📖 24 min read
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Perhaps there is a sin you have carried for years. Something you did — or failed to do — that still weighs on your heart whenever you think about it. Perhaps you feel you have sinned too much to deserve forgiveness. Perhaps you tell yourself you will repent ‘later’, when you are ‘ready’, when your life is more stable and more orderly. Perhaps you have tried to repent several times, only to fall back into sin — and that relapse has convinced you that your repentance is worthless. If any of these thoughts sound familiar, this article was written for you. Because Allah — the Lord of the worlds, the One who knows every thought and every deed of yours — told His Prophet ﷺ to convey this message to you:
“O son of Adam, as long as you call upon Me and place your hope in Me, I will forgive you for whatever you have done, and I will not hold it against you. O son of Adam, if your sins reached the clouds of the sky and you then asked Me for forgiveness, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, if you came to Me with sins almost as great as the earth, and met Me without associating anything with Me, I would come to you with forgiveness almost as great as the earth.”
— Narrated by At-Tirmidhi (no. 3540) — Authenticated by Al-Albani, from Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه
Read this hadith once more. Slowly. Then a third time. This is not poetry — it is a divine promise, conveyed by the Prophet ﷺ, recorded in an authenticated collection and addressed to every one of us. Tawbah (التوبة) — sincere repentance — is one of the acts of worship most beloved to Allah, and the door to His mercy remains open until the final breath. This article explains everything you need to know about repentance in Islam: what it is, its conditions, its virtues and how to put it into practice, with evidence from the Quran and authentic Sunnah. To deepen your daily practice and find supplications for repentance, also see our complete guide to morning and evening adhkar.
قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
“Say: ‘O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of Allah’s mercy. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. He is the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.’”
— Surah Az-Zumar (39:53)
📋 Table of contents
- What is Tawbah? The definition and nature of repentance
- Is repentance obligatory?
- The conditions of sincere repentance
- Repenting for sins involving the rights of others
- Tawbah and Istighfar: what is the difference?
- The immense virtues of repentance
- What if you fall back into sin after repenting?
- Is there a limit to repentance? Does the door close?
- How to repent sincerely: a practical guide
- Authentic supplications for repentance
- How can I know whether my repentance has been accepted?
- ❓ Frequently asked questions
- Sources and references
1. What is Tawbah? The definition and nature of repentance
The word Tawbah (تَوْبَة) comes from the Arabic root taba (تَابَ), meaning ‘to return’ or ‘to turn back’. Repenting in Islam literally means turning back to Allah — leaving the path of sin and returning to obedience to Him. It is not merely a feeling of guilt or a verbal declaration. It is an act of the heart, tongue and body that involves real transformation.
Allah describes Himself in the Quran by the name At-Tawwab (التَّوَّاب) — ‘the One who continually turns [to His servants with mercy]’, ‘the One who repeatedly accepts repentance’. This name appears many times in the Quran, including:
إِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ
“Indeed, He is the Accepter of repentance, the Most Merciful.”
— Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah (2:37)
The fact that Allah names Himself At-Tawwab — rather than simply Al-Ghafur (the All-Forgiving) — is profoundly significant. This name indicates that Allah turns to His servant with mercy even before the servant turns back to Him. Ibn Al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah explains in Madarij As-Salikin that tawbah is a two-way interaction: the servant turns to Allah, and Allah turns to the servant — and divine mercy precedes and facilitates human repentance.
2. Is repentance obligatory?
Yes — and this is one of the points on which scholars are unanimous. Sincere repentance from every sin is an obligation (wajib) upon every Muslim. The evidence is explicit in the Quran:
وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
“And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, so that you may succeed.”
— Quran, Surah An-Nur (24:31)
The command is addressed to ‘all’ believers, not only those who commit major sins or those who have just done something wrong. Scholars conclude that repentance is an ongoing, continuous act of worship. The Prophet ﷺ himself — who was infallible in conveying the divine message and whose past and future sins had been forgiven — sought Allah’s forgiveness more than seventy times a day:
“By Allah, I seek Allah’s forgiveness and repent to Him more than seventy times a day.”
— Narrated by Al-Bukhari (no. 6307), from Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه
What this hadith means in practice: If the Prophet ﷺ — the best of Allah’s creation — repented seventy times a day, what about us? Repentance is not reserved for moments of spiritual crisis. It is a daily practice, a continual return to Allah that characterises the sincere believer at every moment of life.
3. The conditions of sincere repentance
For repentance to be valid and accepted — with the hope and trust the believer places in Allah’s mercy — scholars have established its conditions from the Quran and Sunnah. For sins involving only Allah’s rights (sins without a direct human victim), there are three conditions. For sins involving the rights of others, a fourth is added.
Condition 1 — Stop the sin immediately: Repentance is not valid if a person continues committing the sin from which they are repenting. If someone says ‘Astaghfirullah’ while continuing to do what is forbidden, this is not repentance — it is mockery. Allah says: ‘And those who, when they commit an indecency or wrong themselves, remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins — and who forgives sins except Allah? — and do not knowingly persist in what they have done.’ (Surah Aal ‘Imran, 3:135). The words ‘do not persist’ are the key: repentance requires stopping.
Condition 2 — Sincere remorse: The heart must feel genuine remorse for the sin committed — not fear of worldly consequences (being discovered or losing one’s reputation), but sorrow at having distanced oneself from Allah and disobeyed Him. The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Remorse is repentance.’ (Narrated by Ibn Majah, no. 4252 — authenticated by Al-Albani, from Ibn Mas’ud رضي الله عنه). This hadith sums up the very essence of tawbah: without remorse in the heart, words are empty.
Condition 3 — A firm resolve not to repeat it: Repentance must be accompanied by a sincere intention not to return to the sin. This resolve must be honest at the time of repentance, even though human weakness may lead to a later relapse, which we will discuss below.
These three conditions are established by scholarly consensus, including An-Nawawi in Riyad As-Salihin (the introduction to the chapter on repentance) and Ibn Qudama in Al-Mughni. Ibn Al-Qayyim explores them in depth in Madarij As-Salikin, his major work on spiritual stations.
Sincerity: the implicit condition underlying all the others
Above these three conditions, scholars remind us that sincerity (ikhlas) is the condition underlying all conditions. Repentance performed to be seen by others, improve one’s social image or obtain worldly benefit is not genuine repentance before Allah. Allah says:
إِنَّمَا التَّوْبَةُ عَلَى اللَّهِ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السُّوءَ بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ يَتُوبُونَ مِن قَرِيبٍ فَأُولَٰئِكَ يَتُوبُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ
“The repentance Allah accepts is from those who do wrong in ignorance and then repent soon afterwards. It is their repentance that Allah accepts.”
— Quran, Surah An-Nisa (4:17)
4. Repenting for sins involving the rights of others
When a sin involves wronging another person — stealing, slandering, hurting or betraying them — the previous three conditions are not sufficient. A fourth condition is added: put right the injustice done to the person harmed.
The Prophet ﷺ gave this extremely serious warning:
“Whoever has wronged their brother regarding his honour or anything else should settle it today, before a day comes when there will be neither dinar nor dirham. If they have good deeds, these will be taken in proportion to the wrong they committed. If they have no good deeds, the other person’s bad deeds will be taken and placed upon them.”
— Narrated by Al-Bukhari (no. 2449), from Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه
What this hadith means in practice: Good deeds accumulated over a lifetime — prayers, fasts and charity — may be transferred to the person wronged on the Day of Judgement if the injustice has not been put right. This hadith is intended to create urgency rather than fear: making amends now, while you can, is infinitely easier than answering for it before Allah.
If you have stolen or taken money owed to someone: Return the amount to the person concerned. If they have died, give it to their heirs. If you cannot find them, give the amount in charity with the intention that its reward goes to that person.
If you have slandered, backbitten or defamed someone: Scholars differ on the method. The majority view (Hanafi, Maliki and Shafi‘i) is that you must inform the person and ask their forgiveness. However, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and some scholars consider that if informing the person could cause more harm (renewing their pain or creating conflict), it is sufficient to pray abundantly for them and defend their reputation where it was attacked. In all cases, stopping the backbiting and repenting sincerely are obligatory.
If the person has died or cannot be found: Pray abundantly for them, ask Allah to forgive them and have mercy on them, and give charity on their behalf.
5. Tawbah and Istighfar: what is the difference?
These two terms are often confused or used interchangeably, but they refer to distinct things:
Istighfar (الاستغفار): This means asking Allah for forgiveness — the act of saying Astaghfirullah (أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ). It is an act of the tongue and heart that can be performed at any time, even for unspecified sins and even when not all the conditions of tawbah are fulfilled. Istighfar is an act of worship in its own right, recommended abundantly at every time of day.
Tawbah (التوبة): This is complete repentance — a broader act that includes istighfar but also requires the three (or four) conditions described above. Tawbah is a comprehensive return to Allah that involves a change in behaviour.
Ibn Al-Qayyim explains in Madarij As-Salikin that every repentance (tawbah) includes istighfar, but not every istighfar is necessarily complete tawbah. Ideally, both should be combined: seeking Allah’s forgiveness (istighfar) while fulfilling the conditions of repentance (tawbah). Allah often mentions them together in the Quran:
وَأَنِ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ
“And seek your Lord’s forgiveness, then turn to Him in repentance.”
— Quran, Surah Hud (11:3)
6. The immense virtues of repentance
Sincere repentance does more than bring forgiveness — it is beloved to Allah. It is one of the most precious acts of worship before Him, and its rewards exceed what the human mind can conceive.
Allah loves those who repent
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ وَيُحِبُّ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ
“Indeed, Allah loves those who continually repent and loves those who purify themselves.”
— Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah (2:222)
Being loved by Allah — yuhibbu (يُحِبُّ) — is the highest distinction a servant can receive. Allah does not merely say that He forgives those who repent: He says that He loves them. This distinction is essential.
Sins transformed into good deeds
One of the most extraordinary virtues of sincere repentance is mentioned in this verse:
إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُولَٰئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ
“Except those who repent, believe and do good deeds: for them, Allah will replace their bad deeds with good ones.”
— Quran, Surah Al-Furqan (25:70)
Scholars have commented extensively on this verse. There are two main interpretations, both recorded by Ibn Kathir in his Tafsir :
First interpretation: Allah transforms the sins themselves into good deeds in the individual’s record on the Day of Judgement — where a sin was recorded, a reward is recorded in its place. This is the view of some Companions, including Abu Dharr Al-Ghifari رضي الله عنه, who asked the Prophet ﷺ whether this applied even to theft and adultery, and the Prophet ﷺ confirmed it.
Second interpretation: Allah transforms the repentant person’s behaviour — where they once committed sins, they now do good deeds. The transformation concerns behaviour rather than the record of deeds. This is the view of Al-Hasan Al-Basri and others.
Allah’s joy at His servant’s repentance
“Allah is more joyful at His servant’s repentance than one of you who, in a barren desert, loses the mount carrying his food and drink, and, after losing hope, lies down in the shade of a tree — then suddenly finds it again. His joy is so great that he mistakenly says: ‘O Allah, You are my servant and I am Your lord!’”
— Narrated by Muslim (no. 2747), from Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه
What this hadith means in practice: The comparison is deliberately chosen to show the magnitude of divine joy. Someone who has lost all hope in a desert — their food, water and means of survival — suddenly finds what they were seeking: this is how Allah rejoices at His servant’s repentance. The man’s joy is so great that he makes a mistake in his speech, saying ‘You are my servant’. This is one of the most moving hadiths about Allah’s mercy.
7. What if you fall back into sin after repenting?
This may be the most painful question sincere Muslims ask themselves. You repented. You cried and promised Allah you would never do it again. Then one day — through weakness, distraction, your environment or despair — you fell back into sin. Was your previous repentance invalid? Can you repent again?
The answer from the Quran and Sunnah is unambiguous: yes, you can repent again. As many times as necessary.
“The sinner who repents is like someone who has no sin.”
— Narrated by Ibn Majah (no. 4250) — Authenticated by Al-Albani, from Ibn Mas’ud رضي الله عنه
This hadith does not say: ‘The sinner who repents only once is like someone who has no sin.’ It is unrestricted. Every sincere repentance wipes the slate clean. Ibn Al-Qayyim explains a crucial point in Madarij As-Salikin : falling back into sin after repentance does not retroactively invalidate the previous repentance. Allah forgave at the time of the first sincere repentance — and He will grant His forgiveness again if the new repentance is sincere.
The Prophet ﷺ confirmed this in the following striking hadith:
“A servant committed a sin and said: ‘O my Lord, I have sinned; forgive me.’ His Lord said: ‘My servant knows that he has a Lord who forgives sins and calls him to account for them. I have forgiven My servant.’ Then he sinned again and said: ‘O my Lord, I have sinned again; forgive me.’ His Lord said: ‘My servant knows that he has a Lord who forgives sins and calls him to account for them. I have forgiven My servant.’ — By the fourth time, Allah said: ‘I have forgiven My servant. Let him do as he wishes.’”
— Narrated by Al-Bukhari (no. 7507) and Muslim (no. 2758), from Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه
What this hadith means in practice: ‘Let him do as he wishes’ does not mean that Allah gives him permission to sin — scholars unanimously explain that it means: as long as this servant returns to Allah with sincere repentance, Allah will forgive him. The door to forgiveness does not close because of the number of relapses, but because repentance itself is abandoned.
8. Is there a limit to repentance? Does the door close?
The door to repentance remains open in this world — but it will close in two specific situations, clearly established in the authentic Sunnah.
The first closure: the death throes (the final moments)
“Allah accepts His servant’s repentance as long as the death rattle has not yet begun.”
— Narrated by At-Tirmidhi (no. 3537) — Authenticated by Al-Albani, from Ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما
The ‘death rattle’ (al-ghargharah — الغَرْغَرَة) refers to the moment when the soul begins to leave the body and a person sees the realities of the Hereafter. At this stage, repentance is no longer accepted because it is no longer a free choice — it is forced certainty. This reality should create a constant sense of urgency: we do not know when that moment will come.
The second closure: the sun rising in the West
“The door to repentance will not close until the sun rises in the West.”
— Narrated by Abu Dawud (no. 4771) — Authenticated by Al-Albani, from Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari رضي الله عنه
The sun rising in the West is one of the major signs of the Hour — a future cosmic event preceding the end of the world. When this sign appears, faith will not benefit someone who did not previously believe (Quran, Surah Al-An’am, 6:158). Until then, the door remains open to every human being living on this earth.
9. How to repent sincerely: a practical guide
Repentance is not a complicated act requiring a particular ritual. Here is how to put it into practice:
Step 1 — Choose a quiet moment alone: The most sincere repentance arises in tranquillity, away from distractions. The last third of the night — when Allah descends to the nearest heaven (Al-Bukhari, no. 1145) — is an ideal time. But any time can be suitable.
Step 2 — Perform ablution (wudhu): The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Any Muslim who commits a sin, then performs ablution, prays two rak‘ahs and asks Allah for forgiveness — Allah will forgive them.’ (Narrated by Abu Dawud, no. 1521, and At-Tirmidhi, no. 406 — authenticated by Al-Albani, from Abu Bakr As-Siddiq رضي الله عنه). Ablution purifies the body before purifying the soul.
Step 3 — Pray two rak‘ahs: Called ‘Salat At-Tawbah’ (the prayer of repentance), these two rak‘ahs are a Sunnah established by the hadith cited above. There are no particular surahs to recite — read what you can with an attentive heart.
Step 4 — Call upon Allah sincerely: After the prayer, raise your hands and speak directly to Allah — in Arabic or in your own language. Express your remorse, shame and hope in His mercy. Supplications for repentance are detailed in the next section.
Step 5 — Follow the sin with a good deed: The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Be mindful of Allah wherever you are. Follow a bad deed with a good one — it will erase it. And treat people with good character.’ (Narrated by At-Tirmidhi, no. 1987 — authenticated by Al-Albani, from Abu Dharr رضي الله عنه and Mu’adh ibn Jabal رضي الله عنه). Charity, an additional prayer or an act of kindness strengthens and complements repentance.
10. Authentic supplications for repentance
Here are the most important supplications for repentance transmitted in the authentic Sunnah, with their Arabic text, transliteration and translation:
Sayyid al-Istighfar — The foremost supplication for forgiveness
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي، فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
Allahumma anta Rabbi la ilaha illa anta, khalaqtani wa ana ‘abduka, wa ana ‘ala ‘ahdika wa wa’dika mastata’tu, a’udhu bika min sharri ma sana’tu, abu’u laka bini’matika ‘alayya wa abu’u laka bidhanbi, faghfirli fa’innahu la yaghfirudh-dhunuba illa anta.
“O Allah, You are my Lord; there is no deity except You. You created me and I am Your servant. I keep my covenant with You and my promise to You as best I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge Your blessings upon me and I acknowledge my sin. So forgive me, for none forgives sins except You.”
— Narrated by Al-Bukhari (no. 6306), from Shaddad ibn Aws رضي الله عنه. The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Whoever says it with conviction in the morning and dies before evening will be among the people of Paradise. And whoever says it with conviction in the evening and dies before morning will be among the people of Paradise.’
The Prophet’s ﷺ simple istighfar
أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ
Astaghfirullaha wa atubu ilayh.
“I seek Allah’s forgiveness and repent to Him.”
— The Prophet ﷺ repeated it more than seventy times a day (Al-Bukhari, no. 6307). Recite it at any time: while walking, at work or after prayer.
The supplication of Yunus عليه السلام
لَّا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
La ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu mina adh-dhalimin.
“There is no deity except You; glory be to You! Indeed, I have been among the wrongdoers.”
— Quran, Surah Al-Anbiya (21:87). The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Any Muslim who calls upon Allah with this supplication for anything will have their prayer answered.’ (Narrated by At-Tirmidhi, no. 3505 — authenticated by Al-Albani, from Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas رضي الله عنه).
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11. How can I know whether my repentance has been accepted?
Many sincere believers ask this question. The truth is that there is no direct, immediate divine confirmation in this world — Allah alone knows what is in people’s hearts. However, scholars have mentioned several signs that indicate, with hope rather than absolute certainty, that repentance has been accepted:
✦ The state of the heart after repentance: Ibn Al-Qayyim mentions in Madarij As-Salikin that one sign of accepted repentance is that the heart is in a better state than before the sin — closer to Allah, gentler and humbler. If repentance has left the heart more contrite and more turned towards Allah, this is a sign of hope.
✦ A change in behaviour: If tawbah has brought about a real transformation in actions — abandoning the sin and increasing good deeds — this is the clearest sign that repentance has taken root in the heart.
✦ A lasting sense of shame: The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Modesty is part of faith.’ (Al-Bukhari, no. 24). Still feeling shame over a past sin, even after repentance, is not a sign of rejection — it is a sign of living faith.
✦ Not being indifferent to the sin: Someone whose repentance has been accepted does not regard their past sin as trivial. They speak of it seriously and remember it as a lesson in their weakness before Allah.
Ultimately, the believer’s position is one of hope (raja’) balanced by fear (khawf) — neither despairing of Allah’s mercy nor presuming that forgiveness is guaranteed. Allah says:
وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا اللَّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَن يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلُوا وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
“And those who, when they commit an indecency or wrong themselves, remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins — and who forgives sins except Allah? — and do not knowingly persist in what they have done.”
— Quran, Surah Aal ‘Imran (3:135)
❓ Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Can I repent from a major sin (zina, alcohol, etc.)?
Yes, absolutely. Allah says in the Quran: ‘Say: O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of Allah’s mercy. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins.’ (Surah Az-Zumar, 39:53). The verse makes no exception — it says ‘all sins’. Scholars are unanimous: sincere tawbah erases even major sins such as zina, drinking alcohol or theft, provided the conditions of repentance are fulfilled and any harm to the rights of others is put right.
Must I confess my sin to an imam or someone else for my repentance to be valid?
No. In Islam, there is no confession to a human intermediary. Repentance takes place directly between the servant and Allah — this is one of the foundations of Islamic belief (tawhid). The Prophet ﷺ never established a practice of public or private confession to a scholar or imam. Your repentance is a matter exclusively between you and your Creator. You do not need any human being’s permission or forgiveness, unless your sin directly harmed someone, in which case you must put right the wrong done to them.
Is my repentance valid if I am unsure whether I can keep my promise not to do it again?
This is one of the most important questions about tawbah. Your firm resolve not to repeat the sin must be sincere at the time of repentance — you must genuinely want never to commit it again when you repent. If you repent knowing that you will do it again tomorrow, this is not true repentance. However, if you repent sincerely and later fall back into sin through weakness, without planning it, your first repentance remains valid and you can repent again. Ibn Al-Qayyim explains that a relapse does not retroactively invalidate the previous repentance (Madarij As-Salikin).
Is the prayer of repentance (two rak‘ahs) obligatory for repentance to be valid?
No, it is not obligatory — it is a strongly recommended Sunnah. Repentance can be valid without it, provided the three essential conditions are fulfilled: stopping the sin, feeling remorse and resolving not to repeat it. The prayer of repentance strengthens and supports repentance; it is not a condition of validity. The hadith in Abu Dawud (no. 1521) and At-Tirmidhi (no. 406) about the prayer of repentance is authenticated by Al-Albani, and this practice is strongly encouraged.
Can I repent on behalf of someone else — my parents or my spouse?
No. Repentance is a personal act between the individual and Allah. You cannot repent in another person’s place, because the sin belongs to the person who committed it. What you can do, however, is pray abundantly for them, speak to them with wisdom and kindness, and share Islamic knowledge about Allah’s mercy and the doors to repentance. Allah says: ‘No one will bear another’s burden.’ (Surah Al-An’am, 6:164).
Does repentance also erase punishment in this world (hudud)?
Scholars distinguish two effects of repentance: its effect before Allah (in the Hereafter) and its effect under human law (in this world). Regarding the Hereafter, sincere repentance erases the sin and its divine punishment through Allah’s mercy. Regarding legal penalties (hudud) in this world — in an Islamic state — scholars differ. The Hanafi school and some Maliki scholars consider that repentance cancels the legal penalty before the matter is brought before a judge. The Shafi‘i and Hanbali schools consider that the legal penalty must still be applied after repentance, but that repentance erases the sin before Allah. In Western societies where hudud are not applied, this difference of opinion remains mainly theoretical.
When is the best time to repent?
Immediately after the sin is the best option — Allah says that He accepts the repentance of those who repent ‘soon afterwards’ (Surah An-Nisa, 4:17). The longer you delay, the harder the heart becomes and the more difficult repentance is. The last third of the night is particularly blessed for supplication and repentance — this is when Allah descends to the nearest heaven and calls His servants (Al-Bukhari, no. 1145). Nevertheless, at any time of day or night, sincere repentance will be accepted by Allah.
Sources and references
Quran:
Surah Al-Baqarah (2:37) — Allah is At-Tawwab, the Accepter of repentance
Surah Al-Baqarah (2:222) — Allah loves those who repent
Surah An-Nisa (4:17) — Allah accepts the repentance of those who repent promptly
Surah Hud (11:3) — Seek forgiveness, then repent
Surah Al-Anbiya (21:87) — The supplication of Yunus عليه السلام
Surah An-Nur (24:31) — Repentance is obligatory for all believers
Surah Al-Furqan (25:70) — Sins transformed into good deeds
Surah Aal ‘Imran (3:135) — Those who remember Allah after sinning
Surah Az-Zumar (39:53) — Do not despair of Allah’s mercy
Surah Al-An’am (6:158) — The door to repentance closes when the sun rises in the West
Surah Al-An’am (6:164) — No one will bear another’s burden
Hadiths:
Sahih Al-Bukhari (no. 24) — Modesty is part of faith
Sahih Al-Bukhari (no. 1145) and Muslim (no. 758) — Allah descends to the nearest heaven in the last third of the night
Sahih Al-Bukhari (no. 2449) — Putting right injustices against others before the Day of Judgement (from Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه)
Sahih Al-Bukhari (no. 6306) — Sayyid al-Istighfar (from Shaddad ibn Aws رضي الله عنه)
Sahih Al-Bukhari (no. 6307) — The Prophet ﷺ sought forgiveness more than seventy times a day (from Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه)
Sahih Al-Bukhari (no. 7507) and Muslim (no. 2758) — The servant who sins and repeatedly returns to Allah (from Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه)
Sahih Muslim (no. 2747) — Allah’s joy at His servant’s repentance (from Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه)
Sunan Abu Dawud (no. 1521) and At-Tirmidhi (no. 406) — The prayer of repentance (two rak‘ahs) (from Abu Bakr As-Siddiq رضي الله عنه) — Authenticated by Al-Albani
Sunan Abu Dawud (no. 4771) — The door to repentance remains open until the sun rises in the West (from Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari رضي الله عنه) — Authenticated by Al-Albani
Sunan At-Tirmidhi (no. 1987) — Follow a bad deed with a good one (from Abu Dharr رضي الله عنه and Mu’adh ibn Jabal رضي الله عنه) — Authenticated by Al-Albani
Sunan At-Tirmidhi (no. 3505) — The supplication of Yunus is answered for every Muslim (from Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas رضي الله عنه) — Authenticated by Al-Albani
Sunan At-Tirmidhi (no. 3537) — Allah accepts repentance until the death rattle begins (from Ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما) — Authenticated by Al-Albani
Sunan At-Tirmidhi (no. 3540) — The divine promise of forgiveness (from Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه) — Authenticated by Al-Albani
Sunan Ibn Majah (no. 4250) — The repentant sinner is like someone who has no sin (from Ibn Mas’ud رضي الله عنه) — Authenticated by Al-Albani
Sunan Ibn Majah (no. 4252) — Remorse is repentance (from Ibn Mas’ud رضي الله عنه) — Authenticated by Al-Albani
Further references:
Ibn Al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah, Madarij As-Salikin — The chapter on tawbah, its conditions, degrees and signs
An-Nawawi, Riyad As-Salihin — Introduction to the chapter on repentance and the conditions of tawbah
Ibn Kathir, Tafsir Al-Qur’an Al-‘Adhim — Commentary on Surah Al-Furqan (25:70), on the transformation of sins
Ibn Qudama, Al-Mughni — The conditions of repentance according to the legal schools
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