Ten Minute Reminder on Tawba – Repentence Praise be to Allah. We praise him and seek his help, whoever Allah leads aright no one can lead astray, whoever Allah leads astray no one can lead aright, I bare testimony that there is no God but Allah – alone who has no associates. The linguistic meaning of tawba is about returning. So the taa’ib is one who is returning to Allah, this could be after a long period of absence or just a small moment of disobedience. Sometimes people say “we haven’t done anything wrong; we are living in a good way.” But there will always be some mistakes we are committing but we do not even realise. Even Rasoolallah (alayhi salat wa salam) used to make istighfaar (asking Allah’s forgiveness) 100 times a day, and he was ma’soom, not committing any sins. If we upset our parents in any way, this is actually from the kabaa’ir (major sins) and we have to make tawba for that. If anyone is not firm in their salah, for example missing fajr in its correct time, this needs tawba . Even if you have not done any of the major sins, look at what we consider as the small sins: the second look at the opposite gender, the backbiting word on the phone… these all requires tawba. We have to have a feeling of regret about our sins. One of the taabi’een Sufyan Ath-Thawree said: “I sat one day and counted my sins”, surely if we do this we will feel horror at the amount of things we could have done wrong, or what we could have done better and we would rush towards at-tawba. But you don’t even have to despair about anything you have done, listen to what Allah says: SAY: ‘O you servants of Mine who have transgressed against your own selves! Despair not of God’s mercy: behold, God forgives all sins – for, verily, He alone is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace!’ ” Hence, turn towards your Sustainer [alone] and surrender yourselves unto Him ere the suffering [of death and resurrection] comes upon you, for then you will not be succoured. This is from Surah Zumar ayahs 53 and 54. Allah loves to forgive his servants, He says: And God wants to turn unto you in His mercy, whereas those who follow [only] their own lusts want you to drift far away from the right path. God wants to lighten your burdens: for man has been created weak. This is from Surat an Nisaa’ ayahs 26 and 27. We are also told in Hadith about Allah’s mercy and forgiveness of those who come to him repenting. This is even more during the last third of the night. Narrated Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him); that Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said: In the last third of every night our Lord (Allah [SWT]) descends to the lowermost heaven and says; “Who is calling Me, so that I may answer him? Who is asking Me so that may I grant him? Who is seeking forgiveness from Me so that I may forgive him?” [Reported by Bukhari]. Especially during Ramadan let us make use of this opportunity and increase in tawba daily, and to make this a habit which we continue even after the passing of this beloved month.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Jul 2013 02:36:26 +0000
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