Fatwa #22549

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Although you have committed the sin three times, as long as you are alive you are given the opportunity to repent to Allāh Ta‛ālā. We are all prone to sin, however, as a Hadīth mentions, that person who does not deny his sin and turns to Allāh Ta‛ālā in repentance, Allah Ta‛ālā accepts his repentance.[1]

Even if you have repeatedly committed the sin again after repenting each time, if you sincerely repent and firmly decide to give it up forever then the sin that was committed each time will be washed away as if it never occurred. This is understood from a narration in which Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wa Sallam informs us of what Allāh Ta‛ālā says:

أَذْنَبَ عَبْدِي ذَنْبًا فَقَالَ: يَا رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذَنْبِي، فَقَالَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: أَذْنَبَ عَبْدِي ذَنْبًا فَعَلِمَ أَنَّ لَهُ رَبًّا يَغْفِرُ الذَّنْبَ وَيَأْخُذُ بِالذَّنْبِ ثَلَاثَ مِرَارٍ، قَالَ: فَيَقُولُ اعْمَلْ مَا شِئْتَ قَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَكَ "[2]

“My servant commits a sin then says, “Oh my Lord, forgive me for my sin.” ” So Allāh the Almighty says, “My servant committed a sin and knew that he has a Lord that can forgive sins and can punish because of sins.” Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wa Sallam mentioned this three times (i.e. this happens three times: the servant sins and repents each time). Thereafter, Allāh Ta’ālā says, “Do as you please; I have forgiven you (meaning that no matter how many times you sin, if you repent, I will forgive you.”

Therefore, you should never despair of the forgiveness of Allāh Ta‛ālā even if you have committed a sin several times. It is not correct to despair of Allāh’s encompassing Mercy and vast Forgiveness. Committing a major sin does not take you out of Islām, and as long as you do not deny any of the beliefs of a Muslim, you are still a Muslim.

You should make sincere Tawbah (repentance) immediately with the conviction that it will be accepted. Do not delay it until you go for Hajj as none of us are certain of the time of his death. Yes, once you are in Hajj, you should repeat your Tawbah (repentance).

For your Tawbah (repentance) to be sincere a condition is that you make a firm decision in your heart not to commit the sin again. To save yourself from repeating the sin, you should keep in mind the following narration of Ibn ‛Abbās Radi Allāhu ‘anħumā:

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: "إِنَّ الَّذِي يَأْتِي امْرَأَتَهُ فِي دُبُرِهَا، لَا يَنْظُرُ اللهُ إِلَيْه"[3]

Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wa Sallam said: “That person who approaches his wife in her back portion, Allāh Ta‛ālā does not look (with mercy) at him.” (Musnad Aħmad)

We are all in need of the Mercy of Allāh Ta‛ālā. Therefore, it is imperative that you stay away from this grievous sin and all other sins. If you ever do commit a sin by weakness, you should immediately make sincere repentance, as Allāh Ta‛ālā loves those who repent often.

You should identify gatherings of Islāh (reformation) and Zikr of the true ‛Ulamā (scholars). Sit in the company of ‛Ulamā’ and pious people. That will generate Nūr (light) in your heart and help you abstain from sinful acts.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mahmood Patel
Azaadville, South Africa

Student Darul Iftaa

Checked and Approved by
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net