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Forgiveness From Potential Shirk Before Reforming One Self
Salam Alaikum,
This question is on behalf of a very paranoid friend: he did 2 actions in his early to mid-teens which haunt him to this day due to fear of unforgivable nature of shirk.
He says that during this time he was not as mindful of Allah as he is now and not very practicing either (prayed occasionally unlike now). The actions are:-
Incident 1:- had a very rowdy math sir who he and other class students used to tease with sarcasm and fake flatery and once he told his sir “no sir you can’t be wrong you are god” in a sarcastic/joking way (at that time he does not remember whether he was aware of unforgivable nature of shirk or not)
Incident 2) he was very angry with a specific demographic of people and he said “when I’m rich and powerful, they will now to me!’ (he was aware of unforgivability of shirk but probably not aware that even dedicating a bow to someone instead of Allah can potentially be shirk)
However some time later in his mid-teens he went through an existential crisis for a few years when he was doubting faith but came out as an individual who had a lot more mindfulness of Allah and eventually gained more knowledge and started parting 5 times gradually and of course repented severely and never did anything along those lines again and has constantly made an effort to improve himself.
He wants to know whether if he’s still potentially doomed for jahanam just because of at least one of those 2 incidents?
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Forgiveness From Potential Shirk Before Reforming One Self
updated 1 year, 5 months ago
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Mistakes are not counted with God if they are done out of ignorance, but this ignorance must not be willing ignorance, in which one refused to know and deliberately avoids knowing, but should be an accidental one.
Three points in this regard must be kept in mind in the light of Quran:
Firstly, if the disobedience is unintentional, God will not hold a person accountable. His law is that if a person commits a misdeed unintentionally, He will not punish him. While stating a directive about adopted sons, the Quran says:
وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ فِيمَا أَخْطَأْتُم بِهِ وَلَكِن مَّا تَعَمَّدَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
And the mistake you have made in this matter shall be forgiven, but in what your hearts make an intention shall not be forgiven. God is Ever-Forgiving and Ever-Merciful. (Quran 33:5)
Secondly, when honest forgiveness is sought from Allah, even from the major sins, not only Allah will erase those bad deeds from the person’s account, but also convert those bad deeds into good deeds with an equivalent reward:
وَالَّذِيْنَ لَا يَدْعُوْنَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ وَلَا يَقْتُلُوْنَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِیْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا يَزْنُوْنَ وَمَن يَّفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَامًا. يُّضَاعَفْ لَهُ الْعَذَابُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَيَخْلُدْ فِيْهِ مُهَانًا. إِلَّا مَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُوْلَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيْمًا. وَمَنْ تَابَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَإِنَّهُ يَتُوْبُ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَتَابًا.
And [are those] who do not call any other deity besides God, do not kill any soul held sacred by God and do not commit fornication – whosever does these sins, will bear its consequences. On the Day of Judgement, his torment will continue to increase and he will forever abide in it disgraced. Except he who repented, professed faith and did good deeds, then it is such people whose bad deeds God will transform into good ones. In reality, God is very forgiving; ever-merciful. And he who repents and does good deeds should rest assured because he returns to God with full success. (Quran 25:68-71)
Lastly, if a person intentionally commits major sin while being overwhelmed with emotions, he should repent and mend his ways. It is essential that he repent as soon as possible. The Almighty has clearly stated in the Quran that He will forgive people who commit a sin while being overwhelmed with emotions if they repent right after it. He will not forgive people who sin all their lives and repent when they see death approaching. Similarly, He will not forgive people who deliberately reject the truth if they continue with this attitude till their death:
إِنَّمَا التَّوْبَةُ عَلَى اللّهِ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السُّوءَ بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ يَتُوبُونَ مِن قَرِيبٍ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ يَتُوبُ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكَانَ اللّهُ عَلِيماً حَكِيماً وَلَيْسَتِ التَّوْبَةُ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ حَتَّى إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَهُمُ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ إِنِّي تُبْتُ الآنَ وَلاَ الَّذِينَ يَمُوتُونَ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ أُوْلَـئِكَ أَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا
It is incumbent upon God to forgive those who commit a sin while being overwhelmed with emotions and then quickly repent. It is they who are forgiven by God. God is all-knowing and wise. But He will not forgive those who sin all their lives and, when death comes to them, say: “Now I repent!” nor those who die as disbelievers. It is for these that We have prepared a grave punishment. (Quran 4:17-18)
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Following video is also hepful in the context of late forgiveness:
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Sounds very practical and sensible. Once again thank you for your response and clarification brother @UmerQureshi 😊
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