Whose Repentance Is Real?
The Prophet (PBUH) once asked his companions whether they knew who is a true repentant. They replied no and then the Prophet (PBUH) said those who repent are of several groups.
1- If a person repents in words and in heart but does not gain the satisfaction of those to whom he owes or he has wronged, his repentance is not true.
2- If a person repents but nothing is added to his worship, his repentance is not true.
3- If a person repents but there is no change in his clothes and appearance, he has not truly repented. (This may refer to not changing the clothes of sin with those of Taqwa (God-fearing.)
4- If a person repents but continues to associate with corrupt people, it is as if he has not repented.
5- If a person repents but Islamic behavior is not seen in his interactions and manners, he has not truly repented.
6- If a person repents but fails to live an Islamic life in the area of family relations, ethics, and raising children, he has not truly repented.
7- If a person repents but there is no change in his thoughts and social interactions and tries to appease people instead of gaining God’s contemned, his repentance is not a true one.
8- If a person repents but remains tightfisted and fails to help others, he has not truly repented.
9- If a person repents but insists on pursuing too many worldly desires and fails to abandon bad language, spreading rumors, slandering, etc, he has not truly repented.
10- If a person repents but he remains indifferent to conditions of the poor and does not change the way he spends his money, he has not truly repented.
Then the Holy Prophet (PBUH) said, if a repentant observes these ten conditions, he has truly repented.
