What are you waiting for?!!

Why Repentance?

All praise is due to Allah the Forgiver of sin, the Acceptor of repentance, the Severe in punishment. It is He Who opens the gates for those who seek His forgiveness, and it is He Who facilitates the reasons for those who seek repentance. Peace be upon the messenger of Allah (whom Allah sent as a mercy to the worlds) and his family and company.

We all are sinful:

We all are sinful … We remember Allah at times and forget Him at others; we watch our deeds at times and be inattentive at others.

We all have sins and always do mistakes. Neither I nor you are infallibles. The prophet, peace be upon him, said: “all the children of Adam are sinning and the best sinners are those who repent.” (Narrated by At-Tirmizy and approved by Al-Albany).

However … What does Repentance mean?

Repentance means to refrain (inwardly and outwardly) from what Allah hates, and to do (inwardly and outwardly) what Allah likes. Repentance is the essence of the legislations of Islam and the facts of faith.

Repentance is the guidance that protects from despair and despondency. It is the effluent fountain of every goodness and happiness in this life and in the hereafter.

Repentance is the essence of religion, source of life and the reason of happiness. It is the beginning, the middle and the end _ it is the beginning and the end of the human life.

Repentance means to refrain from the sin because of fearing Allah, feeling the nastiness of the sin, feeling guilty for doing it, and determining not to do it again as possible as you can. Repentance is a feel of guilt over what had occurred, seeking Allah’s satisfaction in the present and future deeds, and refraining from doing the sin.

Why should we repent?

Some person may ask:

Why should I abandon the sin that gives me pleasure?

Why should I stop watching films and hearing music while they give me rest?

Why should I refrain from the obscene phone calls that I desire?

Why should I stop looking at women while this gives me pleasure?

Why should I abide by prayers and fasting while I do not like to abide?

Why… Why … Why…

Is not it good for the person to do whatever gives him/her pleasure and rest? What gives me pleasure is what you call it “sin”. So, why should I repent?

O dear brother, before answering your question, I want you to know that I wanted nothing but your pleasure, hoped nothing but your rest, and meant nothing but your goodness in this life and in the hereafter.

Now, I will answer your question. You should repent because;

1- Repentance is obedience to your Lord’s order; It is He Who ordered it by saying: “O you who have believed, repent to Allah with sincere repentance.” [At-Tahrim 66:8], and Allah’s order must be obeyed.
{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحًا}[التحريم: 8]
Transliteration: Yā 'Ayyuhā Al-Ladhīna 'Āmanū Tūbū 'Ilaá Allāhi Tawbatan Naşūĥāan

2- It is a reason for your success in this life and in the hereafter; Allah almighty says: “And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.” [An-Nur 24:31]
[وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ} [النور: 31}
Transliteration: Wa Tūbū 'Ilá Allāhi Jamīāan 'Ayyuhā Al-Mu'uminūna Laallakum Tufliĥūna
Therefore, the heart does not feel goodness, success, pleasure or satisfaction except when it worships its Lord and repents to Him.
3- It is a reason of gaining Allah’s love; Allah almighty says: “Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.” [Al-Baqarah 2:222]
[إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ وَيُحِبُّ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ} [البقرة: 222}
Transliteration: 'Inna Allāha Yuĥibbu At-Tawwābīna Wa Yuĥibbu Al-Mutaţahhirīna
Is there pleasure better than the pleasure that one feels when s/he knows that Allah loves him/her when s/he repents to Him?!

4- It is a reason for entering paradise and not entering the hellfire; Allah almighty says: “But there came after them successors who neglected prayer and pursued desires; so they are going to meet evil – (59) Except those who repent, believe and do righteousness; for those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged at all.” [Maryam 19:59-60]
{فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ أَضَاعُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَاتَّبَعُوا الشَّهَوَاتِ ۖ فَسَوْفَ يَلْقَوْنَ غَيًّا ﴿59﴾ إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَأُولَٰئِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ شَيْئًا} [مريم: 59-60]
Transliteration: Fakhalafa Min Badihim Khalfun 'Ađāū Aş-Şalāata Wa Attabaū Ash-Shahawāti Fasawfa Yalqawna Ghayyāan (59) 'Illā Man Tāba Wa 'Āmana Wa Amila Şāliĥāan Fa'ūlā'ika Yadkhulūna Al-Jannata Wa Lā Yužlamūna Shay'āan

Is there anything deserves to be sought except paradise?!

5- It is a reason for having blessings and increase in strength, wealth and children; Allah almighty says: “And Allah invites to the Home of Peace and guides whom He wills to a straight path.” [Yunus 10:25]
[وَاللَّهُ يَدْعُو إِلَىٰ دَارِ السَّلَامِ وَيَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ} [يونس: 25}
Transliteration: Wa Allāhu Yadū 'Ilá Dāri As-Salāmi Wa Yahdī Man Yashā'u 'Ilá Şirāţin Mustaqīmin

And He says: “And said, ‘Ask forgiveness of your Lord’. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. (10) He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in [continuing] showers (11) And give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers” [Nuh 71:10-12]
فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا ﴿10﴾ يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا ﴿11﴾ وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَارًا} [نوح: 10-12]
Transliteration: Faqultu Astaghfirū Rabbakum 'Innahu Kāna Ghaffārāan (10) Yursili As-Samā'a Alaykum Midrārāan (11) Wa Yumdidkum Bi'amwālin Wa Banīna Wa Yajal Lakum Jannātin Wa Yajal Lakum 'Anhārāan

6- It is a reason for expiating the sins and changing them into good deeds; Allah almighty says: “O you who have believed, repent to Allah with sincere repentance. Perhaps your Lord will remove from you your misdeeds and admit you into gardens beneath which rivers flow” [At-Tahrim: 8]
[يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحًا عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمْ أَن يُكَفِّرَ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَيُدْخِلَكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ} [التحريم: 8}
Transliteration: Yā 'Ayyuhā Al-Ladhīna 'Āmanū Tūbū 'Ilaá Allāhi Tawbatan Naşūĥāan Asaá Rabbukum 'An Yukaffira Ankum Sayyi'ātikum Wa Yudkhilakum Jannātin Tajrī Min Taĥtihā Al-'Anhāru

And He almighty says: “Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.” [Al-Furqan 25:70]
[إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُولَٰئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا} [الفرقان: 70}
Transliteration: 'Illā Man Tāba Wa 'Āmana Wa Amila Amalāan Şāliĥāan Fa'ūlā'ika Yubaddilu Allāhu Sayyi'ātihim Ĥasanātin Wa Kāna Allāhu Ghafūrāan Raĥīmāan

Muslim brothers and sisters,

Do not these virtues (along with others) deserve to be sought by repentance?!

Why do we deprive ourselves from their pleasure?! … Why do we insult ourselves and deprive them from gaining Allah’s satisfaction by disobeying Him?! … We should do what brings to us these results and gains.
 

Translated by Wathakker.info website