Library Ethics Greater Sins Chapter 54 Tawba (Part One) Repentance, The cause of giving up of sins
Repentance, The cause of giving up of sins
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Repentance, The cause of giving up of sins
The stronger a person’s faith in the Almighty, QiyÄma (Hereafter), Holy Prophets (a.s.) and the sayings of the Holy Imams (a.s.), the more acute will be his feelings of guilt and for the sins committed, he will bear this feeling of repentance continually in his heart.
Together with a feeling of shame and remorse, Tawba also includes a firm decision to give up sins forever because if a person does not have a strong will to refrain from sins it only indicates that he was not truly ashamed. Amir ul-Mu’minÄ«n (a.s.) says,
It cannot so happen that a man has really felt ashamed and yet he did not give up sins.
When a man repents over his misdeeds it is necessary that he should make the utmost effort to keep himself away from sins. If the sin is about non-performance of duties like SalÄt (daily prayers), Siyyam (Ramzan fasting), Zakat (poor tax) and Hajj pilgrimage, then, after expressing repentance he should perform Qaa (repeat to make good) of those duties. If the sin was regarding rights of people, like usurping someone’s property or money, then he should return it immediately to the owner, and if the owner is not alive then to his heirs.
If he does not know the heirs of the owner, then he should give away the dues in the path of Allah (S.w.T.) on behalf of the original owner. If he had shown disrespect to someone he should beg pardon of him and should try his best to please him. If the matter involves Diyat or QasÄs (blood money or retaliation) he should hand over himself to the concerned person so that he may either take QasÄs or blood money, or pardon him, if he so pleases. If the sin involves Hadd or punishment, like Qaaf (wrong allegation against anybody) then he must surrender himself to the authority so that he may be either punished or pardoned.
But if he is loaded with crimes for which Allah (S.w.T.) Himself has fixed punishments, like adultery, then it is not necessary for him to present himself to the Islamic court and to confess. In this case it is enough to merely repent over his sin and to make a firm decision to give up the sin forever and to pray for pardon. If the sins are Greater Sins for which punishment (hadd) is not fixed like listening to songs and music etc., then according to traditions a person should be sincerely repentant and beseech Allah (S.w.T.) to pardon and forgive him.
