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"Allah would not place a burden on you, but He would purify you and would perfect His grace upon you, that ye may give thanks." — Holy Qur'an 5:6

 

Candle Posts :: Motivational Gems for Higher Spiritual Enlightenment

:: Candle Post #110 :: What is Sincere Repentance and What Should We Repent For? ::

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

Ya Ali Madad! Lail-tul Qadr will start on Friday evening, August 10, 2012 in Canada. A question arises, what should be the first thing that we should to prepare for the bountiful Night of Power, i.e., Lail-tul Qadr. The answer is that we should increase the intensity of sincere repentance in all matters pertaining to religion.

For example, we have to do sincere tauba (repentance) before performing Dua Karawi or taking chaanta, before starting to recite our Holy Dua or before starting bandagi or any other type of dhikr.

Sincere repentance is the foundation for all our religious ceremonies because it purifies our souls, stops us from sinning, and prepares us for enlightenment. Sincere repentance is also applicable to all our actions in the material and spiritual worlds because it is tied to the whole purification process. It has to be done with conviction and persistent practice.

Part 1: What is Sincere Repentance and What Should We Repent For?

In order to answer this question, I have used teachings of Amir al-Mu'minin, Noor Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.). Let us first learn about the 6 items for which we should repent from the following teaching of NOOR Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.):

"Somebody said before Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him: "Astaghfiru'llah (I seek Allah's forgiveness), then Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him said:

Do you know what "istighfar" (asking Allah's forgiveness) is? "Istighfar" is meant for people in high position. It is a word that stands on six supports:

  1. The first is to repent over the past;
     
  2. The second is to make a firm determination never to revert to it;
     
  3. The third is to discharge all the rights of people so that you may meet Allah quite clean with nothing to account for;
     
  4. The fourth is to fulfill every obligation which you ignored in the past so that you may now do justice with it;
     
  5. the fifth is to aim at the flesh grown as a result of unlawful earning, so that you may melt it by grief of repentance till the skin touches the bone and a new flesh grows between them; and
     
  6. The sixth is to make the body taste the pain of obedience as you previously made it taste the sweetness of disobedience. On such an occasion you may say: "astaghfiru'llah".

Please note how Noor Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.) takes us from the past to the future with this explanation. Also, note the how much sincere repentance is needed if dasond is not submitted because, in such a situation, the earned amount becomes unlawful.

The second point is saying "astaghfiru'llah" just with the tongue does not yield results unless the real purpose is properly understood. However, just as Cairo was not built in a day, the practice and awareness of the concept of sincere repentance will lead to gradual purification and the fruition of NOOR Mowlana Sultan Muhammad Shah's blessing in which he said that a day will come when you will be able to abstain from committing sins. A person who reaches such a stage is the one who is a person of high position as described by NOOR Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.).

Source: Peak of Eloquence NAHJUL BALAGHA—Sermons, Letters and Sayings of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib. Translated by Sayed Ali Reza. Published by Tahrike Tarsile Qur'an Inc., Elmhurst, New York. Sixth Edition 1996. Quotation number 426, pp. 664-5.

Part 2: 99 Beautiful names of Allah Pertaining To The Topic of Forgiveness

Four out of the 99 Beautiful names of Allah pertain to the topic of forgiveness. These are:

014 Al Ghaffaar The Great Forgiver He who is all forgiving, with His discreetness. Yaa Ghaffaar
034 Al Ghafuur The Great Forgiver He who is all forgiving, with His discreetness. Yaa Ghafuur
080 At Tawwaab The Ever-Acceptor of Repentance He is ever-ready to accept repentance of His creatures and to forgive them. Yaa Tawwaab
082 Al 'Afuw The Supreme Pardoner He who pardons all who repent sincerely, as if they had no previous sin. Yaa 'Afuw

In this post, you can also find the lyrics, translation and mp3 track of the 'Yâ Ghafuur, Yâ Ghaffâr, Yâ Tawwâb, Yâ Afuw' special dhikr. I hope and pray that this dhikr will empower you to get the maximum benefit of Holy Ramadan.

Part 3: Yâ Ghafuur, Yâ Ghaffâr, Yâ Tawwâb, Yâ Afuw Dhikr

Let us use a bouquet of Yâ Ghafuur, Yâ Ghaffâr, Yâ Tawwâb, and Yâ Afuw Tasbis to clear the path of our return journey to our Creator.

Click here to play and right click here to save the mp3 track to your computer.

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

Yâ Ghafuur, Yâ Ghaffâr, Yâ Tawwâb, Yâ Afuw (1)
(O Great Forgiver, O Great Forgiver,
 O Ever-Acceptor of Repentance, O Supreme Pardoner)

Yâ Ghafuur, Yâ Ghaffâr, Yâ Tawwâb, Yâ Afuw (2)
(O Great Forgiver, O Great Forgiver,
 O Ever-Acceptor of Repentance, O Supreme Pardoner)

Yâ Ghafuur, Yâ Ghaffâr, Yâ Tawwâb, Yâ Afuw (3)
(O Great Forgiver, O Great Forgiver,
 O Ever-Acceptor of Repentance, O Supreme Pardoner)

Yâ Ghafuur, Yâ Ghaffâr, Yâ Tawwâb, Yâ Afuw (4)
(O Great Forgiver, O Great Forgiver,
 O Ever-Acceptor of Repentance, O Supreme Pardoner)

Yâ Ghafuur, Yâ Ghaffâr, Yâ Tawwâb, Yâ Afuw (5)
(O Great Forgiver, O Great Forgiver,
 O Ever-Acceptor of Repentance, O Supreme Pardoner)

Yâ Ghafuur, Yâ Ghaffâr, Yâ Tawwâb, Yâ Afuw (6)
(O Great Forgiver, O Great Forgiver,
 O Ever-Acceptor of Repentance, O Supreme Pardoner)

Yâ Ghafuur, Yâ Ghaffâr, Yâ Tawwâb, Yâ Afuw (7)
(O Great Forgiver, O Great Forgiver,
 O Ever-Acceptor of Repentance, O Supreme Pardoner)

Yâ Ghafuur, Yâ Ghaffâr, Yâ Tawwâb, Yâ Afuw (8)
(O Great Forgiver, O Great Forgiver,
 O Ever-Acceptor of Repentance, O Supreme Pardoner)

Yâ Ghafuur, Yâ Ghaffâr, Yâ Tawwâb, Yâ Afuw (9)
(O Great Forgiver, O Great Forgiver,
 O Ever-Acceptor of Repentance, O Supreme Pardoner)

Yâ Ghafuur, Yâ Ghaffâr, Yâ Tawwâb, Yâ Afuw (10)
(O Great Forgiver, O Great Forgiver,
 O Ever-Acceptor of Repentance, O Supreme Pardoner)

Yâ Ghafuur, Yâ Ghaffâr, Yâ Tawwâb, Yâ Afuw (11)
(O Great Forgiver, O Great Forgiver,
 O Ever-Acceptor of Repentance, O Supreme Pardoner)

Yâ Ghafuur, Yâ Ghaffâr, Yâ Tawwâb, Yâ Afuw (12)
(O Great Forgiver, O Great Forgiver,
 O Ever-Acceptor of Repentance, O Supreme Pardoner)

Al-hamdu lillahi rabbil 'alamin.
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds!

Part 4: Astaghafirullahi Rabbi Wa Atubu Ilayhi Dhikr

Let us now reflect upon the concept of sincere repentance and Allah's mercy from the following ayats of the Holy Qur'an (39:53-54):

"Say: O My servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the mercy of Allah; for Allah forgives all sins; for He is oft forgiving, most merciful. Turn ye to the Lord (in sincere repentance) and bow to His will before the penalty comes to you; after that ye shall not be helped."

Sincere repentance is the mechanism to return to our Creator therefore it is also appropriate to use the tasbi "Astaghafirullahi Rabbi Wa Atubu Ilayhi (Verily, I seek sincere forgiveness of Allah, who is my Lord and Sustainer, and I turn to Him in repentance)" to implement this Divine command.

With this understanding, let us start to recite the Astaghafirullahi Rabbi Wa Atubu Ilayhi tasbi (Verily, I sincere seek the forgiveness of Allah, who is my Lord and Sustainer, and I turn to Him in repentance).

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Astaghafirullahi Rabbi Wa Atubu Ilayhi
Verily, I seek the forgiveness of Allah, who is my Lord and Sustainer
and I turn to Him in repentance.

Recited by Noorallah Juma

Al-hamdu lillahi rabbil 'alamin.
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds!

Part 5: Links:

  1. Sayings of NOOR Mowlana Murtazâ Ali (alayhi salâm) with Cross References from the Holy Qur'an
  2. Astaghafirullahi Rabbi Wa Atubu Ilayhi (Steaming Real Audio file)
  3. Prayer Card No. 8: Yâ Ghafuur, Yâ Ghaffâr, Yâ Tawwâb, Yâ Afuw
  4. Resources for Holy Ramadan, Lail-tul Qadr & Idd-ul Fitr
  5. Noore Ali Mushkil Kusha sound track in mp3 format
  6. Noore_Karim Hazar_Imam sound track in mp3 format

Ardent Supplications:
Ya Ali, Ya NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazar Imam, create Sunshine in our hearts, light in our foreheads, and bless us all with the inner vision of the Truth!

Ya Ali, Ya NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazar Imam, grant the global Jamat luminous (noorani) and spiritual (ruhani) tayid (help) to advance materially, spiritually and intellectually. Ameen.

Haizinda — Qayampaya
(Our Present Imam is Living and His NOOR is Eternal)

Rakh Mowla je Noor te Yaqeen (Certainly, we trust in Mowla's Light only),
Noorallah Juma
SalmanSpiritual.com
Friday, August 3, 2012

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