5.4.4 Repentance (Tawbah)

Turning Back To Allah

Repentance, or tawbah, is the door that Allah leaves open for every human being until death. It is the path from darkness back to light, from sin back to obedience, and from distance back to closeness to Him. For a beginner, it is very important to know that Islam never closes the way of return, no matter how great the sin, as long as a person sincerely turns back to Allah while still alive.

Allah says that He loves those who repent. This means that tawbah is not only accepted, it is beloved to Him.

“Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.”
(Qur’an 2:222)

The Prophet ﷺ explained that Allah is more happy with the repentance of His servant than a man who finds his lost camel in a desert after giving up hope.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than one of you is when he finds his lost camel in a waterless desert.”
(Al‑Bukhari and Muslim)

This deep joy from Allah shows the mercy and gentleness that surround true repentance.

What Tawbah Really Means

Tawbah in Arabic means to return. In Islam it means to turn away from sin and turn back to Allah with the heart, the tongue, and the limbs. It is not just saying “astaghfirullah” with the tongue while continuing in the same wrongdoing. Real tawbah is a change of direction in life.

Allah commands all believers to repent, which shows that every believer, without exception, is in need of tawbah.

“And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.”
(Qur’an 24:31)

Tawbah is not only for major sins. It is also for small sins and for any neglect in our duties toward Allah. Even the most righteous people repent regularly. The Prophet ﷺ, who is the best of creation and protected from deliberate sin, used to repent many times every day.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “O people, repent to Allah, for I repent to Him one hundred times a day.”
(Muslim)

This shows that tawbah is part of daily life for a Muslim, not something reserved only for extreme cases.

The Conditions of a Sincere Tawbah

The scholars of Islam have explained from the Qur’an and Sunnah that a sincere tawbah has specific conditions. These conditions help a person know whether his or her repentance is real in the sight of Allah.

From the texts, they mention three main conditions when the sin is between a person and Allah alone, and four when the sin involves the rights of other people.

The three core conditions are:

First, leaving the sin at once. A person cannot truly repent while he is still doing the sin deliberately. The first step is to stop it immediately for the sake of Allah.

Second, feeling real regret and sorrow in the heart for having disobeyed Allah. The person does not feel proud or neutral about what happened but feels pain over the disobedience itself.

Third, having a firm intention never to return to that sin again. This is an honest resolve in the heart. If a person later falls again out of weakness, that does not cancel the earlier tawbah if it was sincere, but he must renew his repentance again.

When the sin involves harming another person, there is a fourth condition: to return the right or seek forgiveness from the person wronged. This can be by returning stolen property, paying back money, asking for pardon for backbiting, or in some cases making duʿāʾ for the person and mentioning them with good if direct contact is not possible or would cause greater harm.

These conditions are taken from the general texts that describe real repentance. Allah describes those who truly repent as those who stop the sin and correct their behavior.

“Except for those who repent, correct themselves, hold fast to Allah, and are sincere in their religion for Allah, those will be with the believers. And Allah will give the believers a great reward.”
(Qur’an 4:146)

The Prophet ﷺ also made regret the heart of tawbah.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Regret is repentance.”
(Ibn Mājah)

The presence of these conditions is what changes an empty apology into sincere tawbah that Allah accepts and rewards.

Allah Accepts All Sincere Tawbah

One of the most comforting truths in Islam is that no sin is too great for Allah to forgive. The only condition is that the person turns back to Him before death, without insisting stubbornly on disbelief or hypocrisy.

Allah calls all those who have wronged themselves to come to Him with hope.

“Say, ‘O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.’”
(Qur’an 39:53)

This verse is one of the most hopeful verses in the Qur’an. The phrase “all sins” shows that the door is open for every type of disobedience. However, it is linked to returning to Allah with faith and tawbah.

Allah also describes His special servants as those who do wrong but then quickly remember Him and repent.

“And those who, when they commit an immoral act or wrong themselves, remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins, and who can forgive sins except Allah, and who do not persist in what they have done while they know.”
(Qur’an 3:135)

Notice that they “do not persist” in the sin. This again points to leaving the sin and not insisting on it. The person who continues in sin while planning to repent “later” is in a very dangerous state, because death can come at any time.

The Prophet ﷺ taught that Allah’s forgiveness is very close for the one who sincerely repents.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Allah, Blessed and Exalted, says: ‘O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and hope in Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I do not mind. O son of Adam, if your sins were to reach the clouds of the sky then you were to ask for My forgiveness, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, if you were to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth, then you met Me not associating anything with Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it.’”
(At‑Tirmidhī)

This hadith combines two key conditions. The first is sincere turning to Allah and asking His forgiveness. The second is to avoid shirk and meet Allah with pure tawḥīd.

The Time Limit of Tawbah

Although the door of repentance is wide, it is not open forever. It remains open during a person’s life until two events. The first is the moment of death for each person. The second is the rising of the sun from the west near the end of time.

When death approaches and a person sees the reality of the unseen world opening, the test of choice ends and the chance of tawbah finishes. Allah does not accept the so‑called repentance of someone who only regrets after seeing the punishment or the angels of death.

“But repentance is not [accepted] of those who [continue to] do evil deeds up until, when death comes to one of them, he says, ‘Indeed, I repent now,’ or of those who die while they are disbelievers. For them We have prepared a painful punishment.”
(Qur’an 4:18)

Similarly, the Prophet ﷺ said that the door of repentance remains open until the great sign when the sun rises from where it sets.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever repents before the sun rises from the west, Allah will accept his repentance.”
(Muslim)

Because no one knows when death will come or when the last hour will begin, the intelligent believer does not delay tawbah. Delaying is itself a sin and a sign of heedlessness.

Tawbah From Major Sins

In another chapter, major sins are discussed in detail, but here we focus on their connection to tawbah. Major sins are serious acts like shirk, murder, adultery, and others that the Qur’an and Sunnah clearly condemn. However, even major sins can be wiped away by sincere repentance.

Allah describes those who used to commit even the greatest sins, such as shirk and unlawful killing, yet then changed and became beloved to Him because of their tawbah and new life of faith.

“And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden, except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever does that will meet a penalty. Multiplied for him is the punishment on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein humiliated,
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.”
(Qur’an 25:68‑70)

Here Allah not only forgives but replaces past evil with good for those who repent, renew their faith, and live righteously. This is from the vast mercy of Allah.

From this verse we see again three elements: tawbah, renewed īmān, and righteous actions after repentance. When a person who fell into a major sin turns back in this way, he can become even closer to Allah than before, because of his deep humility and sincerity.

Tawbah From Repeated Sins

Many people worry: “I keep repenting but then I fall into the same sin again. Is my tawbah accepted, or is it just playing with Allah’s religion?” The answer depends on the heart.

If a person repents sincerely each time, feels real regret, stops the sin, and truly intends not to return, then later falls again because of weakness, each separate repentance can be accepted. The problem is only when a person plans to return to the sin, or feels no real regret, or uses tawbah as an excuse to continue.

The Prophet ﷺ told a very hopeful story of a servant who returned to Allah again and again after repeating the same sin.

The Prophet ﷺ said that a servant committed a sin and said: “O Lord, I have sinned, so forgive me.” Allah said: “My servant has sinned and realized that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for them. I have forgiven My servant.” Then he remained for a while, then sinned again and said: “O Lord, I have sinned, so forgive me.” Allah said the same. This happened several times, and finally Allah said: “Let My servant do as he wishes, for I have forgiven him,” meaning as long as he continues to repent.
(Al‑Bukhari and Muslim, in meaning)

This hadith does not encourage sin, but it shows that as long as the heart continues to truly repent and does not give up or despair, the door of Allah’s mercy stays open.

However, the believer should always try to close the paths that lead to repetition, by avoiding bad company, removing means to sin, and increasing good deeds. Tawbah must be accompanied by practical changes.

Signs of Accepted Tawbah

We cannot be absolutely certain that a specific tawbah is accepted, but the Qur’an and Sunnah mention signs that often appear when Allah has blessed a person’s repentance.

One sign is that the person becomes more humble and fearful of returning to sin, not more arrogant or confident. Another sign is that the person’s overall obedience increases and he begins to love good deeds more and hate the sin he committed. A third sign is that the person avoids the places, people, and circumstances that pulled him toward that sin in the past.

Allah describes the fruits of real repentance in the life of a believer.

“Except for those who repent and believe and do righteous deeds, for them Allah will change their evil deeds into good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful. And whoever repents and does righteousness has truly turned to Allah with a true turning.”
(Qur’an 25:70‑71)

The phrase “with a true turning” indicates that tawbah is not just a moment, but a new direction in life.

Tawbah and Constant Istighfār

Although tawbah is especially for leaving particular sins, the believer should also live with constant istighfār, which means frequently saying words of seeking forgiveness such as “astaghfirullah” with attention of heart.

The Prophet ﷺ taught special formulas of seeking forgiveness and called one of them “the master of seeking forgiveness.”

The Prophet ﷺ said: “The master of seeking forgiveness is that the servant says: ‘O Allah, You are my Lord, none has the right to be worshipped but You. You created me and I am Your servant. I keep my covenant and promise to You as best as I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge Your favor upon me and I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me, for none forgives sins except You.’ Whoever says it during the day with firm belief in it and dies before evening, will be among the people of Paradise. And whoever says it at night with firm belief in it and dies before morning, will be among the people of Paradise.”
(Al‑Bukhari)

Regular istighfār softens the heart and protects it from becoming comfortable with sin. It also prepares a person so that when he does commit a sin, his return to Allah is quick and sincere.

The Danger of Despair and the Danger of Feeling Safe

Two opposite mistakes often block true tawbah. The first is despair of Allah’s mercy. The second is feeling completely safe from His punishment.

Despair makes a person think his sins are too great to be forgiven. This is wrong, and it is itself a major sin, because it accuses Allah’s mercy of being too small. Allah directly forbids despair, as we saw earlier.

“Do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins.”
(Qur’an 39:53)

On the other side, feeling safe from punishment makes a person careless. He continues in sin while assuming that Allah will forgive him automatically without effort or change. Allah warns against this false security.

“But none feels secure against the plan of Allah except the losing people.”
(Qur’an 7:99)

The correct path is between these two extremes. The believer fears the consequences of sin enough to flee from it and repent quickly, yet hopes in Allah’s mercy enough to never give up.

Tawbah and Changing One’s Life

True tawbah does not remain only inside the heart. It appears in a new way of living. A person who used to drink alcohol or take drugs will cut off those gatherings and friends and replace them with lawful company. Someone who used to fall into immorality will close the doors to temptation, change habits, and set clear limits.

The Prophet ﷺ spoke of a man from the nations before Islam who had killed many people, yet was guided to repentance. Part of his tawbah was to leave his corrupt environment and go to a land of righteous people.

The Prophet ﷺ told of a man who had killed ninety‑nine people, then killed a hundred. He then asked about the most knowledgeable person on earth and was guided to a scholar. The scholar told him: “Who can stand between you and repentance? But you are in a land of evil people, so go to such‑and‑such land where there are people who worship Allah. Worship Allah with them and do not return to your land.” The man left and died on the way. The angels of mercy and punishment disputed, and he was forgiven.
(Al‑Bukhari and Muslim, in meaning)

This story shows that changing environment and companionship is often part of sincere tawbah. It also shows again how wide Allah’s mercy is for those who make real efforts to return to Him.

The Joy and Peace of Tawbah

Tawbah is not only about fear. It brings enormous peace to the heart. The burden of sin is heavy, even if a person does not fully feel it. When a person turns to Allah, confesses his fault, cries in private, and seeks forgiveness, he experiences a spiritual lightness and clarity.

Allah says that tawbah is a cause of mercy in this world and the next.

“And it is He who accepts repentance from His servants and pardons misdeeds, and He knows what you do.”
(Qur’an 42:25)

Knowing that Allah sees our secret sins might frighten us at first, but in the context of this verse, it increases hope. The One who knows the sin in detail is the One who accepts the repentance in detail.

Tawbah also opens the door to blessings. When some prophets called their people to seek forgiveness and repent, they linked it with worldly ease and provision.

“[Prophet Nūḥ said], ‘Seek forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in [continuing] showers. And give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers.’”
(Qur’an 71:10‑12)

These verses show that a community that returns to Allah with tawbah can see positive changes not only in their hearts but in their worldly life as well, by the permission of Allah.

Living as a Servant Who Always Returns

A Muslim will never be perfect. Mistakes and lapses will continue as long as we live. What distinguishes a believer is that he never insists on sin and never closes the door of return.

The Prophet ﷺ expressed this reality clearly.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “By the One in whose hand is my soul, if you did not sin, Allah would replace you with a people who would sin and then seek forgiveness from Allah, and He would forgive them.”
(Muslim)

This hadith does not encourage sin, but it teaches that our path to Allah includes falling and rising again. The key is that we always rise with tawbah, humility, and renewed effort.

For a beginner walking the path of Islam, it is important to remember: You will make mistakes, you will sometimes go backward, and you may feel ashamed. Do not let shame push you away from Allah. Let it push you toward Him. He is the Lord who loves the repentant and who opens His door again and again until the final moment comes.

“And Allah wants to turn to you in mercy.”
(Qur’an 4:27)

Whoever believes this promise and acts on it will always find the way back, no matter how far he has gone.