305 - دَعائِمُ التَّوبَةِ

305. The Pillars of Repentance

(فَمَنْ تَابَ مِنْ بَعْدِ ظُلْمِهِ وَأَصْلَحَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَتُوبُ عَلَيْهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ) .¹

"But whoever repents after his wrongdoing, and reforms, then Allah shall accept his repentance. Indeed Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful." ²

(وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٌ لِمَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحاً ثُمَّ اهْتَدى‏) .³

"Indeed I am all-forgiving toward him who repents, becomes faithful and acts righteously, and then follows guidance." ⁴

993.الإمامُ عليٌّ عليه السلام : التَّوبَةُ على‏ أربَعةِ دَعائِمَ :نَدَمٌ بالقَلبِ ، واسْتِغفَارٌ باللِّسانِ ، وعَملٌ بالجَوارِحِ ، وعَزْمُ أنْ لا يَعودَ .⁵

993.Imam Ali (AS) said, 'Repentance stands on four pillars: remorse with the heart, asking for forgiveness with the tongue, work with the limbs, and resolve not to repeat [the offense].' ⁶

994.الإمامُ الباقرُ عليه السلام - وقد سألَهُ شَيخٌ مِن النَّخَعِ : إنّي لَم أزَلْ والِياً مُنذُ زَمنِ‏الحَجّاجِ إلى‏ يَومي هذا، فهَلْ لي مِن‏تَوبةٍ ؟ قالَ : فَسَكتَ، ثُمّ أعَدْتُ علَيهِ، فقالَ - : لا ، حتّى‏ تُؤَدّيَ إلى‏ كُلِّ ذي‏حَقٍّ حقَّهُ .⁷

994. Wahab b. Abdi-Rabbih narrated on the authority of a shaykh from Nakha tribe, who said, 'I asked Abu Jafar [al-Baqir] (AS), 'I have been a governor since the time of al-Hajjaj until this very day, so is repentance possible for me?' The Imam remained silent, and when I repeated the question, he said, 'No, until you compensate everyone for his lost rights.' ⁸

(اُنظر) الذنب : باب 775 ؛ الاستغفار : باب 1433 .

(See also: SINNING: section 775; SEEKING FORGIVENESS: section 1433)

304 - حُسنُ الاعتِرافِ‏

304. Appropriate Confession [of One's Sins]

(وَآخَرُونَ اعْتَرَفُوا بِذُنُوبِهِمْ خَلَطُوا عَمَلاً صَالِحاً وَآخَرَ سَيِّئاً عَسَى‏ اللَّهُ أنْ يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ) .¹

"[There are] others who have confessed to their sins, having mixed up righteous conduct with other that was evil. Maybe Allah will accept their repentance." ²

990.الإمامُ عليٌّ عليه السلام : عاصٍ يُقِرُّ بذَنبِهِ خَيرٌ مِن مُطيعٍ يَفتَخِرُ بعَملِهِ .³

990.Imam Ali (AS) said, 'A sinner who confesses to his sin is better than an obedient man who brags about his deed.' ⁴

991.الإمامُ الباقرُ عليه السلام : واللَّهِ ، ما يَنْجو مِن الذَّنْبِ إلّا مَن أقَرَّ بهِ .⁵

991.Imam al-Baqir (AS) said, 'By Allah! None will be safe from his sin except the one who admits it.' ⁶

992.الإمامُ الباقرُ عليه السلام : لا واللَّهِ ما أرادَ اللَّهُ تَعالى‏ مِن النّاسِ إلّا خَصْلَتَينِ : أنْ يُقِرّوا لَهُ بالنِّعَمِ فيَزيدَهُم ، وبالذُّنوبِ فَيَغفِرَها لَهُم .⁷

992.Imam al-Baqir (AS) said, 'By Allah! Allah wants but two traits to be present in people: to acknowledge His favors so that He may increase them, and to confess their sins so that He may forgive them.' ⁸