Erasing Sin Through Repentance, Sayyid Qutb

Erasing Sin Through Repentance

Sayyid Qutb

Arab News, 10/19/04

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Beneficent

The true servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk gently on earth...

And who never invoke any deity side by side with God, and do not take any human being’s life - (the life) which God has willed to be sacred - except for a just cause, and do not commit adultery. Whoever does any of this will face punishment, and on the Day of Resurrection his suffering will be doubled, and he will abide therein in ignominy.

Excepted, however, shall be they who repent, attain to faith and do righteous deeds, for God will transform their bad deeds into good ones. God is indeed Much Forgiving, Merciful.

Whoever repents and does what is right has truly turned to God by (his act of) repentance.

(And the true servants of God are) those who never bear witness to what is false, and whenever they pass by (people engaged in) frivolity, pass on with dignity;

And who, whenever they are reminded of their Lord’s signs, do not throw themselves upon them as if they were deaf and blind. (The Standard, Al-Furqan: 25: 63 & 68-73)

As we said last week, believing in God’s oneness and refraining from killing others and adultery are the three qualities that distinguish sound and clean life that is worthy of man from a life of cheap pleasures that sinks man to the rank of animals. Hence, God mentions these three qualities as belonging to His true servants who are the most honorable in His sight. When they have been mentioned, they are followed with a stern warning: “Whoever does any of this will face punishment. This punishment is outlined in the next verse: “On the Day of Resurrection his suffering will be doubled, and he will abide therein in ignominy.” Thus, it is not merely a double measure of punishment, but he will also suffer ignominy, which is even worse.

But the door remains open for anyone who wishes to save himself from such a fate. This requires repentance, firm belief and good action: “Excepted, however, shall be they who repent, attain to faith and do righteous deeds.” Those who fulfill these three conditions are promised that whatever sin they had done prior to their repentance will be changed into good deeds which will be added to their newly earned good actions: “for God will transform their bad deeds into good ones.” This is an aspect of God’s bounty that is granted without the person concerned having done anything to deserve it other than his turning away from error and seeking refuge of God after having gone astray. “God is indeed Much-Forgiving, Merciful.”

The door of repentance is always open to admit anyone whose conscience is reawakened and wants to return to the fold. No one is ever turned away from it, no matter who he might be or what sins he might have done in the past. A Hadith related by Al-Tabarani mentions that Abu Farwah asked the Prophet (peace be upon him): “If a man has done all kinds of sin, leaving out nothing, will his repentance be accepted?” The Prophet asked him: “Are you a Muslim?” When he answered in the affirmative, the Prophet said: “Then do what is good and abandon what is evil, and God will change all your past misdeeds into good ones.” The man asked: “And even my worst, treacherous ones?” The Prophet said: “Yes.” The man glorified God and continued to do so as he went away.

There is a rule for repentance and a condition for its acceptance, which are clearly spelled out: “Whoever repents and does what is right has truly turned to God by (his act of) repentance.” Repentance begins with a genuine regret and desisting from bad deeds and is made complete through doing good deeds that prove that it is serious and genuine. At the same time, good deeds produce a positive sense that favorably compensates for abandoning sin. A sin is an action which, when withdrawn, leaves a vacuum that must be filled with an action in the opposite direction. Otherwise, the feeling of emptiness makes one miss one’s old sinful ways. Hence we see here a remarkable feature of the Qur’anic method of cultivating goodness within the believers. It is based on profound knowledge of human nature. Who can know this better than the Creator?

Having completed this interposition of the conditions of repentance, the surah resumes its outline of the qualities of the true servants of God, the Most Merciful: “Those who never bear witness to what is false, and whenever they pass by (people engaged) in frivolity, pass on with dignity.” This may be taken literally which means that they never give a false testimony, since such an action leads to usurping people’s rights and helps injustice. It may also be taken to mean that they do not attend any place or stay with any group where falsehood is said or done. They steer away from such places or company so as not to be party to anything that happens there. This is more powerful meaning. They also steer away from all frivolity and idle talk: “Whenever they pass by people engaged in frivolity, pass on with dignity.” They remove themselves from participation in any such practice. A believer has more serious preoccupations that leave no time for frivolous and idle pursuits. His mind is full with what his faith requires of him so as to ensure that God’s message is delivered to mankind. This is sufficient preoccupation for anyone.

Another of their qualities is that they are quick to remember when a reminder is given to them. Their hearts are open to the understanding of God’s signs and revelations: “And who, whenever they are reminded of their Lord’s signs, do not throw themselves upon them as if they were deaf and blind.” The picture drawn here is critical of the idolaters who approach their deities and false beliefs like deaf and blind people, deprived of guidance and light. It shows them in a state of blind fanaticism, while God’s true servants are fully aware of the truth in their faith, and in God’s signs and revelations. Hence, they accept the faith with open eyes, hearts and minds. They are free of fanaticism. When they show enthusiasm for their faith, it is an enthusiasm based on true knowledge and profound insight.

Earth, a planet hungry for peace

Apartheid Wall


The Israeli Land-Grab Apartheid Wall built inside the Palestinian territories, here separating Abu Dis from occupied East Jerusalem. (IPC, 7/4/04).

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank, like a Python. (Alquds,10/25/03).

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