Concept of Repentance (Towba) in Islam

Oh ALLAH! we are Repent.

The word Towba or Tobah is a Quranic word which means “return or retreat”. There is a Sourah in Qur'an named Towba, both the Qur'an and Sunnah (Hadith) interpret the word as leaving the act what Allah and his prophet has prohibited and returning to what he and his prophet has ordered. We all sign naturally prone to committing being human so nobody is sinless in this world except noble prophets (A.S), including prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and the Masumeen (Children, infants, etc.) So to seek pardon from Allah is the instant remedy from every committed sin. Repentance is the most noble and beloved action performed by a sinner in the eyes of Allah as though only the repentance one can wipe out his past sins which he has committed and can get free from the clutches of his ego.

Identify your sincere repentance:

The act of repentance (Towba) comprises the following steps: Recognize your sins and misdeeds. Feeling ashamed of what you have done and violating the Allah’s rules.
It’s making a promise with Allah and to you that not to repeat the same evil deed again.
Restore the rights of another person which has been violated by you, if applicable.

Scholars say that if one of the above mentioned step is missing, then the repentance is not true and sincere. If sin was committed associated with another person like violating the rights of another person related with money, property or personal matters, It is must to remedy his violating rights and asking forgiveness what he has committed with that person otherwise the Towba will not be sincere until the violating right of the person is restored and he is given pardon by that person.

Repentance “Towbah” establishes the way for success:

Repentance is a source of remedy for our past sins, it therefore paves the way of Allah’s grace in this life and the hereafter. Within this world Allah promises us (in Quran) of children, wealth, increased blessing. By choosing the Towab as to stay away from the occurred evil deeds prohibited by Allah we forego Allah’s mercy and other benefits associated with it consciously.

By the repentance and abstaining from repeating the sins which leads to Allah’s wrath, we put ourselves on the right direction that leads to the success. Allah loves those who turn onto him and who purify themselves, mentioned in Quran.

Towab keeps up away from trials and hardships and helps clean our conscience:

We all know that the sins committing by us leads to hell and wrath of Allah. The more things we commit the more we could be deprived of Allah’s blessings and more trials and hardships we will have to face. The repentance gives us the way to remedy our past sings and to get rid of the hardships and challenges and troubles of this life and hereafter.

Sins are always associated with the sense of guilt and shame that keeps us ashamed and we turn always a blind eye to these guilty feelings and we all know from experience that such guilty feelings strikes our heat. The repentance (Towba) removes that guilty feelings and fills our heats with happiness.

Towbah pleasures Allah and makes our Duas more worthy to response:

Towbah is regarded as the most beloved action of believers in the eyes of Allah to return to him after committing a sin as Allah knows the nature of humans, being creature that no one is free of committing sins in this world so we all are prone to commit sins, but after committing the sins, return to Allah with repentance and acknowledgement not to repeat it again is the most beloved act of worship in the eyes of Allah. Even the act of repentance can change our sins into good deeds as mentioned in the Qur'an that Allah will charge their sins by good deeds.

It is recommended by prophet’s Hadiths that Allah is more responsive to the Duas and calls of those who ask in the state of prostration, one who are fasting, oppressed persons and so on. The repentance also brings a person into this state that lead to acceptance of Dua more quickly.

Finally, lets us know, Allah has reminded us in the Qur'an about the repentance and mentioned that his door for those who are ashamed of doing evil deeds, are always open. So we must seek forgiveness for our committed sins by performing “Towba” in order for remedy our past sins.