The Door to Repentance

Our Prophet –sallallahu alayhi wa sallam- says:

“When a servant obeys Allah Almighty, Allah grants him the Divine Knowledge (al-marifa). When they forsake Allah’s obedience, He (swt) does not take this marifa back. Rather, He (swt) leaves it on the heart as evidence against them. He says to this servant on the Judgment Day:

– I have bestowed upon you and decorated you with the Divine Knowledge of Me. Why did not you act with what you have been granted? Why did not you practice your marifa?

There was an old man who had misspent his entire life . In his sunset days, he repented. The angels said:

– O poor old man! You have aged. Now you have no power and no desire for anything. How dare you repent?

Allah Almighty said:

– O angels! Leave my old servant alone and do not blame him! By My glory and majesty I take oath, if he were to come even a hundred years later, he would have found me again as the Most Generous and Forgiver. O angels bear witness! I I forgave his sins. I made him deserving of Heaven.”

O old man with white hair and beard!

You are running away from the Heavens!

Allah invites you to His forgiveness

You may repent and become penitent

Ask your needs from His house,

There will be no harshness,

Even if you commit thousands of sins

Just repent and nothing stays

(Riyadun-Naseheen)

Our Prophet –sallallahu alayhi wa sallam- said:

“When Satan was expelled out of Heaven, he took an oath: ‘By my honor, as long as humans exist, I will never leave their hearts.’ On the other hand, Allah said: ‘By My mercy and majesty, as long as they live, I will never close the door to repentance.’”

In a hadith, Allah’s Prophet –sallallahu alayhi wa sallam- said:

– A servant who commits sins is assured of paradise.

– How can this be, O Messenger of Allah? they asked.

He –sallallahu alayhi wa sallam- said:

– He commits a sin, then repents and always remembers it, keeps it before his eyes, and finally he is assured of Paradise. At that time, Satan says: “I wish I had not tempted him. (Ghazzali-Alchemy of Happiness)

Our Prophet –sallallahu alayhi wa sallam- said:

– Do you want me to inform your of a serious problem?

The Companions of the Prophet asked:

– What is our serious problem?

– Your serious problem is the problem of sin, he –sallallahu alayhi wa sallam- said.

The companions asked:

– What is the cure for it?

The Prophet –sallallahu alayhi wa sallam- said:

– Pleading to Allah Almighty for forgiveness out loud in the middle of the night. (Riyadun-Naseheen)

O or Lord! Our sins are like the highest mountains. Yet, your mercy and forgiveness are boundless and infinite. Make us a fixture at your door to repentance. And do not make us return to the sins we have done before. May You save us. Amen.

ALTINOLUK ENGLISH Internet