with the will of Allah, the Almighty:
"...and wen it not for Allah's grace upon you and H is mercy, not one of you would have ever been pure..."
Holy Qur'an (24:21)
"Have you not considered those who claim themselves pure? No, Allah purifies whom He wills; and they will not be wronged the skin of a date-stone."
Holy Qur'an (4:49)
"And I call not myself sinless; surely (man's) self is wont to command evil, except those on whom my Lord has mercy. Surely my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful."
Holy Qur'an (12:53)
"And certainly We created man, and We know what his mind suggests to him and We are nearer to him than his life-vein."
Holy Qur'an (50:16)
These verses declare that the human self is wont to command evil and, also, inclines to be independent in this existence and to be separated from Allah's will since it succumbs to illusions, devilish insinuations and Satanic temptations in order to be a god on this land, but it is Allah's mercy which overshadows this miserable creature and overwhelms it by Divine love and forgiveness so that it may raise, once again, from its suppression and collapse and continue on the way of perfection and love of the good. It awakens, in its depths, the sense of conscience and strives to go beyond the circle of darkness into the world of light and to return towards Allah to achieve its aims in reaching Him, and the everlasting eternity and happiness.
Therefore, the angels glorify and praise Allah and ask forgiveness for him (the repentant) and his Creator, Who counting his disobedience and rebellion will be pleased with his return and love his closeness:
"Surely Allah loves those who turn to Him, and loves those who keep themselves pure."
Holy Qur'an (2:222)
"Whoever repents of his sins has no sin for the repentant is Allah's friend "[9]
Accordingly, the repentant finds the doors of return lawful and the horizons of repentance wide lest despair overcomes him; hopelessness dominates him and continues in committing sin; and thus says farewell to the life of righteousness...without return.
The psychological and Social Impacts of Repentance
Repentance with all its external consequences like giving up sin, performing what he had missed in the past, and not returning to it again, all these indicate an eternal psychological behaviour which starts to grow in man's self and which extends out in the form of behavioural correctness and upright human manners.
The repentant also finds, in Islamic Shari'ah, the encouragement towards repentance such as is found in the saying of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.):
"Indeed a man who commits sins enters Paradise, when he repents."
People asked him: O Messenger of Allah, how that could be?
He (s.a.w.) replied:
"The sin will be before his eyes, and repenting from it, he will run away till he enters Paradise."
As the Almighty, Allah says:
"Surely Allah loves those who turn to Him, and loves those who keep themselves pure."
Holy Qur'an (2:222)
The Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (s.a.w.), says:
"Whoever repents is Allah's beloved friend and the repentant from sin, has no sin."[10]
And, also, says:
"The expiation of a sin is regret."[11]
Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) also says:
"If a man sincerely repents, Allah will love him and then protect him."[12]
These collections of Islamic texts; which are great in their content, open the doors of hope and return, before the deviated, criminal man, who inclines towards vices and deviations then commits crimes and sins, and who becomes accustomed to such kind of life, the life of deviation and crimes in order not to lose hope in himself or become despaired.
A criminal or a deviated one should realize, even for a while through conscience, that man who dissents against the tradition of this existence; a disobedient and mischievous, harmful being, understands that the society around him dislikes him and looks at him as rubbish of the society and a secretion of a dangerous sickness which poisons the life of mankind and which forms a danger against their security and peace. This concept leaves the sense of deficiency to grow. Therefore, to open the door of repentance is more helpful for such a man and more beneficial, which returns confidence to him and which saves him against feeling that a society has pressure on him and dislikes him.
Certainty, the society has an enormous psychological impact on the nerves of a criminal and a deviated one. It, also, looks down upon the one who commits sin or who falls to the abyss of vices; so its regulations remain as a basis for evaluating and dealing with this criminal.
Whoever is known as a lier or has an aggressive behaviour: such as committing adultery, stealing, kidnapping or is famous for treachery and bribery and blood shedding or is known as a habitual drunkard, the society looks at such man with this viewpoint and deals with him on the basis of this evaluation.
If a deviate looks at himself and sees that the law runs after him and the society around him disrespects and refuses to deal with him, surely he will be full of vindictive feelings against such a society, and, thus, continue to exceed the bounds of deviation if he finds no hope to reform or correct the concept of such a society concerning him.
But, Islam deals with this deviate and disobedient through mercy and kindness and gives great importance to him and devotes a number of its laws, regulations and instructions to guide and reform this man.
Allah, the Most High says:
"And whoever does evil or wrongs himself and then seeks forgiveness from Allah, he shall find Allah, All-Forgiving, All-Merciful."
Holy Qur'an (4:110)
So, the door of repentance is open and the horizons of mercy are wide for this man if he is watchful, wakes up, and wishes to return to the life of purity and righteousness.
As a result of this, Islam has built its position, regarding the repentant, on an essential foundation and a practical evaluation for the truth of behaviour and the consequences resulting from it; this attitude is a deviated one, it is a fact which happened; and man's connection with it and his responsibility for it still exists, but, Allah, through His forgiveness, gave man an opportunity to put an end to this vicious connection and delivered him from its consequences.
Thus, he will not be considered responsible for it as long as his psychological and mental connection is cut off from it:
"The expiation of a sin is regret."[13]
Thus the repentant is innocent before himself; and his society which surrounds him, from each and every action he commits and then repents therefrom; because Islamic society recognizes the meaning of repentance and believes in the consequences resulting from it. If the repentance of a criminal or a disobedient one is known, he will be forgiven from that which he is known by because Allah, the Owner, is the One Who can forgive in this creation. Indeed, for him, the door of returning and entering, for a righteous and pure life, shall be opened:
"Whoever repents (from his sins) has no sin and is Allah 's beloved friend."[14]
On the basis of this new feeling, new human feelings will be born in him. He will be changed from a man who felt he was disliked and refused by society, to a man who feels dignified by Allah and the society in which he lives; thus, his movement will sincerely be directed towards doing good and reforming himself after suffering much under the experience of deviation and the bitterness of being far from Allah and expelled from His mercy and feeling the pricking of the conscience, and the criticism of the society to which he belongs.
The Almighty says:
"Say: O My servants who have been prodigal regarding their souls, despair not of the mercy of Allah; surely Allah forgives sins altogether. He is indeed the Forgiving, the Merciful."
Holy Qur'an (39:53)
The Necessity of Repentance
Since repentance is a decisive human decision to return from wrongdoing, to keep away from evil and depravity and to return to the life of uprightness and obedience, and since its practical consequences are serious in man's life and his destination, repentance is an obligatory duty for every disobedient, criminal and deviated one on the basis of reason and the understanding of the danger of wrongdoing and the harm of deviation and crime.
Both deviation and wrongdoing are dangerous for the life of mankind and cause harm to its benefits of social life; the transgression of the guilty and the criminals against the life system, the exceeding the principles of morals and right behaviour, the threatening the security of mankind and their living and exposing its life to danger.
Through deviation and disobedience man exposes himself to Allah's wrath and, thus, he sells his happiness for pain and torment and ends his life with a sorrowful and dreadful.
Therefore, the disobedient one not only loses both the present life and the hereafter but also causes harm both to himself and to others.
No wise man desires such a disastrous result to occur to himself or is pleased with it, without striving to refuse and change it.
That is why repentance is obligatory for every Muslim and every human on the basis of reason and the comprehension of human interests.
The judgement of the reason for the necessity of repentance coincides with the laws of the Divine Religions, altogether. It purifies man from sins, liberates him from the mazes of deviation and evil and calls him to a life of purity and righteousness. Starting from the principles, Islam considers repentance among its main pillers and a decisive step towards the way of salvation and guidance for the whole of mankind. Thus, the Holy Qur'an and the Prophet's traditions (sunnah) focuses on the necessity of repentance and the return to Allah, opening a new page in man's record; turning away from the detestable past which is full of rebellious deeds, and which blackens the clear pages by guilty acts and corrupted the beautiful life with the stamp of shame.
So the Holy Qur'an has always taken a firm stance against the disobedient and declared its forgiveness by opening the door of Divine repentance and forgiveness to them. Thus, the Holy Qur'an addresses them:
"...and turn to Allah all of you, O believers, so that you may be successful."
Holy Qur'an (24:31)
"...He brought you forth from the earth and made you dwell in it, so ask forgiveness of Him, then turn to Him. Surely my Lord is Nigh, Answering."
Holy Qur'an (11:61)
"O you who believe, turn to Allah with sincere repentance..."
Holy Qur'an (66:8)
Consequently, it becomes man's duty to respond to this Divine call and make use of this unique opportunity before the Day of Regret and Remorse in which man will say:
"...O woe is me, that I fell short of my duty to Allah; and surely I was of those who laughed to scorn."
Holy Qur'an (39:56)
Elements of Repentance
Repentance is a turning point of behaviour, an ideological alternation and a change which occurs in the life of an individual or a group. Thus it cannot be achieved in the life of an individual unless other main elements are obtained. Among them are:
1. Knowledge:
Man, in order to distinguish his diverse behavioral positions and coincide with them, evaluate them and give final decisions upon them and choose what should be chosen, should know its truth and have full ideological lucidity through which he can differentiate between what is right and what is wrong or what is good and what is bad and, also, differentiate between righteousness and deviation and recognize between good and evil. The ignorant man cannot achieve this condition as long as the way is not clear and right to him.
Both knowledge and consciousness are the right ways which lead him towards the Almighty Allah. They are the ideological means by which man is directed to the right path and the guide towards the welfare of humanity and its perfection. They are both two guides which save him against the pit of collapse and the labyrinths of deviation. As tong as this condition is not achieved, repentance can never occure.
Thus, it becomes obligatory for everyone to bid what is right and forbid what is wrong and, also, teach the ignorant in order repentance complete all its necessities and nullify all the excuses, under which the disobedient or criminals, may hide themselves.
For the same purpose, it is obligatory for man to learn every necessity of faith and the obligations upon which his guidance and destination depend; and, also to ensure the relation between faith, guidance and knowledge.
On the one side, the Holy Qur'an condemns ignorance; on the other, it praises knowledge and learning. In various places, it makes a connection between ignorance, misguidance and deviation.
The Almighty Allah says:
"They said: Have you come to us to turn us away from our gods? Then bring us that with which you threaten us, if you are truthful. He said: The knowledge is only with Allah, and I deliver to you that wherewith I am sent, but I see you are an ignorant people."
Holy Qur'an (46:22-23)
As the above mentioned verse refers to both ignorance and deviation, it, also, refers to both knowledge and faith.
Allah, the Most High, says:
"And those who were given the knowledge said: Woe to you! Allah's reward is better for him who believes and does good, and none is made to receive this except the patient."
Holy Qur'an (28:80)
"...those of H is servants only who are possessed of knowledge fear Allah..."
Holy Qur'an (35:28)
Surely knowledge is the source of every psychological and ideological motivation which man holds in the way of repentance:
Through knowledge, he realizes how to fear of Allah.
Through knowledge, it creates in him the feeling of hope and desire to meet Allah.
Through knowledge, the light of the loving Allah shines in him.
Through knowledge, his conscience is awakened and to him returns his consciousness.
2. Feeling one sinned (caution of conscience):
When the truth of an action is discovered by man and his outer truth is distinguished before his consciousness and pure inner feelings, he starts to understand in truth and, thus, a balanced action is to be found in him between what he owns of good human values and his bitter and painful reality, and his responsibility of its bad role will be explained in its truth. Thus, the embers of refusal and disgust will be gathered in him and the attitude of refusal and protest will grow in him, thus, transformed into a psychological conflict of bitter conscious remorse as a first means to impose punishment upon himself.
Then, the fires of consciousness will rise till he puts it under his control and becomes victorious because, man, in his inborn nature dislikes deficiency and tries to get rid of it; and always strives for self perfection and wishes to reach for it by different ways and means.
Man through his ignorance, yields to various unreal factors in which he tries to satisfy his psychological inclinations through deviated ways, but, soon this deviated inclination will be disclosed to him through consciousness and knowledge. Thus, he regrets his evil deeds and tries to separate himself from his crimes and get rid of the impacts of his deviation. For he reatizes that what is done by him (of crimes and sins) does not fit with what true human existence.
When this regret begins; he starts to feel pain for his evil deeds and his desir to remove this deviated existence, which takes its role as a new force towards change and repentance, moves him to separate from the disliked past in order to make another existence for himself which suits his good human form.
3. Strong-Will:
Strong will is an important and active element in the process of repentance, because it is the power which limits the situation; takes a decision after achieving the right conclusion and ideological lucidity, which are provided by knowledge. It is an axis on which one takes action in the process of a psychological and ideological revolution.