What Is The Place Of Repentance ın Islam And How Is It Performed?

What is the place of repentance in Islam and how is it performed?

Tawbah, which lexically means repentance and coming back, terminologically refers to a servant’s turning to Allah by repenting of his evil and sins and giving up on them, and asking for forgiveness by means of abiding by His commands and avoiding from His prohibitions by seeking refuge in Allah. Allah the Almighty states as follows while listing the characteristics of the believers who are going to be forgiven, “And those who having done something to be ashamed of, or wronged their own souls, earnestly bring Allah to mind, and ask for forgiveness for their sins. And who can forgive sins except Allah? And are never obstinate in persisting knowingly in (the wrong) they have done.” (Al-i ‘Imran, 3/135)

It is fardh to repent for the sins. Tawbah is an indication of servitude that started with Prophet Adam. A sinful person should repent immediately. In this matter, it is stated in the Holy Qur’an, “Allah accepts the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and repent soon afterwards; to them will Allah turn in mercy: For Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom. Of no effect is the repentance of those who continue to do evil, until death faces one of them, and he says, ‘Now have I repented indeed;’ nor of those who die rejecting Faith: for them have We prepared a punishment most grievous.” (Nisa, 4/17-18) Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, “Whoever repents of his sins sincerely is like a person who has never committed sin.” (Ibn Majah, Zuhd, 30) .

With reference to this verse and similar verses, Islamic scholars determined the validity conditions of a tawbah. Accordingly, for acceptance of a tawbah, one should give up on the related sin, be sorry to have committed that sin, try not to commit it ever again and promise for it, if the sin is about someone’s rightful due, in this situation, have consent of the holder of the right and ask forgiveness from Allah.

Getting rid of rightful due is possible with returning the violated right to its holder or his heirs or by asking for its forgiveness.

Source: Presidency Of Religious Affairs The Turkey, High Board of Religious Affairs FATWA