Q 2: I frequently remember the sins I used to commit before I was guided, especially when I see the place where I used to commit the sin or the person with whom I committed it. This upsets me and makes me feel pain and regret. I wonder
if my Tawbah (repentance to Allah) will erase my sins.
I often remember my sins while I am performing Salah (Prayer).
A:
Anyone who makes sincere Tawbah to Allah, Allah promises to accept their Tawbah. Even better still, Allah, out of His Graciousness and Generosity, turns the sins into good deeds. Allah may (He be Exalted) says:
Except those who repent and believe (in Islâmic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds; for those, Allâh will change their sins into good deeds, and Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
(Surah Al-Furqan, 25:70) Allah also (Exalted be He) says:
And verily, I am indeed forgiving to him who repents, believes (in My Oneness, and associates none in worship with Me) and does righteous good deeds, and then remains constant in doing them, (till his death).
(Surah Ta-Ha, 20:82) Satan strives hard to seduce humans to make them fall into evil and sin. If the person escapes from the snares of Satan, and he see that they have turned to Allah, (Part No. 24; Page No. 307) he starts to cast doubts into their heart regarding the sincerity of their Tawbah and magnify their sin in their eyes, making them think that Allah will not forgive such sins, because they are too many and too grave. He makes them forget that Allah states Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) to be the worst of all sins and the evilest of all misdeeds, and then He mentions the major sins, and promises to accept the Tawbah of anyone who turn to Him penitently and does righteous good deeds. If Satan does not find response, he starts to remind people of their past sins and misdeeds to make them feel sad. Allah (Exalted be He) says:
Secret counsels (conspiracies) are only from Shaitân (Satan), in order that he may cause grief to the believers. But he cannot harm them in the least, except as Allâh permits. And in Allâh let the believers put their trust.
(Surah Al-Mujadalah, 58:10)
Allah (Exalted and Praised be He) orders His believing servants to seek His Refuge from Satan and describes him as "the retreating whisperer", because he whispers to people and then retreats and flees once a Muslim seeks refuge with Allah and seeks His Help. Allah (Exalted be He) says:
Say: "I seek refuge with (Allâh) the Lord of mankind,
"The King of mankind -
"The Ilâh (God) of mankind,
"From the evil of the whisperer (devil who whispers evil in the hearts of men) who withdraws (from his whispering in one’s heart after one remembers Allâh).
"Who whispers in the breasts of mankind.
"Of jinn and men."
So, you have to seek Allah’s Refuge from Satan and perform a lot of Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) and Istighfar (seeking forgiveness from Allah). According to an authentic Hadith, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said,
“Anyone who says: ‘La ilaha illa Allahu wahdahu la sharika lahu lahul-mulku walahul-hamdu wa-huwa ‘alakulli shay’in qadir (There is no deity except Allah, Alone, with no partner or associate; His is the Sovereignty and His is the Praise, and He is over all things Omnipotent),’ (Part No. 24; Page No. 308) one hundred times every day, it will be equivalent for them to freeing ten slaves, and one hundred good deeds will be recorded for them, and one hundred bad deeds will be erased from them and it will be a protection for them against Satan on that day until evening comes. No one will come with anything better than it (on the Day of Resurrection), except for one who does more than this.”
May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.
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