The Essence of Taubat Nasuha: A Complete Guide to Repentance in Islam (Imam Nawawi)

Has your heart ever felt constricted by a pile of past mistakes? Or perhaps a worry arises, whether Allah will forgive the sins we have committed? That feeling is natural and is actually a sign that there is still a light of faith in our hearts.

In the journey of a Muslim’s life, we are not exempt from error and forgetfulness. However, the best of those who err are those who immediately return to Allah. This is what is known as repentance (taubat).

This article will thoroughly explore what true repentance is, not merely a verbal utterance, but a process of spiritual purification that has rules within the sharīʿah (fiqh). We will refer directly to the evidence from the Qur’an (dalil-dalil Al-Qur’an) and the explanations of trusted scholars, particularly the views of Imam Nawawi and the fundamental principles of tazkiyatun nafs.

Let us straighten our intentions and learn how to return to Allah with a true return.

What is Taubat? Understanding the Definition According to Syariah

Often we hear the word “taubat”, but what is its profound meaning? Based on references from reliable books, taubat has a very specific definition.

In the source text it is explained:

التوبة : رجوع عما كان مذموما في الشرع إلى ما هو محمود فيه

“Repentance is returning from that which is blameworthy according to the Sharīʿah to that which is praiseworthy within it.”

So, repentance is not merely “feeling guilty”. Repentance is a transition. You transition from a condition disliked by Allah (disobedience/blameworthy) to a condition loved by Allah (obedience/praiseworthy).

Furthermore, for those traversing the spiritual path (Salikin), repentance is the first step. The book mentions:

وهي مبدأ طريق السالكين , ومفتاح سعادة المريدين , وشرط في صحة السير إلى الله تعالى

“It (repentance) is the beginning of the path for those traversing the hereafter, the key to happiness for seekers (muridin), and a necessary condition for the journey to Allah Ta’ala.”

Without repentance, our worship may feel bland because the heart remains soiled. Repentance is the gateway.

Evidence of the Obligation of Repentance in the Qur’an and Hadith

Repentance is not merely a recommendation, but a direct command from Allah Ta’ala. Many verses affirm this. Allah makes repentance the primary cause of our success (falah) in this world and the hereafter.

Here are the foundational arguments that we are obligated to believe in:

1. The Command to All Believers

Allah says in Surah An-Nur verse 31:

{وتُوبُوا إِلَى الله جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ}

“And repent to Allah, O you who believe, that you may be successful.”

This verse uses the imperative form (“Tubuu”). This indicates that repentance is obligatory for everyone, whether they feel they have committed many sins or few sins.

2. The Command to Seek Forgiveness and Return to Him

In Surah Hud, verse 52, Allah commands the combination of istighfar (seeking forgiveness) and taubat (returning to obedience):

{اِسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ}

“Seek forgiveness from your Lord and then turn to Him in repentance.”

3. The Command to Perform Taubat Nasuha

This is a term we often hear. Allah says in Surah At-Tahrim, verse 8:

{يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا تُوبُوا إِلَى الله تَوْبَةً نَصُوحًا}

“O you who have faith, repent to Allah with sincere repentance (the purest of repentance).”

The Example of the Messenger of Allah Iḥrām in Repenting

If the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who is guaranteed Paradise (infallible), still repented, then what about us? He did this as instruction (ta’lim) and the establishment of the sharī’ah (tasyri’) for his ummah.

From Al-Aghar bin Yasar Al-Muzani, may Allah be pleased with him, the Messenger of Allah Consecration said:

«يا أيها الناس توبوا إلى الله واستغفروه، فإني أتوب في اليوم مائة مرة»

“O people, repent to Allah and seek His forgiveness, for I repent to Him a hundred times a day.” (Reported by Muslim).

This indicates that repentance is a daily activity, not a seasonal activity only performed during Ramadan or when afflicted by calamity.

The Conditions for the Validity of Taubat Nasuha According to Imam Nawawi

Perhaps you are asking, “Is my repentance accepted?” or “How do I repent from major sins?”.

The scholars have formulated the conditions of repentance so that it is considered valid before Allah. Imam Nawawi rahimahullah explained that repentance is obligatory from every sin. He divided the conditions of repentance into two categories, depending on the type of sin.

1. If the Sin Relates to the Rights of Allah (Has No Relation to Humans)

If the sin committed is a private matter between a servant and Allah (such as neglecting prayer, drinking khamr, looking at what is Ḥarām), then there are three absolute conditions:

1. Al-Iqla’ (Ceasing Sinful Acts): أن يقلع عن المعصية You must completely cease the sinful act immediately. It cannot be called repentance if the tongue seeks forgiveness while the hands are still committing the sin.
2. An-Nadam (Regret): أن يندم على فعلها There must be a stinging sensation in the heart. Regret is the core of repentance. A sadness due to having violated the prohibitions of Allah.
3. Al-‘Azm (Firm Resolve): أن يعزم أن لا يعود إليها أبدا Having a firm resolve in the heart to never repeat that action forever.

Important Note: Imam Nawawi affirmed,

فإن فقد أحد الثلاثة لم تصح توبته

(If one of these three conditions is missing, then the repentance is not valid.)

2. If the Sin Relates to the Rights of Others (Fellow Human Beings)

This is what we often underestimate. If a sin involves another person (stealing, hurting feelings, slandering), then the requirements increase by one, becoming four requirements.

The fourth condition is:

{اِسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ}

“He should absolve himself of the right of that person.”

The ways to liberate oneself are detailed as follows:

• Wealth/Material Possessions: If it involves wealth (theft, corruption, debt), then it is obligatory to return it to its owner ( فإن كانت مالا أو نحوه رده إليه ).
• Punishment/Qadzaf: If it is an accusation of adultery or something that obligates ḥadd, then he must surrender himself for punishment or seek forgiveness/reconciliation ( مكّنه منه أو طلب عفوه ).
• Ghibah (Backbiting): If it is backbiting, then one must seek permission to be forgiven ( وإن كانت غيبة استحلّه منها ). Also study the discussion about the definition of ghibah and its evidence.

Here is a summary table of the requirements for repentance for easy understanding:

Types of Sins	Condition 1	Condition 2	Condition 3	Condition 4
Only a Right Due to Allah	Total Cessation (Iqla’)	Repentance (Nadam)	Determination Not to Repeat	–
A Right Due to Another Person	Total Cessation (Iqla’)	Repentance (Nadam)	Determination Not to Repeat	Restitution of Rights / Seeking Forgiveness

Environment: A Key Factor in the Success of Repentance

Many people have already repented, but keep falling back into the same hole. Why? Often because they do not change their social environment.

Our references mention that one of the ways to perfect repentance is leaving bad friends ( قرناء السوء ). Immoral friends often make sin seem beautiful and make us lazy to worship.

ترك قرناء السوء , وهجر الأصحاب الفسقة الذين يحببون للمرء المعصية , وينفرونه من الطاعة

“Leaving bad companions, and avoiding wicked friends who cause a person to love sin and distance themselves from obedience.”

The solution is to join a community of pious people ( الالتحاق بصحبة الصادقين الأخيار ). Good friends will be a fence that protects us from returning to a dark past.

Learning from the Story of the Killer of 100 Souls

There is a great lesson from the ṣaḥīḥ hadith narrated by Muslim about the murderer of 99 people who then completed it to 100. When he wanted to repent, the most knowledgeable scholar of his time set a condition:

“Go to the land of such and such, for there is a people who worship Allah, so worship Allah with them and do not return to your land, for your land is a land of evil.”

This indicates that migrating to a different place or environment greatly influences the acceptance and sustainability of one’s repentance.

Levels of Repentance: Where Do You Stand?

From the perspective of Fiqh, repentance is obligatory. However, from the perspective of Tasawuf (soul purification), the depth of a person’s repentance varies depending on their closeness to Allah.

A Sufi or a worshipper does not see the smallness of sin, but rather the greatness of the Being He disobeyed. The companion Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, once said to the generations after him:

( إنكم لتعملون أعمالا هي أدق في أعينكم من الشعر إن كنا نعدّها على عهد رسول الله صلّى الله عليه وسلّم من الموبقات )

“Indeed, you are doing actions that in your eyes are thinner than a hair, while in the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ we considered them to be destructive things.” (Reported by Bukhari).

The great scholar Dzu an-Nun al-Misri divided repentance into two levels:

(توبة العوام من الذنوب، وتوبة الخواص من الغفلة)

1. The Repentance of the Layperson: Repentance from sins (disobedience).
2. The Repentance of the Special People (Khawwas): Repentance from Ghaflah (the heart’s negligence in remembering Allah).

The purer a person’s heart becomes, the more sensitive they are to blemishes. Even a momentary lapse of the heart in remembering Allah is considered a sin that requires repentance.

Accompanying Repentance with Righteous Deeds and Seeking Forgiveness

After repenting, what should be done? Do not be idle. Fill your time with goodness.

In the Qur’an and Hadith, repentance is very closely related to Istighfar (seeking forgiveness). Frequently seeking forgiveness day and night is a sign of the sincerity of a servant who feels lacking in their devotion.

Allah promises an extraordinary reward for those who diligently seek forgiveness (istighfar), as stated in Surah Nuh verses 10-12 and Adh-Dhariyat 15-18:

• The descent of blessed rain.
• Increase in wealth and offspring.
• Given gardens and rivers (of bliss).

Besides the tongue seeking forgiveness, the body must also move to do good. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave a prescription for the removal of sins in his saying:

« وأتبع السيئة الحسنة تمحها »

“And follow up a bad deed with a good deed; it will erase it.” (Reported by Tirmidhi).

So, if previously we used our eyes extensively for sin, now use them to read the Qur’an. If previously wealth was used for things Ḥarām, now give in charity. This is a concrete way to “repay” past mistakes.

Signs of Repentance Being Accepted (The Principle of Sheikh Ahmad Zarruq)

How do we know if our repentance is sincere or a lie? Sheikh Ahmad Zarruq in Qawaid at-Tasawwuf provides a very sharp benchmark:

فتوبة لا تتبعها تقوى باطلة

“Repentance not followed by taqwa (piety) is void (in vain).”

He explained that recognition must be proven with results.

• The truthfulness of repentance is seen when a person is faced with something Ḥarām. If he is able to restrain himself, then his repentance is sincere.
• If he continues to casually violate [rules] when given the opportunity, then the sincerity of his repentance needs to be questioned.

Simply put: Taubat (repentance) is not merely crying during prayer, but the ability to restrain oneself when the temptation of sin returns later on.

FAQ: Questions About Repentance

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Closing and Hope

My brother, repentance is a beautiful path home. Do not delay by saying “I will do it later when I am old.” We never know when our allotted lifespan will end.

Start today. Perform wuḍū, pray two rakʿāt (the repentance prayer), and pour out your regret before Allah. Stop committing sins, repent, and resolve to become a new person. Read other articles to understand more about the procedure of the repentance prayer.

Are you ready to begin a new chapter? Let us continue the in-depth discussion about “The Conditions of a Sincere Taubat Nasuha“ in the next article, where we will dissect in more detail how to present a sincere feeling of remorse in the heart.