Should I Hope to Be Forgiven for My Most Terrible Sins?
Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch
Question
I always get awful whispers from the devil that led me to do stupid things. Some of which may be the worst of sins. I’m disgusted with myself and despise myself because I believe Allah is angry with me. How can I be forgiven and begin again as I am disgusted by myself?
Do I have a chance of being forgiven? I know I don’t deserve what I’m about to say, but do I hope to be forgiven of all my sins and not be punished to hellfire? I aspire to be like those pious people who are always submissive to Allah and never commit major sins.
I feel like I committed the worst sin, which is there; that is why I feel so bad about myself. Could you please assist me?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
There is no sin, no matter how terrible, foul, or disgusting, that would justify losing hope in Allah’s mercy.
Allah Most High says, “Say, (O Prophet, that Allah says,) ‘O My servants who have exceeded the limits against their souls! Do not lose hope in Allah’s mercy, for Allah certainly forgives all sins. He is indeed the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’” [Quran, 39:53]
Sincere Repentance
If one fulfills the conditions of sound repentance, there is no doubt that they are forgiven, just as there is no doubt that if a thirsty person drinks, their thirst is quenched. [Ghazali, Ihya ‘Ulum al-Din]
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “The one who repents (sincerely) from a sin has no sin.” [Ibn Maja; Bayhaqi, Shu’ab al-Iman]
Conditions for Sincere Repentance
However, for the repentance to be sincere and sound, one must meet the following conditions:
- Sincere remorse over the sin;
- Immediately abandoning the sin;
- Having a firm resolve never to repeat the sin. [Nawawi, Riyadh al-Salihin]
Hope this helps
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he then completed four years at the Darul Uloom seminary in New York where he studied Arabic and the traditional sciences. He then traveled to Tarim, Yemen, where he stayed for three years studying in Dar Al-Mustafa under some of the greatest scholars of our time, including Habib Umar Bin Hafiz, Habib Kadhim al-Saqqaf, and Shaykh Umar al-Khatib. In Tarim, Shaykh Yusuf completed the memorization of the Quran and studied beliefs, legal methodology, hadith methodology, Quranic exegesis, Islamic history, and a number of texts on spirituality. He joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.
