Fatwa #237422 February 2001Singapore
Please tell me if there is such a Prayer for Taubah. And if yes, when and how it is performed.
Answer
Allah is Most Gracious and Most Merciful. He says in the Noble Qur'aan, 'Oh%0D%0AMy Slaves! Do not despair. Verily Allah will forgive all sins.'%0D%0A%0D%0AIn one Hadith, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have%0D%0Asaid, 'If a person has sins equivalent to the foams of the sea and pebbles%0D%0Aon a desert, Allah's mercy is so encompassing that He will forgive every%0D%0Asin.' In another narration, it is mentioned that Allah will speak secretly%0D%0Ato one of His slaves on the day of Qiyaamat and remind him of all his sins.%0D%0AAfter the person will confess his sins, Allah will say to him, 'I concealed%0D%0Ayour faults in the world, today too, I will conceal your faults. Go in%0D%0AJannah, I have forgiven you.'%0D%0A%0D%0AThe above mentioned are few of many Ahaadith explaining the extent of%0D%0AAllah's Mercy. However, Allah says, 'Verily Allah will not forgive a person%0D%0Awho ascribe partners (commit Shirk) with Him.' The only sin that is%0D%0Aunforgivable is Kufr (disbelief) and Shirk (ascribing partners). Accepting%0D%0AIslam is the only atonement for the sin of Kufr and Shirk.%0D%0A%0D%0AIf one fulfils the conditions of repentance, i.e. regret and make firm%0D%0Aintention to reform, then surely Allah Ta'ala is Tawwaab (Most Forgiving).%0D%0AOne may also perform Nafl (voluntary) Salaat with the intention of making%0D%0ATawbah (repentance).%0D%0A%0D%0Aand Allah Ta'ala Knows Best%0D%0A%0D%0AMufti Ebrahim Desai%0D%0AFATWA DEPT.