Nabi ﷺ mentioned that this month is distributed in to 3 parts. Mercy, forgiveness and refuge from Hell. The days of forgiveness are kept in the middle, between Mercy and refuge from Hellfire. The pious predecessors mention that the wisdom behind this is that, if one wishes to attain Mercy and refuge from Hellfire, he must seek forgiveness.
The entire Ramadan depends on a person's repentance. If we repent, then we have truly attained Ramadan. If we do not repent, then we have wasted Ramadan. Allah ta'ala has made repentance easy for our Ummah so that we can repent without any extreme difficulty. Allah ta'ala has not placed any preconditions.
"Indeed, Allāh loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves." [2:222]
There are 2 conditions for the one who wishes to be deserving of Allah ta’ala’s love. He must be clean and pure through repentance. Every journey of spirituality begins with repentance for without it, a person remains impure.
Allah ta'ala loves the pure person. He does not look at whose sins are worse. He looks at one thing. This is that a person recognises his sins and feels remorse over his sins and disobedience. If he doesn't have that feeling within, then he won't be forgiven.
Regret is such a thing, that until it is felt within a person, he cannot feel content. This is because his wrongdoing is constantly knocking at his heart.
If a person truly feels remorse, his eyes naturally sheds tears over his misdeeds, his heart becomes soft and he submits his entire self to Allah ta'ala. This is the sign of accepted repentance.
Hadhrat Abu Layth Samarqandi رحمة الله عليه was a great jurist. He writes a story based on a hadith. There was a man who once came to the Prophet ﷺ. He was shrieking and crying to the extent that Hadhrat Umar رضي الله عنه went to the Prophet ﷺ weeping and informed him of this man's state. Nabi ﷺ ordered him to call the man. When he came, he was asked what the issue was. He replied, "I've committed a severe sin, what shall I do?" Nabi ﷺ asked him, "is it Shirk you have committed or an action greater than that? Have you murdered someone? Have you committed adultery? The man replied that his sin was worse than that. Nabi ﷺ asked, "is it bigger than the space between the heavens and the earth and bigger than the throne?" The man responded in the affirmative. Nabi ﷺ asked if the sin was bigger than Allah ta'ala and the man replied, "Allah is greater."
After much hesitation, the man revealed his sin, "I'm a grave robber and once there was a deceased female who was freshly buried. I opened her grave and shaytan overwhelmed me and I committed adultery with her." Nabi ﷺ's
face changed colour and he commanded the man to leave. The man left crying and was in isolation. He cried for 40 days. After 40 days Hadhrat Jibraeel عليه السلام went to the Prophet ﷺ and revealed that Allah ta'ala had forgiven that man. Thereafter, Nabi ﷺ informed the man that he had been forgiven by Allah ta'ala. The reason Allah ta'ala forgave him was due to his regret and remorse. Such a stark difference in his conditions, that first he was commanded to leave Nabi ﷺ 's presence and after his repentance, Hadhrat Jibraeel descended the earth to announce his forgiveness!
The greatest thing is to develop remorse in our heart and thereafter, seeking Allah ta'ala's forgiveness. Nowadays, shaytan's influence causes our sins to appear insignificant. This is why we do not repent. For as long as we consider our sins to be insignificant, the remorse cannot be developed within us, and unless we are remorseful, we cannot be forgiven and our repentance will not be accepted.
It is pointless to sin and then recite istighfar continuously without having any regret in the heart. Allah ta'ala likes the one who repents with remorse and shame because such a person repents with sincerity and a honest heart. His pleading and crying is genuine. During these days, we should pray to Allah ta'ala to make our sins apparent to us, so we can develop remorse and avoid considering our sins to be minor. If we waste these precious days, then our entire Ramadan will be wasted.
We should avoid having pride within us and also avoid considering ourselves to be pious. Every person sins and on different levels. At some stage, at some time or place, he has committed a sin. Thus, we should request Allah ta'ala to give us the ability to make true repentance to Him.
"Oh Prophet, when the believing women come to you, pledging to you that they will neither associate anything with Allah.." [60:12]
The best way to repent is to go to the Sheikh because via him, your repentance will be accepted. This is the method which the Quran has mentioned.
We should visit the pious with the sole intention of seeking Allah ta’ala’s forgiveness and not to become pious, gain status or seek Khilafah.
So there are 2 things needed for true repentance. Remorse and the company of a Sheikh.
The pious predecessors were great individuals themselves, yet they would go to the Awliyah Allah to remove their sins as they knew that the pious people teach how to have regret and the way to recognise the sins. This is the way of submitting to Allah ta'ala.
In the blessed company of a Sheikh, one receives help, hope and prayers. This is when his life changes. When a person seeks forgiveness, Allah ta'ala instils the desire of Allah ta'ala's love and his heart becomes attached to Allah ta'ala and consequently, he begins to climb the ladder of love. Thereafter, he is on track and doesn't become deviated from the path. This is the sign of accepted repentance.
After a person repents via a Sheikh, he may commit minor sins here and there, but at least he is progressing in the right direction and this journey does not stop for him.
One must maintain having solid belief in his Sheikh, because Allah ta'ala has made the Sheikh the means of attaining Himself. Therefore, the student must have a solid and unshakeable connection with his Sheikh and not allow the whispers of Shaytan to divert him.
The Sheikh will then take promises from the student according to his capacity and condition. These are in fact promises to Allah ta'ala just as the Prophet ﷺ took promises from the Sahabah so that they would stay firm upon the path.
The Sheikh assesses the students background and with his experience, he requests the student to make certain promises and he makes a contract with the student. If the student does not maintain that contract, then his repentance and the connection between him and his Sheikh is broken. As a result, the student advances towards sins again.
On the other hand, if a student maintains those promises, then he achieves a high rank and becomes beloved to Allah ta'ala.
These days have been given to us to attain Allah ta'ala's nearness. Whomsoever seeks forgiveness during these days, has done a very great thing indeed.
The biggest sinners in history have been transformed due to their sincerity and remorse.
After repentance Allah ta'ala elevated their ranks. So, if you make a mistake, return back to your Sheikh and Allah ta'ala will continue to keep you on this path until the Hereafter.
Analyse the sins you are committing and remember the promises you made to your Sheikh and then seek Allah ta'ala's forgiveness so you can become deserving of Allah ta'ala's Mercy.
May Allah ta'ala grant us the ability to implement.
Nabi ﷺ mentioned that this month is distributed in to 3 parts. Mercy, forgiveness and refuge from Hell. The days of forgiveness are kept in the middle, between Mercy and refuge from Hellfire. The pious predecessors mention that the wisdom behind this is that, if one wishes to attain Mercy and refuge from Hellfire, he must seek forgiveness.
The entire Ramadan depends on a person's repentance. If we repent, then we have truly attained Ramadan. If we do not repent, then we have wasted Ramadan. Allah ta'ala has made repentance easy for our Ummah so that we can repent without any extreme difficulty. Allah ta'ala has not placed any preconditions.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ وَيُحِبُّ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ
"Indeed, Allāh loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves." [2:222]
There are 2 conditions for the one who wishes to be deserving of Allah ta’ala’s love. He must be clean and pure through repentance. Every journey of spirituality begins with repentance for without it, a person remains impure.
Allah ta'ala loves the pure person. He does not look at whose sins are worse. He looks at one thing. This is that a person recognises his sins and feels remorse over his sins and disobedience. If he doesn't have that feeling within, then he won't be forgiven.
Regret is such a thing, that until it is felt within a person, he cannot feel content. This is because his wrongdoing is constantly knocking at his heart.
If a person truly feels remorse, his eyes naturally sheds tears over his misdeeds, his heart becomes soft and he submits his entire self to Allah ta'ala. This is the sign of accepted repentance.
Hadhrat Abu Layth Samarqandi رحمة الله عليه was a great jurist. He writes a story based on a hadith. There was a man who once came to the Prophet ﷺ. He was shrieking and crying to the extent that Hadhrat Umar رضي الله عنه went to the Prophet ﷺ weeping and informed him of this man's state. Nabi ﷺ ordered him to call the man. When he came, he was asked what the issue was. He replied, "I've committed a severe sin, what shall I do?" Nabi ﷺ asked him, "is it Shirk you have committed or an action greater than that? Have you murdered someone? Have you committed adultery? The man replied that his sin was worse than that. Nabi ﷺ asked, "is it bigger than the space between the heavens and the earth and bigger than the throne?" The man responded in the affirmative. Nabi ﷺ asked if the sin was bigger than Allah ta'ala and the man replied, "Allah is greater."
After much hesitation, the man revealed his sin, "I'm a grave robber and once there was a deceased female who was freshly buried. I opened her grave and shaytan overwhelmed me and I committed adultery with her." Nabi ﷺ's
face changed colour and he commanded the man to leave. The man left crying and was in isolation. He cried for 40 days. After 40 days Hadhrat Jibraeel عليه السلام went to the Prophet ﷺ and revealed that Allah ta'ala had forgiven that man. Thereafter, Nabi ﷺ informed the man that he had been forgiven by Allah ta'ala. The reason Allah ta'ala forgave him was due to his regret and remorse. Such a stark difference in his conditions, that first he was commanded to leave Nabi ﷺ 's presence and after his repentance, Hadhrat Jibraeel descended the earth to announce his forgiveness!
The greatest thing is to develop remorse in our heart and thereafter, seeking Allah ta'ala's forgiveness. Nowadays, shaytan's influence causes our sins to appear insignificant. This is why we do not repent. For as long as we consider our sins to be insignificant, the remorse cannot be developed within us, and unless we are remorseful, we cannot be forgiven and our repentance will not be accepted.
It is pointless to sin and then recite istighfar continuously without having any regret in the heart. Allah ta'ala likes the one who repents with remorse and shame because such a person repents with sincerity and a honest heart. His pleading and crying is genuine. During these days, we should pray to Allah ta'ala to make our sins apparent to us, so we can develop remorse and avoid considering our sins to be minor. If we waste these precious days, then our entire Ramadan will be wasted.
We should avoid having pride within us and also avoid considering ourselves to be pious. Every person sins and on different levels. At some stage, at some time or place, he has committed a sin. Thus, we should request Allah ta'ala to give us the ability to make true repentance to Him.
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتُ يُبَايِعْنَكَ عَلَىٰ أَن لَّا يُشْرِكْنَ..
"Oh Prophet, when the believing women come to you, pledging to you that they will neither associate anything with Allah.." [60:12]
The best way to repent is to go to the Sheikh because via him, your repentance will be accepted. This is the method which the Quran has mentioned.
We should visit the pious with the sole intention of seeking Allah ta’ala’s forgiveness and not to become pious, gain status or seek Khilafah.
So there are 2 things needed for true repentance. Remorse and the company of a Sheikh.
The pious predecessors were great individuals themselves, yet they would go to the Awliyah Allah to remove their sins as they knew that the pious people teach how to have regret and the way to recognise the sins. This is the way of submitting to Allah ta'ala.
In the blessed company of a Sheikh, one receives help, hope and prayers. This is when his life changes. When a person seeks forgiveness, Allah ta'ala instils the desire of Allah ta'ala's love and his heart becomes attached to Allah ta'ala and consequently, he begins to climb the ladder of love. Thereafter, he is on track and doesn't become deviated from the path. This is the sign of accepted repentance.
After a person repents via a Sheikh, he may commit minor sins here and there, but at least he is progressing in the right direction and this journey does not stop for him.
One must maintain having solid belief in his Sheikh, because Allah ta'ala has made the Sheikh the means of attaining Himself. Therefore, the student must have a solid and unshakeable connection with his Sheikh and not allow the whispers of Shaytan to divert him.
The Sheikh will then take promises from the student according to his capacity and condition. These are in fact promises to Allah ta'ala just as the Prophet ﷺ took promises from the Sahabah so that they would stay firm upon the path.
The Sheikh assesses the students background and with his experience, he requests the student to make certain promises and he makes a contract with the student. If the student does not maintain that contract, then his repentance and the connection between him and his Sheikh is broken. As a result, the student advances towards sins again.
On the other hand, if a student maintains those promises, then he achieves a high rank and becomes beloved to Allah ta'ala.
These days have been given to us to attain Allah ta'ala's nearness. Whomsoever seeks forgiveness during these days, has done a very great thing indeed.
The biggest sinners in history have been transformed due to their sincerity and remorse.
After repentance Allah ta'ala elevated their ranks. So, if you make a mistake, return back to your Sheikh and Allah ta'ala will continue to keep you on this path until the Hereafter.
Analyse the sins you are committing and remember the promises you made to your Sheikh and then seek Allah ta'ala's forgiveness so you can become deserving of Allah ta'ala's Mercy.
May Allah ta'ala grant us the ability to implement.