Guidance from the Qur'aan and Sunnah
On Tawbah (Repentance)

(Taken from Al-Qur'aan, Bukhari (SB), Muslim (SM), Ibn Majah (IM), At-Tirmidhee (T))

"Say, 'O my servants who have transgressed against their souls Do not despair of Allaah's Mercy, for Allaah forgives all sins. He is indeed Oft Forgiving, Oft Merciful.'" [Soorah Az-Zumar:53]

"Surely Allaah loves those who constantly turn to Him in repentance and those who keep themselves pure." [Soorah Al Baqarah:222]

"And Turn all of you in repentance to Allaah oh believers, in order that you may be successful." [Soorah An Nur:31]

Anas bin Malik, an attendant of the Messenger of Allaah said which means: "Allaah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than would be one of you who were to lose his camel in a barren desert and then find it suddenly." (SB)

Abu Musa Ash'ari relates that the Prophet said which means: "Allaah will continue to hold out His Hand at night so that he who has sinned during the day may repent, and to hold out His Hand during day so that he who has sinned during the night might repent, and Allaah will continue to do so till the sun rises from the West (i.e. The Day of Judgment)." (SM)

"And who forgives sins besides Allaah?" [Soorah Al Imraan:135]

Anas ibn Malik reports the Prophet to have said which means: "All of Adam's descendants constantly err, but the best of those who constantly err are those who constantly repent" (IM) "If you did not commit sins, Allaah would sweep you out of existence and replace you by another people who would commit sins, ask Allaah's forgiveness and He would forgive them." Abu Hurairah relates that he heard the Messenger of Allaah say which means: "Allaah is my Witness, that I seek His forgiveness and turn to Him more than seventy times a day."

"Say, 'O my servants who have transgressed against their souls! Do not despair of Allaah's Mercy, for Allaah forgives all sins. He is indeed Oft Forgiving, Oft Merciful.'" [Soorah Az-Zumar:53]

"No one despairs of Allaah's Mercy except those who have no faith." [Soorah Yusuf:87]

"He said, 'And who despairs of His Lord's Mercy except those who go astray?'" [Soorah Al Hijr:56]

"Surely Allaah will forgive those who do sins in ignorance and soon turn in repentance. These Allaah will forgive, for Allaah is all knowing, all wise." [Soorah An Nisa:17]

"No soul knows what it will earn tomorrow nor does it know in what part of the earth it will die" [Soorah Luqman:34]

Ibn Ma'qal said which means: "I came with my father to Abdullaah and heard him say, 'I heard Allaah's Messenger say: 'Remorse is repentance.' My father asked him, 'Did you actually hear the Prophet say: 'Remorse is repentance'?'. He replied 'Yes!' (IM)

"And for those who do not knowingly persist in the wrong they have done, is a reward of forgiveness from their Lord." [Soorah Al Imraan:135-6]

"When a believer commits a sin a black spot appears on his heart. If he repents, desists and asks for forgiveness, his heart is polished clean. But if he does more sins, the spots increase. That is the rust which which Allaah mentions in His Book; 'By no means! But rust has covered their (heart) from the (sins) they do.' [Soorah Al Mutaffifeen:14" (IM)

"O Believers! Fear Allaah and give up remaining interest if you believe." [Soorah Al Baqarah:278]

The Prophet is reported to have said which means:" Fear Allaah wherever you may be, follow an evil deed with a good one and it will erase it and treat people well." (T)

Abu Hurairah relates which means that the Prophet mentioned the case of a man who , having journeyed far, is disheveled and dusty and who spreads out his hands to the sky (saying): 'O Lord! O Lord! While his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothing unlawful, and he is nourished unlawfully, so how can he be answered?' (SM)

Abu Hurairah reported that Allaah's Messenger said which means: "When a servant {of God} washes his face, every sin he contemplated with his eyes will be washed away along with the last drop of water; when he washes his hands, every sin committed will be washed off from his hands with the last drop of water; and when he washes his feet, every sin towards which his feet have walked will be washed away with the last drop of water. So that he comes out pure from all sins." [SM]

Uthmaan bin Affan reports that he heard Allaah's Messenger say which means: "The obligatory prayer of the one who properly performed Wudoo (ablution) as Allaah the Exalted enjoined on him will be expiation for sins (minor) committed between them." (SM)

Abu Hurairah reported that Allaah's Messenger said which means: "If anyone performs Wudoo (ablution) well, then comes to the Friday Prayer, listens and keeps silent, his sins between then and the next Jumu'ah plus those of three extra days will be forgiven. But he who plays with pebbles (fiddles around) has caused an interruption." (SM)

Abu Hurairah reported that Allaah's Messenger said which means: "All the previous sins of any one who gets up for prayer during the Night of Power (Layat ul Qadar) out of faith and seeking his reward from his Lord will be forgiven." (SB)

Abu Hurairah reported that Allaah's Messenger said which means: "All previous sins of any one who fasts the month of Ramadan out of faith and seeking his reward from his Lord will be forgiven." (SB) The sins above refer to minor sins.