Do Not Despair Because the Sin Repeats

Allah says: {Say: O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful} [al-Zumar: 53].

After a sin, Shaytan wants one of two things from the Muslim: either to make the sin seem insignificant so he continues, or to magnify despair until he leaves repentance. The correct path is that the servant magnifies Allah's command, admits his shortcoming, then flees to his Lord and does not despair.

Allah also says in describing the people of taqwa: {And those who, when they commit an immoral act or wrong themselves, remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins, and who forgives sins except Allah? And they do not persist in what they have done while they know. Those: their reward is forgiveness from their Lord and gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein; and excellent is the reward of the workers} [Al Imran: 135-136].

The verse did not describe the people of taqwa as people who never sin. Rather, it explained that when they sin, they remember Allah, seek His forgiveness, and do not remain upon their sin without repentance.

Evidence That Repentance Is Accepted Even When the Sin Repeats

Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, concerning what he narrated from his Lord, Mighty and Majestic, that He said: "A servant committed a sin and said: O Allah, forgive me my sin. Blessed and Exalted is He said: My servant committed a sin and knew that he has a Lord who forgives sin and takes to account for sin. Then he returned and committed a sin, and said: O my Lord, forgive me my sin. Blessed and Exalted is He said: My servant committed a sin and knew that he has a Lord who forgives sin and takes to account for sin. Then he returned and committed a sin, and said: O my Lord, forgive me my sin. Blessed and Exalted is He said: My servant committed a sin and knew that he has a Lord who forgives sin and takes to account for sin. Do what you wish, for I have forgiven you." Abd al-Ala said: I do not know whether he said in the third or fourth time: "Do what you wish." Narrated by Muslim (2758), and its basis is in al-Bukhari (7507) with a slight difference.

Imam al-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, said in explaining this hadith: "If the sin is repeated one hundred times, indeed a thousand times or more, and he repents each time, his repentance is accepted; or if he repents from all of them with one repentance after all of them, his repentance is valid."

This is one of the greatest doors of hope for someone struggling with a repeated sin. Shaytan does not own the right to say to him: there is no benefit in your repentance. Rather, whenever he is sincere in returning, he repents to his Lord and takes the means of steadfastness.

What Does "Do What You Wish, for I Have Forgiven You" Mean?

The hadith does not mean permission to commit sins, nor that a person should say: I will sin and then seek forgiveness. That contradicts the reality of repentance and the resolve to leave the sin.

The meaning is that this servant, whenever his soul overcame him and he fell, then regretted and acknowledged that he has a Lord who forgives sin and punishes for it, returned to Him in repentance. Allah's forgiveness is connected to renewed sincere repentance, not to remaining upon the sin while feeling safe from its punishment.

Whoever repents while planning to return at the first opportunity, or makes istighfar a trick by which he continues in sin, this is not the sincere repentance that Allah commanded.

Does Returning to the Sin Cancel the Previous Repentance?

If the first repentance was sincere at its time, then the Muslim returned to the sin after some time because of weakness or an overpowering desire, his return does not automatically cancel the previous repentance. However, he has committed a new sin that needs a new repentance.

But if he says with his tongue that he is repentant while in his heart he is resolved to continue or to return whenever the opportunity appears, then he has not fulfilled sincere resolve to leave the sin.

There is an important difference between two matters:

• That he resolves at the time of repentance not to return, then weakens afterward; this person renews repentance.
• That he pretends to repent while intending to return; this is not sincere repentance.

Resolving Not to Return Does Not Mean Guaranteeing the Future

One of the conditions of repentance is that the Muslim resolves sincerely at that time not to return to the sin. This does not mean that he guarantees he will never make a mistake again, because a human being does not own the future and does not claim infallibility.

What is required is that he is truthful now: he hates disobeying Allah, leaves the sin, closes its causes, and does not keep a secret plan to return to it. If he is sincere and then his soul overcomes him later, he returns to his Lord and does not surrender.

Also, the mere appearance of a thought or the intensifying of desire does not cancel repentance as long as the Muslim does not deliberately continue with the forbidden thought or act upon the sin. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Indeed, Allah has pardoned my Ummah for what their souls whisper to them, so long as they do not act upon it or speak of it." Agreed upon.

What Is the Difference Between Repeated Slipping and Persisting in Sin?

Persistence is when a person remains upon the sin, does not stop it, does not even speak to himself about repentance, or becomes at ease with it and deliberately delays returning to Allah.

As for one who sins, then regrets, stops, and repents sincerely, then falls again after struggling, he should not make the mere repetition of the slip proof that he never repented at all. Al-Tabari transmitted in his tafsir of Allah's statement {and they do not persist in what they have done} from al-Suddi that he said about the meaning of persistence: that they remain silent and do not seek forgiveness.

Still, the Muslim should not take repeated sin lightly. Every return is a warning that some doors to the sin are still open, and that repentance needs, along with sincerity of the heart, stronger practical means.

Conditions of Repentance from a Repeated Sin

A Muslim's repentance from a repeated sin has the same conditions of repentance:

1. Sincerity to Allah, not merely fear of exposure or losing a worldly benefit.
2. Stopping the sin immediately, and doing what one can to cut off its causes and not continue in it by choice.
3. Regret over the sin because it is disobedience to Allah's command.
4. Sincere resolve at the time of repentance not to return to it.
5. Returning people's rights or seeking release from them in the Islamic manner if the sin is connected to wealth, injustice, or harm.
6. Repentance occurring before death arrives and before the general door of repentance is closed.

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Regret is repentance." Narrated by Ibn Majah (4252) and Ahmad, and authenticated by a number of scholars. What is meant is regret over the sin because it is disobedience to Allah, not merely regret over a worldly loss that resulted from it.

What Should You Do Immediately After Returning to the Sin?

Step One: Stop the Sin Immediately

Do not say: since I have already started, I will finish it and then repent. Cut off the sin the moment you remember Allah, because continuing adds sins to the sin.

Step Two: Admit Your Shortcoming to Allah and Do Not Justify Yourself

Say truthfully: I made a mistake and wronged myself. Do not place the whole sin on circumstances or people, and do not make your weakness an excuse that removes responsibility.

Step Three: Regret, Seek Forgiveness, and Resolve Again

Seek Allah's forgiveness with a present heart, and renew your resolve to leave the sin. Do not say: I will not repent until I am sure I will not return. Repentance is obligatory now, while the future is something you seek Allah's help for.

Step Four: Perform Wudu and Pray Two Rakahs of Repentance If Possible

Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "There is no servant who commits a sin, then performs purification well, then stands and prays two rakahs, then seeks Allah's forgiveness, except that Allah forgives him." Narrated by Abu Dawud (1521), al-Tirmidhi (406), and others, and al-Tirmidhi said: a hasan hadith.

The prayer of repentance is recommended and is not a condition for the validity of repentance. So the Muslim should not delay his repentance if he is unable to pray at that time.

Step Five: Repair What the Sin Damaged

If the sin is connected to the right of another person, return the money or trust, remove the harm, and seek the Islamic ruling on how to seek release if informing the person would cause a greater harm. Seeking forgiveness alone is not enough while people's rights remain lost.

If the sin resulted in an obligatory payment, expiation, or making up something that is established as obligatory in that specific issue, repentance does not drop what remains due in one's liability. The Muslim performs it according to the Islamic ruling and asks trustworthy scholars about details that differ according to the act of worship and the sin.

Step Six: Close the Cause That Brought You Back

Do not end the repentance session before taking a clear action: delete a means, cut off forbidden communication, leave a place, place a barrier on a device, change a time or route, or seek trustworthy help. Sincere repentance shows its effect in protecting the path after returning.

Step Seven: Follow the Bad Deed with a Good Deed

Allah says: {And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approaches of the night. Indeed, good deeds remove bad deeds. That is a reminder for those who remember} [Hud: 114].

Maintain the obligatory duties, and increase in prayer, charity, remembrance, and recitation of the Quran, along with sincere repentance. Do not make righteous deeds a substitute for returning people's rights or leaving the sin.

How Do You Know the Real Cause of the Repeated Sin?

Ask yourself after you calm down, without curiosity in recalling the details of the sin:

• At what time am I usually weakest?
• What place, device, or app opens the path?
• Is the sin usually preceded by anger, sadness, loneliness, or free time?
• Is there a person or company that brings me back to it?
• What is the first small step before falling that can be cut off early?
• Do I leave prayer or remembrance and then find my resistance weaker?

The purpose is not to justify the sin, but to know the door through which it enters so it can be closed. Many people fight the final moment, but leave the introductions repeating every day.

A Practical Plan to Break the Cycle of a Repeated Sin

1. Write the repeated cause in general words that preserve your privacy.
2. Remove the strongest means that leads you to the sin, and do not settle for an internal promise.
3. Place a barrier before the time of weakness, such as changing location, distancing the device, or avoiding being alone.
4. Replace the forbidden habit with a beneficial permissible action at the same time.
5. Maintain the prayers in their times, and do not allow the sin to cut you off from worship.
6. Keep a daily portion of Quran, adhkar, and istighfar, even if it is small but consistent.
7. Choose a righteous companion or trustworthy mentor who helps you remain disciplined without you listing the details of your sin to him.
8. If the behavior has become an addiction or an impulse that is difficult to control, seek help alongside repentance from a qualified therapist or doctor who respects your religion and privacy.
9. Review the plan after every slip: what door remained open, and what new barrier do you need?

Seeking permissible treatment or trustworthy support does not contradict reliance upon Allah. Rather, it is part of taking the means while sincerely showing need of Allah.

Along with taking these means, the Muslim should frequently ask Allah for steadfastness. Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, used to often say: "O Turner of the hearts, keep my heart firm upon Your religion." I said: O Messenger of Allah, we believe in you and in what you came with, so do you fear for us? He said: "Yes. The hearts are between two fingers of Allah's fingers; He turns them however He wills." Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (2140), who said: a hasan hadith.

Do Not Let the Sin Cut You Off from Acts of Obedience

One of Shaytan's entrances is to say to the sinner: you do not deserve prayer or Quran, or your worship is hypocrisy as long as you fall into this sin. The correct response is that the Muslim holds tightly to his obligations, repents from his sin, and increases in the causes of guidance.

This does not mean that good deeds permit him to continue in the forbidden. Rather, he combines leaving the sin with increasing in good. Allah says: {Except for those who repent, believe, and do righteous deeds. For them Allah will replace their bad deeds with good deeds, and Allah is Ever Forgiving, Most Merciful} [al-Furqan: 70].

Conceal Yourself and Do Not Publicize Your Sin

The default is that a Muslim repents between himself and his Lord and does not narrate the details of his sin to people. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "All of my Ummah will be pardoned except those who publicize their sins. Part of publicizing is that a man does a deed at night, then in the morning, while Allah had concealed him, he says: O so-and-so, last night I did such and such. His Lord had concealed him through the night, and in the morning he uncovers Allah's covering from himself." Narrated by al-Bukhari (6069).

But concealing oneself does not mean keeping injustice against another person, hiding stolen wealth, or leaving ongoing harm without treatment. People's rights must be returned, harm must be stopped, and whoever needs a fatwa or treatment mentions only the amount needed to someone able to help him and preserve his secret.

Mistakes That Increase Repetition of the Sin

• Delaying repentance until a person feels he has become stronger.
• Despairing after relapse and leaving istighfar and acts of obedience.
• Pronouncing repentance while keeping all the causes of the sin.
• Relying on willpower while access to the sin remains easy.
• Continuing with the introductions to the sin and then trying to resist at the final moment.
• Telling people the details of the sin without a valid need.
• Ignoring the rights of others connected to the sin.
• Setting an intense plan that does not last, then leaving all means of reform.
• Interpreting every passing thought as a collapse of repentance.
• Using Allah's mercy as an argument for carelessness instead of making it a motivation to return.