How does a person repent from sins whose nature they do not know and cannot recall, including injustice to others?
It is permissible for a servant to repent with a general repentance from all sins, those known and unknown, those remembered and unremembered. This general repentance can lead to the forgiveness of sins, unless there is something that contradicts this repentance, such as if some sins, had they been remembered, would not have been repented from. It is obligatory to hasten to repent immediately, and repenting from a sin does not mean the end of the matter; rather, one must also repent from delaying repentance. It is preferable for the repentance to be general and comprehensive of all sins, known and unknown, based on the Prophet's (peace be upon him) saying: "O Allah, I seek refuge in You from associating partners with You while I know, and I seek Your forgiveness for what I do not know." And his supplication: "O Allah, forgive my errors, my ignorance, my extravagance in my affairs, and what You know better than I do." And the hadith: "O Allah, forgive all my sins, the small and the large, the accidental and the intentional, the secret and the open, the first and the last." If the injustice done to people is something the servant is unaware of to seek their forgiveness, then his general repentance voids Allah's right, and Allah will satisfy the wronged person on the Day of Judgment.
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- Original fatwa ID
- 142426
- Imported
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