In the name of Allah

In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious and The Most Merciful

Tau’bah (Seeking Forgiveness)

Allah (Subhanahu WaTaala), the all-Merciful and all-Forgiving, declares in the Holy Qur’an:

“Say: O My slaves who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Qur’an 39: 53]

 

It is the nature of mankind to be forgetful and to commit sins.  However, Allah has given us the ability to rectify ourselves by turning to Him and begging for His forgiveness. Our mountains of evil deeds are nothing before the vast ocean of the mercy of Allah.

 

Abu Dhar RadiyAllahu `anhu reports that Rasulullah Sallallahu `alaihi wasallam in a Hadith Qudsi (a hadith in which the Blessed Prophet s quotes Allah) said: “Indeed Allah the Almighty and Majestic says:

 

“O My slave! Verily, as long as you worship Me and have hope in Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done;  O My slave! If you meet Me with an earthful of sins, but do not associate any partner with Me, I would grant you a forgiveness as great as the whole world.” (Musnad Ahmad)

Committing sins may make you sorrowful, depressed and deeply disappointed with yourself.  But if you return to Allah with a few tears and beseech Him for mercy, He will certainly forgive you.  There is no other door to knock to solve our issues.  None can forgive sins except Him.  He calls us to the abode of peace (Paradise); He is the Almighty who hides our faults and He alone can replace our bad deeds with good deeds.

The door of repentance is always open for a person until he dies or until the sun rises from the west, whichever comes first.  When something is a necessity Allah provides it in abundance like air and water.  Since we are always sinful and negligent of Allah and Satan and the self are always inciting us towards evil, therefore tau’bah is provided in abundance so we can turn back to Allah.

Allah has created a solution to every sickness even if it may be the poison of a snake.  Satan and sins are a major sickness and the cure for it is in tau’bah and istighfar, crying in front of Allah with deep regret in the heart.

Whenever our tau’bah breaks we should make tau’bah again.  Some people despair and think they are sinners and will go to Hellfire.  Tau’bah is so powerful that it can take a person from the lowest levels of Hellfire and raise him to the highest levels of Paradise.

Allah (Subhanahu WaTaala), the Lord of Mercy, puts mercy in the hearts of every mother in the world by which they love and care for their children. We make mistakes but Allah overlooks our faults.  Our worship and good deeds are not perfect but Allah accepts them and multiplies the reward.

Do not fall into minor sins.  Minor sins leads to major sins the way a spark may start a fire and burn down a house.  A believer should run away from sin as one runs away from a snake.  Even a minor sin makes a true believer restless as if a mountain is above his head and is about to fall on him and crush him.

Make a U-turn in life, wash off your slate of deeds – eliminate the bad deeds and protect your good deeds.

Method of making Tau’bah:

One should make sincere tau’bah to Allah for one’s sins.  The requisites of tau’bah are the following:
1. To immediately abstain from the sin.
2. To regret and wish one had never indulged in the sin.
3. To resolve to never commit the sin again.

4. If one have violated the rights of another person it is necessary to seek forgiveness from that person.

After making sincere tau’bah be confident in the acceptance of your tau’bah. Allah (Subhanahu WaTaala) is all-Merciful and all-Forgiving. He is always ready to accept the repentance of His sinful slaves.  Allah says in Surah Al-e-Imran:

“And those who, when they have committed Fahishah or wronged themselves with evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their sins  – and none can forgive sins but Allah – And do not persist in what (wrong) they have done, while they know.” [Al-Qur’an 3:135]

After repenting, one should try to live according to the will of Allah u i.e. the Qur’an and Sunnah.  This will bring the utmost peace and tranquility into one’s life.

 

Benefits of Tau’bah:

 

The Qur’an describes the story of Prophet Nuh (AS),

“I said (to them): Ask forgiveness from your Lord; Verily, He is Oft-Forgiving;   He will send rain to you in abundance; And give you increase in wealth and children, and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers. ” [Surah Nooh ,chapter 71:10-12]

One who makes Tau’bah reestablishes his relationship with the Creator of the heavens and earth. 

Misconceptions when committing a sin:

1.  The person thinks that no one is watching.

Allah (Subhanahu WaTaala), the all-Knower and all-Hearer says in the Qur’an:

“Verily, your Lord is Ever Watchful” [89:14]

2.  The person thinks that no one is near him.

Allah (Subhanahu WaTaala), says in the Qur’an:

“Have you not seen that Allah knows whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth? There is no secret counsel of three, but He is their fourth (with His Knowledge), nor of five but He is their sixth (with His Knowledge), not of less than that or more, but He is with them (with His Knowledge) wheresoever they may be; and afterwards on the Day of Resurrection, He will inform them of what they did. Verily, Allah is the All-Knower of everything. “[58:7]

3.  The person thinks that no one can find his action or intent.

Allah (Subhanahu WaTaala), says in the Qur’an:

“Allah knows the fraud of the eyes, and all that the breasts conceal.”[40:19]

4.       The person thinks that no one can catch him or punish him.

Allah (Subhanahu WaTaala), says in the Qur’an:

 “So on that Day, none will punish as He will punish. “[89:25]

“…Verily, His Seizure is painful, and severe.” [11:102]

 

Prayer for Taubah (from any act of disobedience and sins)

Salat-ul Hajat.   Ask Allah to ease your difficulty and purify the heart so that you may focus on doing good deeds.

Increase time for Du’a, especially if you could wake up during the last part of night. Dua from the Heart.

Steadfastness on Tau’bah:

Environment of pious people:

Find a pious people near your area and contact him periodically with intention to acquire the love of Allah Almighty.   Listen to lectures and read books about how to live as a true Muslim and books on the virtues of repentance, respect and honor of a believer.

Read books of virtues.

Try to attend gatherings for taleem (reading sessions).

Purify Environment

Make an effort to remove any bad literature, TV, pictures and movies from your home.  Bad literature only incites toward immodesty and troubles and complications in this world and the Hereafter.

May Allah protect our Deen and Dunya and grant us piety and patience!

 

 

BismillahhirRahmannirRahim

Selected Supplications from the Holy Quran

Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us. Verily! You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knower [2:127]

..and accept our repentance. Truly, You are the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful. [2:128]

Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire! [2:201]

Our Lord! Pour forth on us patience and make us victorious over the disbelieving people. [2:250]

Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error, our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us; our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us Forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Maula (Supporter and Protector) and give us victory over the disbelieving people. [2:286]

Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You. Truly, You are the Bestower. [3:8]

Our Lord! Verily, it is You Who will gather mankind together on the Day about which there is no doubt. Verily, Allah never breaks His Promise. [3:9]

Our Lord! We have indeed believed, so forgive us our sins and save us from the punishment of the Fire. [3:16]

..O Allah! Possessor of the kingdom, You give the kingdom to whom You will, and You take the kingdom from whom You will, and You endue with honor whom You will, and You humiliate whom You will. In Your Hand is the good. Verily, You are Able to do all things.

You make the night to enter into the day, and You make the day to enter into the night, You bring the living out of the dead, and You bring the dead out of the living. And You give wealth and sustenance to whom You will, without limit (measure or account).  [3:26-27]

O my Lord! Grant me from You, a good offspring. You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocation. [3:38]

Our Lord! We believe in what You have sent down, and we follow the Messenger, so write us down among those who bear witness (to the truth, La ilaha ill-Allah) [3:53]

,.. Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! (Exalted be You above all that they associate with You as partners). Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire.

Our Lord! Verily, whom You admit to the Fire, indeed, You have disgraced him, and never will the unjust (wrong-doers) find any helpers.

Our Lord! Verily, we have heard the call of one (Muhammad Sallahu Alayhi Wasallam) calling to Faith: Believe in your Lord, and we have believed. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and remit from us our evil deeds, and make us die in the state of righteousness along with Al-Abrar (those who are obedient to Allah and follow strictly His Orders).

Our Lord! Grant us what You promised unto us through Your Messengers and disgrace us not on the Day of Resurrection, for You never break (Your) Promise.”[3:191-194]

Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us not, and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be of the losers. [7:23]

.. Our Lord! Judge between us and our people in truth, for You are the Best of those who give judgment [7:89]

.. You are our Wali (Protector), so forgive us and have Mercy on us, for You are the Best of those who forgive. [7:155]

.. Our Lord! Make us not a trial for the folk who are unjust (i.e. do not make them overpower us).  And save us by Your Mercy from the disbelieving folk. [10:85-86]

.. O my Lord! I seek refuge with You from asking You that of which I have no knowledge. And unless You forgive me and have Mercy on me, I would indeed be one of the losers [11:47]

.. My Lord! You have indeed bestowed on me of the sovereignty, and taught me the interpretation of dreams; The (only) Creator of the heavens and the earth! You are my Wali (Protector, Helper, Supporter, Guardian) in this world and in the Hereafter, cause me to die as a Muslim (the one submitting to Your Will), and join me with the righteous [12:101]

O our Lord! Certainly, You know what we conceal and what we reveal. Nothing on the earth or in the heaven is hidden from Allah. [14:38]

O my Lord! Make me one who establishes Salah and (also) from my offspring, our Lord! And accept my invocation.  Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents, and (all) the believers on the Day when the reckoning will be established.  [14:40-41]

.. My Lord! Let my entry be good, and likewise my exit be good. And grant me from You an authority to help me (or a firm sign or a proof) [17:80]

.. Our Lord! Bestow on us mercy from Yourself, and facilitate for us our affair in the right way! [18:10]

..O my Lord! Open for me my chest (grant me self-confidence, contentment, and boldness). And ease my task for me [20:25-26]   ..My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.” [20:114]

.. Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy [21:83]

.. La ilaha illa Anta (none has the right to be worshipped but You (O Allah)), Glorified (and Exalted) are You (above all that (evil) they associate with You). Truly, I have been of the wrong-doers.”  [21:87]

.. O My Lord! Leave me not single (childless), though You are the Best of the inheritors. [21:89]

..My Lord! Cause me to land at a blessed landing-place, for You are the Best of those who bring to land. [23:29]

.. My Lord! I seek refuge with You from the whisperings (suggestions) of the Shayatin (devils). And I seek refuge with You, My Lord! lest they may attend (or come near) me. [23:97-98]

.. Our Lord! We believe, so forgive us, and have mercy on us, for You are the Best of all who show mercy! [23:109]

.. Our Lord! Avert from us the torment of Hell. Verily! Its torment is ever an inseparable, permanent punishment. [25:65]

.. Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and our offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders for the Muttaqun (pious). [25:74]

.. My Lord! Bestow wisdom (knowledge and sound judgment) on me, and join me with the righteous; And grant me an honorable mention in later generations; And make me one of the inheritors of the Paradise of Delight; [26:83-85]

And disgrace me not on the Day when (all the creatures) will be resurrected; The Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail, Except him who brings to Allah a clean heart (clean from polytheism and hypocrisy). [26:87-89]

.. My Lord! Inspire and bestow upon me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your Favors which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds that will please You, and admit me by Your Mercy among Your righteous slaves.[27:19]

.. My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, so forgive me.[28:16]

.. My Lord! Give me victory over the people who are Mufsidun (those who commit crimes and major sins, oppressors, tyrants, the wicked and immoral). [29:30]

.. Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who repent and follow Your Way, and save them from the torment of the blazing Fire!

Our Lord! And make them enter the Adn (Eden) Paradise (everlasting Gardens) which you have promised them, and to the righteous among their fathers, their wives, and their offspring! Verily, You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

And save them from (the punishment, because of what they did of) the sins, and whomsoever You save from (the punishment, because of what they did of) the sins (i.e. excuse them) that Day, him verily, You have taken into mercy. And that is the supreme success. [40:7-9]

.. My Lord! Grant me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your Favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds, such as please You, and make my off-spring good. Truly, I have turned to You in repentance, and truly, I am one of the Muslims (submitting to Your Will). [46:15]

.. Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in Faith, and put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful. [59:10]

.. Our Lord! In You (Alone) we put our trust, and to You (Alone) we turn in repentance, and to You (Alone) is (our) final Return. Our Lord! Make us not a trial for the disbelievers, and forgive us, Our Lord! Verily, You, only You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise [60:4-5]

.. Our Lord! Keep perfect our Light for us (and do not put it off till we cross over the Sirat (a bridge that runs across the Hellfire) safely and grant us forgiveness. Verily, You are Able to do all things. [66-8]

.. My Lord! Build for me a home with You in Paradise ……. and save me from the people who are unjust. [66-11]

My Lord! Forgive me, and my parents, and him who enters my home as a believer, and all the believing men and women. And do not increase the wrong-doers but in ruin. [71-28]

(*Note: Some verses contain extra sentences, however only Du’a clauses were taken for this document)