Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Question: Assalamu alaykum
I am concerned with instances where I may have infringe other’s rights. I am scared my tawbah will not be accepted until I repair everything and I’m not 100% sure as to how to go about doing that.Could you please offer some advices on how to allow for my tawba to be accepted?
Answer: As-salamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh
I pray you’re well. All you need to is make a sincere tawba asking Allah to forgive you for your wrong actions, have a good opinion of Allah, and take some simple steps to compensate those who were wronged.
al-Tawwāb
This is one of Allah’s most hope-inspiring names. It means ‘the one who constantly inspires people to repent, and who constantly accepts their repentance.’ In order to repent in the optimal way you should have a bath, perform two units of prayer and ask Allah sincerely to forgive you. After this be certain that Allah is loving and kind, and that He has forgiven you.
Allah loves it when a servant repents, so if any further doubts come to mind read the chapter of repentance from Riyad al-Salihin and reflect on the story of the man who killed a hundred people only for his repentance to be accepted (Muslim). Your sins are not greater than his.
Returning Rights
As for the things you said about the individual, if informing him and apologising will make matters worse between you then it is better not to tell him (Radd al-Muhtar). You damage of the car is not something you can now take reasonable to steps to compensate. You should stop worrying about it.
The solution, then, to these and other similar situations is to ask for forgiveness, regularly perform a small act of worship – such as sending ten blessings on the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) – daily, and then asking Allah to give the reward of it to everyone you have wronged. Shaykh Abdul-Wahhab al-Sha’rani mentioned that on the Day of Judgement this will be a means of compensating and appeasing those one has wronged (al-Shaʿrani, al-Kawkab al-Shahiq).
May Allah bless us all with continued repentance and protect us from all sins and the avenues which lead to them.
Wassalam,
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat