In his well-known book Al-Hikam (Words of Wisdom), Sheikh Ahmad Ibn `Ataa’illah As-Sakandari says:
“If you find yourself having less hope in God when you make a mistake, then realize you are only relying on your work, not on God’s Mercy.”
Understanding Repentance and the Spiritual Journey
When beginning your spiritual journey toward God, it’s essential to reflect on where to start. Many people wonder: Should I rely on my past good deeds to support my journey? What should I carry with me on this sacred path?
According to Ibn `Ataa’, the answer is clear: No! You should not depend even on your good deeds. Your journey toward Allah begins by turning your heart toward Him, placing your trust solely in His Mercy and Bounty, and hoping that His grace will guide you.
The Role of Good Deeds in Allah’s Mercy
According to Ibn `Ataa’, the answer is clear: No! You should not depend even on your good deeds. Your journey toward Allah begins by turning your heart toward Him, placing your trust solely in His Mercy and Bounty, and hoping that His grace will guide you.
“Now if Allah were to take humans immediately to task for all the evil that they do, He would not leave a single living creature upon the face of the earth.” (An-Nahl 16: 61)
Therefore, receiving Allah’s Mercy is not about ‘deserving’ or ‘earning’ it. It’s about relying on Allah’s Mercy and Bounty, even with our shortcomings. This is the right way to begin the journey.
Repentance: The Essential First Step
However, both turning to Allah and hoping for His Mercy must be coupled with repentance for one’s mistakes and errors. According to Allah’s universal laws, for anything to be placed somewhere, there must be space for it. Faith and light are no different. If I want to fill my heart with faith, light, and remembrance of Allah, I must first create space by removing distractions, desires, and worldly attachments. Only then can I fill my heart with goodness, as the Sufi saying goes: Purity, then beauty, then light (al-takhalli thum al-tahalli thum al-tajalli).
Thus, I must start my journey with sincere repentance for my shortcomings.
“And always, O you believers – all of you – turn unto God in repentance, so that you might attain to a happy state!” (An-Nur 24: 31)
Hope in Allah’s Mercy: An Essential Part of Repentance
Repentance must be accompanied by a sense of hope, as Ibn Ataa’ emphasizes. But why is hope essential in repentance? And what does it have to do with my journey? Ibn Ataa’ answers this:
“If you find yourself having less hope in Allah when you make a mistake, then realize you are only relying on your work, not on Allah’s Mercy.”
This means that if you are relying on Allah’s Mercy and placing your trust in Him, make sure you are not self-righteous. Don’t think you have achieved virtue because of your efforts and deeds. One of the signs that you rely on your deeds more than on Allah’s Mercy is a decrease in hope after making a mistake. Hope in Allah should always remain high, no matter the mistake.
The Four Conditions of Sincere Repentance
Scholars have outlined four conditions for sincere repentance:
- Remorse: One must feel genuine regret for the mistake.
- Abstinence: One must stop committing the mistake, especially if it’s a recurring habit.
- Determination: One must sincerely intend never to repeat the same mistake.
- Restitution: If the mistake involves the rights of others, one must return what is owed.
The Importance of Sincere Repentance in Islam
The first condition is feeling regret for the mistake. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Remorse is repentance.” (Reported by Ibn Hibban and Ibn Majah)
The second condition is refraining from repeating the mistake. It’s hypocritical to continue committing a sin while claiming repentance.
The third condition is making a sincere resolution never to fall into the same mistake again. True repentance involves giving up the intention to commit the error in the future.
But if, God forbid, one falls into the same mistake again, the solution is to repeat the repentance process: renew your remorse, regret, and determination not to fall into the error again. Remember, Allah is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful, and He accepts sincere repentance, even if repeated. In fact, Allah rejoices when His servant repents.
For the fourth condition, if the mistake involves the rights of others, one must return what was taken. If injustice has occurred, it must be corrected. Scholars also emphasize seeking forgiveness from those who were wronged by one’s actions.
The Power of Hope in Allah’s Mercy
Ibn `Ataa’ stresses that maintaining hope in Allah’s Mercy is a crucial component of repentance. This hope isn’t just a condition—it’s an essential attitude towards Allah.
“They have the hope of the Mercy of Allah: for God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.” (Al-Baqarah 2: 218)
Sometimes, hope diminishes when one asks: How can I expect Allah’s grace after all these mistakes? This questioning is itself a mistake! Thinking your mistakes are too great for Allah to forgive contradicts belief in Allah’s Mercy. This leads to despair, which is dangerous.
“And who – other than those who have utterly lost their way – could ever abandon the hope of their Sustainer’s grace?” (Al-Hijr 15: 56)
When you lose hope, you are relying on your own weaknesses, limited understanding, and actions rather than on Allah. However, this doesn’t mean you stop working and simply claim hope. That too is wrong. Relying on Allah means having hope in your heart while continuing to act in accordance with His commands.
Why We Should Never Lose Hope in Allah’s Mercy
Ibn `Ataa’ makes it clear: no matter how serious the mistake, we should never lose hope in Allah’s Mercy. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) reassured us:
A person who has repented of a sin sincerely is exactly like the person who has never sinned at all (Reported by Ibn Majah).
He also said: “Allah says: ‘O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind! O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth, I would forgive you, and I shall not mind.’” (Reported by At-Tirmidhi)
The Balance Between Hope and Awe in Repentance
Therefore, our hope should not be affected by the gravity of our mistakes. We should simply resolve to repent sincerely to Allah and expect His Mercy. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also said: “Allah says: ‘I am as My servant expects Me to be! So, let him think of Me as he wishes.’” (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim)
Ibn `Ataa’ reminds us that if we find ourselves losing hope after making a mistake, it shows that we are relying on our deeds rather than on Allah’s Mercy. This echoes the message of a hadith where the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “None amongst you can enter Paradise because of his deeds alone.” When the companions asked, “Not even you, O Messenger of Allah?” The Prophet replied, “Not even myself, unless Allah bestows His Forgiveness and Mercy on me.”
This hadith reinforces the idea that we should not rely on our deeds but rather trust in Allah’s Mercy. Ibn `Ataa’ conveys the same wisdom in his words.
Maintaining Balance in Hope and Awe
However, our hope should not lead to a sense of immunity, thinking we are guaranteed salvation no matter what we do.
“And they say, ‘The fire will most certainly not touch us for more than a limited number of days.’” (Al-Baqarah 2: 8)
This verse was revealed about certain nations who believed they were God’s chosen people, irrespective of their actions. Today, some Muslims hold a similar belief, thinking that as long as they are Muslims, they can do anything and escape punishment. Allah warns:
“But none feels secure from God’s deep devising save people who are lost.” (Al-`Araf 7: 99)
Hope should not evolve into a false sense of security. The only real guarantee of Paradise is through sincere faith and righteous deeds.
Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I would not feel safe from Allah’s deep devising even if one of my feet was in Paradise and the other was still outside.”
Striking a Balance Between Hope and Awe
In repentance, balance is essential. It means repenting sincerely while maintaining both hope for Allah’s Mercy and awe of His power and justice.
Some disbelievers struggle with hopelessness, feeling that their sins are too great to be forgiven. Allah says:
“Your Sustainer has willed upon Himself the law of grace and mercy – so that if any of you does an evil deed out of ignorance, and thereafter repents and lives righteously, God shall be much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.” (Al-‘An`am 6: 54)
The sinner is the one who rejects this divine offer of repentance. The key is to strike a balance between hope and awe.
Conclusion: The Path to Spiritual Transformation
Thus, the first step on this journey is to affirm your hope in Allah’s Mercy and turn your heart to Him. This is the beginning of your spiritual journey.
By Jasser Auda
