When is the best time to repent?
If a person has committed sins, then generally speaking the best time to repent is now! On a regular basis however, the best time for repentance is in the morning and the night, in that a Muslim may start the day with repentance and end the day with repentance.
"Those who are Godfearing will have Gardens with their Lord with rivers flowing under them" to His words, "those who seek forgiveness before dawn."
(Qur'an 3:15-17)
The Prophet (PBUH) has said:
"Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, stretches out His Hand during the night so that the people repent for the fault committed from dawn till dusk and He stretches out His Hand during the day so that the people may repent for the fault committed from dusk to dawn (He would accept repentance) before the sun rises in the west (before the Day of Resurrection)."
(Hadith)
A Muslim should endeavour to keep their heart pure and their tongue moist with repentance to Allah in that He may forgive their sins.
Shaddad Ibn 'Aus (RA) narrated, the Prophet (PBUH) said:
"The most superior way of asking help (forgiveness) from Allah is to say:
'Allahumma Anta Rabbii la ilaha illa Anta, Khalaqtanii wa ana 'abduka,
wa ana alaa 'ahdika wa wa'dika mastata'tu,
a'udhu Bika min sharri ma sana'tu, abuu'u Laka Bini'matika 'alayya,
wa abuu'u bidhanbii, faghfirlii fa'innahu la yaghfiru Adh-dhanbu illa Anta.'
Which translated in English means,
'O Allah, You are my Lord! There is no god but You, It is You Who created me, and I am Your servant, I am faithful to my covenant and my promise to You to my best ability, I seek refuge with You from all the evil I have done, I acknowledge before You all the blessings You have bestowed upon me, and I confess to You to forgive my sins, for nobody can forgive sins but You.'The Prophet (PBUH) then added:
'If somebody recites it during the day with firm faith in it, and dies on the same day before the evening, he will be from the people of Paradise; and if somebody recites it at night with firm faith in it, and dies before the morning, he will be from the people of the Paradise.'"(Hadith)
Thus, the Prophet (PBUH) advised Muslims to repent to Allah and also to ask Him for His forgiveness.
As long as people seek forgiveness for their sins then Insha-Allah (Allah-willing), Allah will not punish them for them.
"Allah would not punish them while you were among them. Allah would not punish them as long as they sought forgiveness."
(Qur'an 8:33)
"And those who do not supplicate to another god with Allah, nor do they kill a person that Allah has made forbidden (to kill) except with just cause, nor do they commit fornication. And whoever does this shall receive the punishment. The torment will be doubled for him on the Day of Resurrection and he will abide therein in disgrace. Except those who repent and believe and do righteous deeds, for those, Allah will change their sins into good deeds. And Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful."(Qur'an 25:68-70)
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