Assalamu alaikum, please I’ve been involved in stealing from my family members e.g, my Mother,anty, etc, but as of now, I have stopped and repented, but the issue is I can’t ask them for forgiveness because it will tarnish my image, and also I didn’t pay them back but I’m planning to do so, my question here is do Allah accept my prayers and Sallah, because I have never stopped praying and performing my salat.
Answer
Wa’alaykum as Salām wa rahmatullāhi wa barakātuhu,
Whilst sins may deprive one of the blessings derived from acts of worship, the validity of a person’s Ṣalāh is not dependent on one being forgiven or making amends for the sins committed.
Based on the above, your Ṣalāh will not be invalidated by the sin of having stolen from your family members.
It is most commendable that you have stopped the sin and repented to Allāḥ.
You should hold no worries for what others may think of you because your obligation is to rectify the wrong that has been committed. This will only bring about the happiness and pleasure of Allāh; hence, it is unlikely that your ‘image will be tarnished’.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“When Allāh loves a slave, He calls out to the angel, Jibrīl, and says: “I love so-and-so; so you should love him. Then Jibrīl loves him. After that Jibrīl announces to the inhabitants of the heavens that Allāh loves so-and-so; so you should all love him, and the inhabitants of the heavens (the angels) also love him, and then they make the inhabitants of the earth love him”. [Bukhārī, Muslim]
It is our Duʿā in your favor that Allāh accepts your repentance and grants you the ability to make amends with your family members.
And Allaah Ta’aala knows best
Wassalaam,
Ismail Moosa (Mufti)
References
وعنه عن النبي، صلى الله عليه وسلم، قال: ”إذا أحب الله العبد نادى جبريل: إن الله تعالى يحب فلانًا، فأحببه، فيحبه جبريل، فينادي في أهل السماء: إن الله يحب فلانًا، فأحبوه، فيحبه أهل السماء، ثم يوضع له القبول في الأرض” ((متفق عليه))