sahih Muslim (1555)
- Increase our donation and charity. Donate even if it is a little. It is a worship that leads to the blessings of Allah SWT and ultimately cancels our past sins. This is in line with the words of the Prophet PBUH:
إِنَّ الصَّدَقَةَ لَتُطْفِئُ غَضَبَ الرَّبِّ وَتَدْفَعُ مِيتَةَ السُّوءِ
"Indeed, charity extinguishes the Lord's anger and it protects against the evil death."
Sunan al-Tirmizi (664). Imam al-Tirmizi evaluates the hadith as hasan gharib.
- Always perform qiamullail. This is the best time to ask and seek the forgiveness of Allah SWT. In a qudsi hadith, Allah SWT states:
أَنَا الْمَلِكُ ، أَنَا الْمَلِكُ ، مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَدْعُونِي فَأَسْتَجِيبَ لَهُ ، مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَسْأَلُنِي فَأُعْطِيَهُ ، مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَسْتَغْفِرُنِي فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ ، فَلاَ يَزَالُ كَذَلِكَ حَتَّى يُضِيءَ الْفَجْرُ
“I am the Lord; I am the Lord: who is there to supplicate Me so that I answer him? Who is there to beg of Me so that I grant him? Who is there to beg forgiveness from Me so that I forgive him? He continues like this till the day breaks.”
Sahih Muslim (758)
- Attend religious sermons and lectures. This is to increase our understanding regarding Islam.
Lastly, we would like to state that one should never give up. Always do good deeds and worship as well as supplicate so that we are given the strength. Once again, there is not a sin that is not forgiven by Allah SWT, as long as we try our best to change, then the blessings of Allah SWT will always be with us. This is in accordance with the statement of Allah SWT:
قُلْ يَـٰعِبَادِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا۟ مِن رَّحْمَةِ ٱللَّـهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ يَغْفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."
Surah al-Zumar (53)
Wallahua’lam.