seeking forgiveness from God: an Islamic perspective

in Islam, seeking forgiveness from Allah/God for sins is done in 3 steps:

1. the sin that you have committed, you have to stop it immediately

2. you have to be regretful for the sin that you committed.

3. you have to make an intention to not return to that particular sin.

there is no offering or sacrifice that is required, all you have to do is turn back to Allah/God The Oft-Forgiving, and call upon Him alone to seek forgiveness, without any middle man or intermediaries.

And seek forgiveness from God. Truly, He is the Most Forgiving.

Quran 4:106

no one can bear the burden of another. (Quran 35:18)

we find the same in the Bible (Ezekiel 18:1–24).

Every person is responsible for his or her own actions.

- Islam teaches us that God is the most forgiving

“All the sons of Adam are sinners, but the best of sinners are those who repent often.”

— Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ)

reference: Book 16, Hadith 1520

“Have taqwa (fear) of Allah wherever you may be, and follow up a bad deed with a good deed which will wipe it out, and behave well towards the people ”

— Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ)

Reference : 40 Hadith Nawawi 18

remember Allah says in The Quran :

إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ ذَٰلِكَ ذِكْرَىٰ لِلذَّاكِرِينَ

Surely good deeds wipe out evil deeds. That is a reminder for the mindful

— Quran 11:114

When God sees the sincere repentance from one of the believers — a person who truly turns God with both fear and hope — He not only forgives the sin, but He replaces the sins with rewardable good deeds. This is from God’s infinite mercy.

وَيَتُوبَ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا

And Allah will redeem the believers, men and women. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful

―Quran 33:73

Islam teaches us that God is the most forgiving, and will go on forgiving, repeatedly. Part of being human is making mistakes. Sometimes the mistakes are made without deliberation or a bad intention, but sometimes we knowingly and deliberately sin and do wrong to others. Therefore as human beings, we are constantly in need of forgiveness.

Whenever a person commits a sin, he alone is responsible for that sin. Every person is responsible for his or her own actions. Consequently, no human being who has ever lived is responsible for the mistakes made by Adam and Eve. God says in the Quran:

And no bearer of burdens shall bear another’s burden

— Quran 35:18

Adam and Eve made a mistake, they repented sincerely, and God in His infinite wisdom forgave them. Humankind is not doomed to be punished, generation after generation. The sins of the father are not visited upon the sons.

Then they both ate of that tree, and so their private parts appeared to them, and they began to stick on themselves the leaves from Paradise for their covering. Thus did Adam disobey his Lord, so he went astray. Then his Lord chose him, and turned to him with forgiveness and gave him guidance.

— Quran 20:121–122

If one falls into sin, all that is required is sincere repentance followed by seeking God’s forgiveness. When a person sins he or she pushes themselves away from the mercy of God, however sincere repentance brings a person back to God.

As for those who commit sins, and then repent afterwards and believe — your Lord, thereafter, is Forgiving and Merciful

— Quran 7:153

Just because you fall or commit a sin, doesn’t mean you’re evil. It shows you’re human. But how you fix yourself thereafter is what matters most.

Then your Lord — for those who did evil because of ignorance, then repented after that and corrected themselves — surely your Lord is, after all that, Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful

— Quran 16:119

always remember this :

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

Say, “O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah . Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful

— Quran 39:53

Ar-Rahman The Most Merciful is one of the names of Allah

• — Allah is The Forgiving ,The Merciful.
• — The Forgiver is one of the names of Allah.
• — The One who completely forgives our sins and faults.
• — The One who accepts repentance and pardons sins and faults.
• — Allah loves those who turn to Him.
• So what’s holding you back?

Ar-Rahman The Most Merciful is one of the names of Allah.

• The Most Lovingly Beneficent, The Most Kind and Giving, The Most Gracious, The Infinitely Good
• The One who continually showers all of creation with blessings and prosperity without any disparity.
• The One who is most kind, loving and merciful.
• The One whose endless, loving mercy is perfect and inclusive.
• The One who is overflowing with the quality of loving mercy and is continually pouring it upon all of creation.
• The One whose perfect mercy and loving beneficence endlessly embrace all of creation.
• The One who loves and cherishes all of creation.
• The One who is most loving, gentle and merciful.

This name is used in the Qur’an. For example, see 1:1

In the name of Allah , the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

Allah is the Creator of the Earth, the Heavens, and the universe, so of course He is not restricted in anything. He is the knower of all things. The One who is most kind, loving and merciful.

The Most Compassionate The Most Merciful is one of the names of Allah

• The One who grants even more grace and greater rewards in response to our good actions and high thoughts.
• The One who greatly rewards those who use the Divine bounties and beneficence in a good way.
• The One who has mercy on the merciful.

From the root r-h-m which has the following classical Arabic connotations:

to have tenderness, gentleness, kindness
to love
to have mercy, to have pity
to show favor and goodness
to have all that is required for beneficence

This name is used in the Qur’an. For example, see 1:1

In the name of Allah , the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

We have also seen that although Adam and Eve sinned, they repented and God immediately forgave them. Since they were freely forgiven by their Lord, there is no burden of collective sin, passed on to the whole human race by our first ancestors, which affects every newborn baby as it comes from its mother’s womb, and from which all must be saved. Rather, each human being comes into this life with a pure, wholesome nature and a clean slate. As God proclaims,

( We surely created the human being in the best of moulds)

(95:4; also 20:50)

For it is our inner state and deeds that bring us near to or take us far from our Lord. Salvation is conferred by God’s grace and mercy, not through the sacrifice or vicarious atonement of any intermediary. And each individual’s accounting is directly with God.

No bearer of burdens can bear another’s burden, and if one who is heavily burdened [with sins} calls another to bear his load, he will not be able to bear any of it [for him}, even if he is a close relative . … And whoever attains purity attains it only for his own soul. And the destination is to God. (35:18; also 2:286; 6:164; 17:15; 39:7; 53:38)

Since God is endlessly kind, loving, merciful, forgiving and the acceptor of repentance, the notion of Original Sin is a denial of His infinitely beneficent attributes, a negation of His Reality. Without question, the most generous, gracious Lord is able to freely forgive His servants without having to sacrifice the noblest of His creation in order to do so. And the Most Merciful repeatedly assures us that He forgives, out of His endless grace and compassion, whomever He wills. No matter what we may have done, His forgiveness is there for the asking.

( And seek forgiveness from God. Truly, He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful ) (4:106)

( The one who does evil or wrongs his own soul, and then asks God’s forgiveness, will find Him Most Forgiving, Most Merciful ) (4:110)

(It is He who accepts repentance and forgives the evil [deeds], and He knows whatever you do )

(42:25; also 20:82)

Muslims reject the Christian claim that an innocent man had to die on the cross to save sinners from punishment. To demand the price of blood in order to forgive people’s sins demonstrates complete lack of mercy, and to punish a guiltless person is undoubtedly the height of injustice. The idea that innocent babies or children are sinful sounds completely absurd to a believer who knows that Islam is about original forgiveness not original sin. Humankind, according to Islam is born in a state of purity, without sin and naturally inclined to worship and praise God. However, human beings are also given freewill and are thus capable of making mistakes and committing sins; they are even capable of committing great evil.

God is Merciful. Jesus, like all other prophets, taught that we can earn salvation by obedience, repentance, and good deeds to help others.

No sacrifice is necessary for salvation.

No bloodshed is necessary for salvation.

No savior should die for the salvation of others; everyone is responsible for his own salvation. Jesus has confirmed the same in Matthew 6:14–15, Mark 11:25, and Luke 6:37. To demand the price of blood in order to forgive people’s sins demonstrates complete lack of mercy, and to punish a guiltless person is undoubtedly the height of injustice. Every person is responsible for his or her own actions (Ezekiel 18:1–24).

- What is Islam?

“Islam” is an Arabic word which means peaceful, willing submission — submission to the code of conduct ordained by God . So Islam is a religion, but it is also a complete way of life based upon a voluntary relationship between an individual and his Creator. It is the way of life ordained by God which was taught by each of His prophets and messengers, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon them). What distinguishes Islam from other religions is that it refuses to accept any form of creation, whatsoever, as a deity worthy of worship. Instead, it emphasizes the exclusive worship of the one God who created the entire universe and to whom all creation will eventually return.

Monotheism is the foundation of Islam and its most important concept which cannot be compromised in any way. Not only is God acknowledged as the sole creator and sustainer of everything in existence, but Islam declares that He is the only true deity and He alone is worthy to be worshipped.

You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help — Quran 1:4

Further, it recognizes that the attributes of God are nothing like those of His creation and cannot be compared to it; He is absolute, perfect and unique.

He is God the One. God, the Eternal, Absolute. He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there is none comparable to Him. — Quran 112

By following God’s guidance as revealed in the Quran, an individual can obtain meaning and purpose in this live and eternal paradise in the hereafter.

(credit : Islam in Brief, GainPeace @gainpeace Chicago, IL)

read as Thread on my Twitter

sources:

1. Simon Alfredo Caraballo, The Original Sin
2. Suzanne Haneef, Islam: The Path of God, page 45–50.

you can read online :

I just finished reading this book (pdf) “What Everyone Should Know About Islam and Muslims” by Suzanne Haneef (American Muslim) and it was just so amazing and touching. great book. I recommend to everyone :)

also read her second book “Islam:The Path of God” by Suzanne Haneef

here the book PDF

more readings:

Original Sin and Salvation : Muslim perspective

Original Sin and Salvation : Muslim perspective

Was Jesus Tortured and Crucified?

Was Jesus Tortured and Crucified?

God knows best
Peace