On Repentance - Part 2 [Translated Extract]
Part two of al-Ghazali on repentance: is regret alone tawbah, and what conditions must accompany it before it counts?
If it is asked: Did not the Prophet, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, say, “Regret (nadam) is tawbah,”[1] without mentioning the conditions you’ve specified, are you not being overly stringent in this matter?
It is replied: Firstly, regret is not something the slave has control over. Have you not observed that people sometimes regret things they wish they didn’t feel remorseful about? Moreover, tawbah is an action that slaves are commanded to undertake.
Secondly, it is evident that if one regrets their sins because of a loss of status amongst people, or financial loss incurred because of those sins, then that is not tawbah in the slightest.
The hadith contains deeper meanings that you have failed to grasp. That is, that regret arising from glorifying Allah, Glorified and Majestic, and fear of His punishment are from the causes from which sincere tawbah springs. Such regret is certainly from the qualities of the repentant and from amongst their spiritual states.
If one mentions the three litanies, that is, the aforementioned pre-cursors of tawbah, they will naturally feel regret. This regret would lead them to abandon entertaining the idea to sin, their remorse persisting in their hearts for coming days, propelling them to earnest pleading and supplication to Allah. Since regret is both from the causes of tawbah and characteristics of the repentant, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, mentioned regret with the label of tawbah. Understand this, may you be supported, God willing.
If you were to ask: How is it possible for a human being to conduct himself such that he never falls into sin, small or great? How is it possible, when even the scholars differed on whether the Prophets of Allah, most honourable of Allah’s creation, reached such a level?
Then know: Reaching such a level is certainly plausible, it is not impossible. Rather, it is easy and Allah, Most High, “selects for His Mercy whomsoever He wills…”[2]
Also, from amongst the conditions of tawbah is that one does not intend purposefully to commit a sin. If it occurs by forgetfulness or accident that that is forgiven by the bounty of Allah, Most High. This is easy for whomsoever Allah gives success.
If you were to say: What prevents me from tawbah is that I know myself and that I will return to sin and not remain firm in tawbah. Hence, there is no point in it for me.
Then know: This is from the deceptions of shaytan. And how do you know that you would not remain firm in tawbah? Perhaps you will die in a repentant state before falling into sin again.
As for your fear of relapsing to sin, then your duty is to have determination, truthfulness, and bringing your tawbah to completion. If you were to actualise your tawbah, then that is from His bounty. If you were not able to realise tawbah, then you would at least be forgiven for all previous sins. You would be free of them and purified. You would only be accountable for this sin which you just committed. This is still a great profit! In tawbah, you are forever between one goodness or the other. Allah, Most High, is the Custodian of success and guidance. And this is the entire affair!
In regard to abandoning sin and being free from it, then know that sins can be broadly categorised into three groups.
The first: Neglecting the compulsory commands of Allah, Glorified and Most High, that He legislated upon you. Such as prayer, fasting, zakat, kaffarah, or other than that. Strive to fulfill these as much as possible.
The second: Sins between you and Allah, Glorified and Majestic. Such as the drinking of wine, playing wind instruments, taking usury, and the like. Be remorseful over such sins and adjust your heart to abandon returning to the like of such ever again.
The third: Sins between you and the rest of creation. This matter is more complicated and difficult. These sins may relate to wealth, to self, to honour, to sanctity, or religion.
In regard to wealth, you must return the usurped wealth to who it belongs to if you can. If you are unable to because you do not have it or due to poverty, then seek his pardon to waive his claim. If you cannot seek his pardon because of his absence or death, but can give charity on his behalf, then do so. You must work to increase your good deeds (since they will be taken from you and given to those you wronged) and work to return to Allah, Glorified and Majestic, with humility and beseeching Him – that He makes the one you wronged content with you on the Day of Judgement.
As for honour, if you backbit someone, or defamed them, or slandered them, then you should admit your error to the one you wronged, if you can, ask them to pardon you. This is if you do not fear an escalation of their anger, or the stirring up of tribulation by mentioning it to them. If you do fear it, then appeal to Allah, Glorified, Most High, that He makes them content with you. That He grants them great goodness in return for your wronging them. And also ask for a lot of forgiveness.
In regard to sanctity, if you deceived someone’s family, or children, or the like, then there is no seeking pardon or disclosing the matter to their guardian as it will ignite tribulation and rage. Rather, one should implore Allah, Glorified He is, that He makes them content with him and grants them great goodness in return. If you feel safe from tribulation and their rage – and that is rare – then seek their pardon.
As for religion, if you called a Muslim as a disbeliever, or (wrongly) accused him of innovation (bid’ah), or misguided him, then this is from the most difficult of affairs. You need to disavow yourself and admit your error in front of the one you accused and seek pardon from your companion if you can. If not, then there is but a great deal of beseeching Allah, Glorified and Most High, and sorrow so that He makes him content with you.
The crux of the matter is that wherever it is possible to appease the wronged one, then do so. Wherever it is not possible, revert to Allah, Glorified and Most High, imploring Him and having sincerity, so that He makes them content with you – the outcome of which will depend on the will of Allah, the Glorified, on the Day of Judgement – and having hope in His great generosity and abundant kindness. Hoping that when Allah sees truthfulness in the heart of the slave, He, from his treasuries of bounty, will overrule His law and make one’s opponent content with the slave. Know that this is the guiding truth of the matter.
If you proceed as we have described and clear your heart from inclining towards similar sin in the future, then you have escaped from all sin. If you free your heart from recommitting sin but have not made up missed prayers and the like or not appeased those you have wronged, then you will remain liable for that but have your other sins forgiven.
This topic’s elucidation is lengthy, unable to be carried by this summarised chapter. Look to Kitab al-Tawbah (The Book of Repentance) from the Ihya Uloom al-Din (Revival of the Islamic Sciences) first, then to al-Qurbah ila-Allah Taa’la (Closeness to Allah, Most High) second, and al-Ghayah al-Qaswah (The Furthest Goal) third. You will find many benefits and abundant details. What we have mentioned here is but the essence that cannot be disposed with and Allah is the One who grants success.
[1] Ibn Majah, Hadith 612.
[2] Quran 3:74
Originally published on the Dhikr Substack.