Fatwa ID: 08548

 

 

Answered by Alimah Maryam Badshah

 

Question:

 

I will keep this question as general as possible. For a while, I committed major sins. During that period, I encouraged other people to commit those same sins as well.

 

A year has passed, and I have not committed that sin, nor have I contacted those people. I have totally cut off my connections with them, as well as my past habits, from the fear of Allah swt’s punishment. I am disgusted with myself, and I have repented and since sought to improve myself. However, I am worried about the people that I have “misguided”.

 

I know Allah swt will hold me accountable for what I did. What should I do?

 

 

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer:

 

When it comes to asking for forgiveness, major sins are forgiven through a sincere repentance or an accepted Ḥajj. A sincere repentance includes both seeking Allah’s forgiveness and resolving to never commit the sin again. If a person was wronged in your actions, you should also seek their forgiveness.

 

In regards to the people you encouraged into the sin, this would depend on what sin was committed and the people involved. As you have not stated what the sin was, only you are more aware of your personal situation. When deciding on what to do, I advise you to keep in mind the following factors and then decide accordingly.

 

An aspect to keep in mind is the type of sin that was committed. If it was a sin which you have full conviction that you would not be tempted to repeat even when faced with the environment in which you were in before, then you can consider trying to convince these acquaintances out of the sin or seeking their forgiveness. However, if this is not the case and you think you may be either harmed, forced or encouraged back into committing the sin, then due to its dangerous nature you should not personally contact or involve yourself with them. Depending on the situation, you may also wish to have someone else act as an intermediary or keep you company when interacting with these acquaintances if you plan to proceed.

 

 

Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an: “And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves, remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins – and who can forgive sins except Allah? – and they do not persist in what they have done whilst they know.” Surah Āl ‘Imrān (3:135)

 

 

 

References:

 

Ma’āriful-Qur’ān (3:135) (Vol.2, pg.200-1, Maktaba-e-Darul-’Uloom, Karachi)

 

(قَوْلُهُ كَبِيرَةٌ) الْأَصَحُّ أَنَّهَا كُلُّ مَا كَانَ شَنِيعًا بَيْنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَفِيهِ هَتْكُ حُرْمَةِ الدِّينِ كَمَا بَسَطَهُ الْقُهُسْتَانِيُّ وَغَيْرُهُ كَذَا فِي شَرْحِ الْمُلْتَقَى.

Raddul Muhtār (Vol.5, pg.473, Dār Al-Fiqr)

 

ثُمَّ اعْلَمْ أَنَّ تَجْوِيزَهُمْ تَكْفِيرَ الْكَبَائِرِ بِالْهِجْرَةِ وَالْحَجِّ مُنَافٍ لِنَقْلِ عِيَاضٍ الْإِجْمَاعَ عَلَى أَنَّهُ لَا يُكَفِّرُهَا إلَّا التَّوْبَةُ وَلَا سِيَّمَا عَلَى الْقَوْلِ بِتَكْفِيرِ الْمَظَالِمِ أَيْضًا، بَلْ الْقَوْلُ بِتَكْفِيرِ إثْمِ الْمَطْلِ وَتَأْخِيرِ الصَّلَاةِ يُنَافِيهِ لِأَنَّهُ كَبِيرَةٌ وَقَدْ كَفَّرَهَا الْحَجُّ بِلَا تَوْبَةٍ.

Raddul Muhtār (Vol.2, pg.624, Dār Al-Fiqr)

 

﴿ وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا اللَّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَن يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلُوا وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ۝﴾

Qur’an (3:135)

 

 

 

 

 

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Alimah Maryam Badshah

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham