بـسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
The Second question of Fatwa no. 19045 (Volume 24)
Q 2: I returned in
penitence to Allaah and made Tawbah (repentance to Allaah) of all my sins. I
beg Allaah for forgiveness! But I heard that it is necessary for the repentant
ones to offer two Rak‘ahs (units of Prayer) with deep concentration during
which they experience no Waswasah (insinuating thoughts from Satan) and then to
make Tawbah after this or during the Salah (Prayer). When I asked a brother of
mine in Islam about this, he told me that Tawbah can be made without this; it
can be done at any time and I do not have to perform Salah. What should I do? Please advise me and
may Allaah reward you with the best!
A: Offering a two-Rak‘ah prayer is not a condition of a valid
Tawbah. The conditions of Tawbah include giving up the sin, resolving never to
commit it again, regretting having committed it, and returning people’s rights.
May Allaah accept your repentance and ours. However, anyone who performs
ablution, offers two Rak‘ahs and then expresses Tawbah to Allaah (Exalted be
He) by regretting past sins, giving them up, and sincerely resolving never to
commit them again, their Tawbah is more perfect and more likely to be accepted,
according to the authentically reported Hadith from Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq (may
Allaah be pleased with him), who said that the Prophet (peace be upon him)
said: “There is no person who commits a sin then performs ablution, performing
it well,then offers two Rak‘ahs and asks Allaah for forgiveness, but Allaah
will forgive them.” (Related by
Imam Ahmad in Al-Musnad)
(Part No. 24; Page No. 310)
May Allaah grant us success! May peace and blessings be upon
our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions!
The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research
and Ifta’
http://www.alifta.net/fatawa/fatawaDetails.aspx?languagename=en&View=Page&PageID=9594&PageNo=1&BookID=7
