36. FORGIVENESS-SEEKING AND REPENTENCE (continued)

God says

Verily, God’s acceptance of repentance relates only to those who do evil out of ignorance and then repent before their time runs out: and it is they unto whom God will turn again in His mercy – for God is all-knowing, wise; whereas repentance will not be accepted of those who do evil deeds until their dying hour and then say, “Behold, I now repent”; nor of those who die as deniers of the truth: ….. Q.4: 17,18

And when those who believe in Our messages come unto thee [O Muhammad], say: “Peace* be upon you. Your Sustainer has willed upon Himself the law of grace and mercy – so that if any of you does a bad deed out of ignorance, and thereafter repents and lives righteously, He shall be [found] much forgiving, a most gracious.” -- Q.6: 54
* The word salam, which has been translated here as “peace”, which occurs many times in the Quran and has become the standard form of Muslim greeting – has a spiritual connotation comprising the concepts of ethical soundness, security from all that is evil and, therefore, freedom from all moral conflict and disquiet.

….And [always], O you believers – all of you – turn unto God in repentance, so that you might attain to a happy state!* -- Q.24: 31
* The implication of this general call for repentance is that since “man has been created weak” (4: 28), no one is ever free of faults and temptations.

…your God is the One God: go, then, straight towards Him and seek His forgiveness! - Q.41: 6



Prophet said

1. “God accepts the repentance of a man so long as he is not at a point of death” --H: Tirmizi and Ibn Omar.

2. “Every son of Adam is a sinner, and the best of sinners are those who repent constantly”– H: Tirmizi and Ibn Majah. N: Anas.

3. “When a servant (of God) recognizes his sin and then repents, God accepts his repentance.” – H: Bukhari and Muslim. N: Bibi Ayesha.

Whether it is forgiveness-seeking for the past sins, or repenting for the sin that can recur, mere verbal statement without emotion does not work. Pleading with a sorrowful heart makes it worthy of His acceptance.