Ten Virtues of a Mumin – (5) Sincere Repentence

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحًا

'O ye who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance.'

(Surat al-Tahrim: 8)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

مَنْ رَزَقَهُ اللهُ وَلايَةَ عَلِيّ ابنِ ابيطالب صع فَقَدْ أَصَابَ خَيْرَ الدُّنْيَا والآخِرةِ، ولا أشُكُّ لهُ بِالجَنةِ، وإنَّ في حُبِّ عَليٍّ وَوَلايَتِهِ عِشْرِينَ خَصْلَة، عَشَرةً مِنها في الدُّنيا وعَشَرةً في الآخرة* (1) الزهد (2) والحرص على العلم (3) والورع في الدين (4) والرغبة في العبادة (5) وتوبة نصوح

'He who is given the sustenance/bounty (rizq - rozi) of the valaayat of Ali has attained the goodness of this world and the Hereafter, and I do not doubt that he will enter jannat. In Ali’s love and valaayat are twenty virtues: 10 in this world (dunya) and 10 in the Hereafter (aakherat). 1) renouncing materialism, 2) desire to seek knowledge, 3) piety and scrupulosity, 4) eagerness/desire for worship, 5) sincere repentance.'

(Rasulullah SAW)

This article was written by Ra'sul Hududil Mayameen Janab Syedi Aziz Bhaisaheb Qutbuddin in 2015.

Having been blessed with the greatest virtue, the valaayat of Amirul Mumineen SA, it is incumbent on us to be worthy of such a great blessing that ensures our salvation. Rasulullah SA has said that “he who is given the gift (rizq, rozi) of the valaayat of Ali has attained the goodness of this world and the Hereafter, and I do not doubt that he will enter jannat. In Ali’s love and valaayat are twenty virtues: 10 in this world (dunya) and 10 in the Hereafter (aakherat).” The ten in this world are: 1) renouncing materialism; 2) desire to seek knowledge; 3) piety and scrupulosity; 4) eagerness and desire for worship; 5) sincere repentance; 6) waking up in the night for tahajjud prayers; 7) to put trust in God and not people; 8) memorizing the Quran Majeed; 9) aversion to this world; and 10) generosity.

During Ashara this year, Syedna TUS narrated this Hadith and explained the many facets of this Hadith and the individual virtues. Syedna introduced the Hadith saying that this is a bishaarat for the Shi’a of Amirul Mumineen SA. He added that in one sense, those with true valaayat would necessarily have these virtues. If for some reason one with valaayat does not possess these virtues, then upon hearing this bayaan he/she should make a firm commitment to acquire them. The fifth virtue is sincere repentance (tawbatun nasuh).

Sincere repentance entails seeking Allah Ta’ala’s forgiveness with a recognition of the sin committed and an earnest commitment that it will not happen again. To repent and then to repeat the infraction is not sincere repentance. When the repentance is sincere, Allah Ta’ala is ever forgiving and ever merciful (ghafurun-raheem).

The names of Allah Ta’ala, ghafu and Raheem, and the declaration in the Qur’an that Allah Ta’ala loves those who repent and seek forgiveness (Surat al-Baqara: 222) underscore the philosophy and wisdom of rehmat and mercy. The spirit of our religion is not to seize and persecute because it is Allah Ta’ala’s wisdom to forgive and bless with rehmat those who are prisoners to this material world. It is in this vein that Allah Ta’ala sent Rasulullah SA as the embodiment of rehmat to all of creation (Surat al-Anbiya’: 107 - wa ma arsalnaaka illa rahmatan lil ‘alameen). Each successor of Rasulullah SA is rehmat personified. They have all encouraged mumineen to sincerely repent and have sought forgiveness for them in the hope that they will refrain from sins past committed and purify their souls with forgiveness. It is for this reason that the Dai’s seat is known as rehmat ni gaadi.

It is narrated that one day Rasulullah SA sent Usama bin Zayd to summon Amirul Mumineen SA. He found Maulana Ali in sajda beseeching doa and forgiveness. Usama did not want to interrupt and returned to Rasulullah SA. When he returned, Rasulullah SA told Usama that Allah Ta’ala has granted Maulana Ali 70 parts of forgiveness (maghfirat) for his lengthy sajda; 1 part is for him and the remaining 69 parts are for Ali’s Shi’a.

In this waaz, Syedna TUS also advised mumineen that if they had slipped or transgressed to seek forgiveness in Ashara by the wasila of Imam Husain SA and to make a firm commitment to refrain from committing such sins again. Syedna narrated the riwayat about the man with whom Rasulullah SA was so furious that he would not even look at him. The man went out in despair. He saw Imam Hasan and Imam Husain SA and carried them on his shoulders and returned to Rasulullah SA. He sought Rasulullah’s forgiveness by the virtue of the two Imams. Rasulullah smiled and forgave him.

As we approach Imam Husain’s chehlum we remember that on the eve of Ashura Imam Husain spent the night with his Ehle Bayt and Ashaab in ‘ibaadat and seeking forgiveness for mumineen. Remembering him and beseeching his wasila, we seek forgiveness for our sins with sincere repentance. We seek forgiveness knowing that the successor to Rasulullah’s rehmat, Imamuz-zaman and his Dai, are seeking forgiveness from us. It is Syedna Qutbuddin’s TUS practice to beseech doa for mumineen in a lengthy sajda after every namaaz and at Nisful-Layl. May Allah Ta’ala forgive our sins by the virtue of his doas and may he give us the strength to commit to abstain from gunaah. May Allah Ta’ala give longest life to Syedna TUS in the fullness of health so that he may continue to guide us, counsel us, and beseech doa for us.