Hawzah News Agency - Question: I am a young man who has fallen into a major sin. The guilt of my wrongdoing, combined with my weak will in the face of desire, has made me lose hope in Allah’s forgiveness. I feel certain that I am destined for Hell. At the same time, I fear that this way of thinking might be wrong. Could you please guide me to the right path?
Answer: Confess your sin sincerely before Allah and ask Him to help you repent with a true and heartfelt repentance. You don’t need to use eloquent or complicated words—just speak to Him honestly, in your own way, and express what is in your heart. Allah already knows what is inside a person’s heart before the words even reach the tongue.
Understand well that despairing of Allah’s mercy is a sin even greater than the one you originally committed, because despair opens the door to more sins and pushes a person further away from Allah. It is this hopelessness—not your first sin—that leads to Hell. For this reason, Islam considers despair of Allah’s mercy among the gravest of sins. This is exactly what Satan, the greatest enemy of mankind, wants from you—he wants you to give up hope in Allah’s forgiveness.
O young man, fill your heart with strong hope in Allah’s mercy and make a firm decision never to return to that sin again. Whenever you do fall into sin, turn back to Allah immediately and seek His forgiveness. Never cut your connection with Allah, no matter what happens. If you travel east or west, you will find no god like your Lord—One whom you disobey, yet He, despite having full power to punish you instantly, grants you time, calls you back, and declares that He loves those who repent, loves those who seek forgiveness, and loves those who purify themselves. He wishes to reward you with Paradise if you sincerely return to Him.
O young man, no matter what sin you have committed, you are not a polytheist. And Allah has promised to forgive all sins except polytheism. Do not let Satan delay your repentance or distract you from seeking forgiveness—you do not know when death will come. You might die during your delay, losing the chance forever and missing out on eternal happiness.
When you decide to return to Allah, remember that true repentance means:
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Feeling genuine remorse for your past sin.
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Making a firm decision never to repeat it.
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Restoring the rights of others if you have wronged anyone.
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Making up any missed religious duties as much as you are able.
Be sincere in this, and you will find that the sweetness of lawful pleasures is far greater than the false pleasure of sinful acts.
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Source: "For a better future" by Hussain Ansariyan
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