Assalamalkam I would like to know if I’m repenting correctly. So how I was repenting is I would verbally or in my mind say Oh Allah I admit it I did sins, then say I’m doing this out of sincerity, then say I feel guilt for this sin and then say I wish I didn’t do it then I will think about punishment and ask Allah not to punish me, then I say I have the intention to stop and I stopped doing it and if I’ve taken the rights of people I intend to give them back but then I’ll ask Allah Swt to forgive me verbally multiple times and I prostrate but this is hardship sometimes as I have obsessive doubts on my sincerity and if I’ve said it enough or if I mean it and sometimes it can take me longer then an hour. Is it true I can repent but just feeling it or how am I supposed to do it? Please explain in detail so I do not question or make mistakes or cause myself unnecessary hardship. Jazakallahu khair
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
Ignore these whispers and do not give them any attention.
The matter of repentance is much easier than this – praise be to Allah – so you do not have to say anything with your tongue, but give up the sin while resolving not to do it again and regretting it with sincerity to Allah Almighty. These heartfelt deeds are connected so you do not need to stop to do every action separately. Whenever you repent this sincere repentance with these conditions, then your repentance is valid and accepted, and your sin is forgiven, Allah willing. If there are any due rights that you owe to people, then you must return these rights to them so that the repentance would be complete.
For more benefit on the conditions of sincere repentance, please refer to Fatwa 86527.
Allah Knows best.