Understanding Major and Minor Sins in Islam
The first step in seeking forgiveness is understanding what needs to be repented for. Scholars have differing opinions on what constitutes major and minor sins, but it is generally accepted that sins for which Allah has designated a specific punishment are considered major sins. Some examples of major sins include associating partners with Allah (shirk), murder, adultery (zina), and disrespecting parents.
Minor sins, on the other hand, include actions such as praying incorrectly, acting immodestly, or cursing. Despite their name, minor sins should not be taken lightly. The Prophet ﷺ warned, “Beware of minor sins like a people who descend into the bottom of a valley, so one comes with a stick and another with a stick until they have fire to cook their bread. Verily, when a person is held accountable for these minor sins, they will destroy him” [Musnad Ahmad #22302]. This hadith vividly illustrates how small sins can accumulate over time, leading to significant consequences.
How Do I Repent for a Minor Sin?
Good deeds can wipe away minor sins, as Allah says, “And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds. That is a reminder for those who remember” [Qur’an, 11:114]. It is from Allah’s immense mercy that minor sins are readily forgiven through virtually every good deed and act of worship, such as giving in charity, reading Qur’an, or praying tahajjud. So if you’ve ever wondered, “Will Allah forgive me for watching bad things?”, know that the door to repentance is always open. Quickly seek Allah’s forgiveness and follow up the bad deed with a good one.
Can Minor Sins Become Major Ones?
Imam Al-Ghazali notes that pride and pleasure in minor sins can lead people to engage in major sins. Major sins are often preceded by minor ones. We are discouraged from discussing even our minor sins because keeping them a secret gives us the opportunity to repent and protects others from the harm that comes with publicizing and normalizing one’s sins.
How Do I Ask Allah for Forgiveness for Major Sins?
There are four key steps to repentance, which can be remembered through the four ‘R’s: Remorse, Repent, Resolve, and Repair.
Remorse: Feeling guilty is a sign of faith in your heart. Immediately follow up your misdeed with regret and remorse towards Allah.
Repent: Sincerely seek forgiveness by verbalizing ‘astaghfirullah,’ which means, “I seek forgiveness from Allah.”
Resolve: Commit to never committing the sin again.
Repair: If the sin involved wronging someone, make reparations by seeking their forgiveness and compensating them if possible.
What If I Repeat a Sin Again?
One of Shaytan’s tricks is to discourage people from repenting. Shaytan knows Allah forgives often, so he whispers doubts like, “You’re going to do it again anyway,” or “You’re repenting again? You think Allah will forgive you?” But we should never doubt Allah’s forgiveness.
Will Allah Actually Forgive Me?
While we won’t know for sure if Allah has forgiven us until we meet Him on the Day of Judgment, we must constantly pray for His mercy. What we do now is that Allah is al-Ghafur (The Forgiving). The Prophet ﷺ said, “When Allah completed the creation, He wrote in His book with Him upon the Throne: Verily, My mercy prevails over My wrath” [Sahih al-Bukhari #3194]. So, we can be hopeful that no matter what sin we’ve committed, if we sincerely turn back to Allah, He will shower us with His forgiveness.
Is There a Du’a I Can Make to Erase All Sins?
The Prophet ﷺ taught us a very important du’a for seeking forgiveness from Allah, often called sayyidul istighfar (the Best dua’s for Seeking Forgiveness):
“O Allah, You are my Lord. None has the right to be worshiped but You. You created me and I am Your servant. I am committed to Your covenant and promise, as much as I can. I seek refuge with You from the evil I have done. I acknowledge all the blessings You have bestowed upon me, and I confess to You all my sins. So, forgive me, for indeed, no one forgives sins but You.”
Allahumma anta rabbi la ilaha illa anta, khalaqtani wa ana abduka, wa ana ala ahdika wa wa’dika mastata’tu. A’udhu bika min sharri ma sana’tu, abu’u laka bini’matika ‘alayya, wa abu’u bidhanbi faghfirli fa-innahu la yaghfiru adh-dhunuba illa anta.
The Prophet ﷺ added, “If somebody recites this du’a during the day with firm faith in it and dies on the same day before the evening, he will be from the people of Paradise; and if somebody recites it at night with firm faith in it and dies before the morning, he will be from the people of Paradise” [Sahih al-Bukhari #6306].
Seeking Forgiveness is Part of Our Religion
Allah made us human and knows that we will make mistakes. Hope in Allah is at the heart of the Qur’an and Sunnah. Never give up hope because Allah loves to forgive. The core of our faith is to believe that He will forgive us, no matter how much we struggle to overcome our sins. The more we sincerely try, the greater our status is in the sight of Allah. If you want to learn more about the topic of repentance, read the paper, “Repentance as a Way of Life: Islam, Spirituality, & Practice.”
ALLAH’s messages to us mentioned in the QURAN
“…My mercy encompasses all things.” So I will decree it [especially] for those who fear Me and give zakah and those who believe in Our verses”
[Quran 7:156]
“Ask forgiveness from your Lord; for He is Oft-Forgiving”
[Quran 71:10]
Here are some examples you can take from the sunnah of the Prophet Mohamed (peace be upon him) regarding asking for forgiveness. You can utilize these as much as you like and know it is an act of worship to be emulating the sunnah so this is goodness for seeking forgiveness and goodness in your action.
“Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar:
We counted that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would say a hundred times during a meeting: “My Lord, forgive me and pardon me; Thou art the Pardoning and forgiving One”
[Sunan Abi Dawud]
During your five obligatory prayers, you can also ask for forgiveness during duaas at the end of your prayer.
Take your time in prayer, do not rush yourself, concentrate and allow your heart to embrace all of it.
10 Steps to Seek Forgiveness & Repent
1. Realize the Seriousness of Sin
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “When a person commits a sin, a black dot appears on their heart. If they stop, seek forgiveness, and repent, their heart is polished clean. But if they sin again, it increases until it covers their heart. This is the ‘rān’ (rust) mentioned in the Quran: ‘No indeed! What they have been doing has rusted their hearts (83:14).’” (Tirmidhī)
2. Do Not Belittle Any Sin
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ warned: “Beware of sins considered insignificant, for they accumulate until they destroy a person.” (Ahmad)
‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) said: “The believer sees his sin as a mountain looming over him, fearing it will collapse. The sinner sees his sin as a fly he can easily swat away.”
Bilāl ibn Sa’īd raḥimahullāh said: “Do not view any sin as trivial. Instead, consider the greatness of the One you disobeyed.”
3. Cease Sinning and Resolve Never to Return
Al-Fudhayl (raḥimahullāh) stated: “Asking for forgiveness without abandoning sin is the repentance of liars.”
4. Feel Regret and Weep Over Your Sins
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Regret is repentance.” (Ibn Mājah)
Ibn Rajab raḥimahullāh advised: “Your hearts are pure, but sin has stained them. Cleanse them with tears of repentance.”
Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh) observed: “The pleasure of sinning is more harmful than the sin itself. A believer feels remorse, not joy, over their sins. If joy overcomes remorse, it is a sign of a dead heart.”
To remedy this:
– Fear dying in a state of sin before repenting.
– Regret the disobedience to Allah.
– Work hard to atone and avoid the sin in the future.
5. Perform Wudhū and Pray Two Rak‘ahs
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “When a servant commits a sin, performs wudhū well, prays two rak‘ahs, and asks Allah for forgiveness, Allah forgives them.” (Abū Dāwūd)
6. Follow Bad Deeds with Good Deeds & Make Amends
Allah says: “Indeed, good deeds erase bad deeds.” (11:114)
If you’ve wronged someone, seek their forgiveness or supplication for them.
7. Seek Forgiveness During the Best Times
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Our Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven when one-third of the night remains and says: ‘Who will call upon Me, that I may answer him? Who will ask of Me, that I may give him? Who will seek My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?’” (Bukhārī)
8. Seek Forgiveness in the Best Manner
Refer to Sayyid al-Istighfār for the most effective way to seek forgiveness.
9. Make Repentance a Habit
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever wants to be pleased with his scroll of deeds should increase in seeking forgiveness.” (Tabarānī)
Ibn al-Qayyim raḥimahullāh explained: “Tawbah is essential at the beginning, middle, and end of a believer’s journey. A servant seeking Allah’s pleasure never abandons tawbah and remains in it until death.”
Allah says: “Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and those who purify themselves.” (2:222)
10. Seek Forgiveness for Others
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever seeks forgiveness for every male and female believer, Allah will record a good deed for them for every male and female believer.” (Tabarānī)
Final Thoughts
Moving forward continue to make duaa and increase your acts of worship.
Take your time in duaa and dhikr and reflect on the mercy of Allah (swt). Here is a summary of your next steps.
- Ask for forgiveness sincerely from your heart
- Make the intention to not repeat any acts you are seeking forgiveness for
- Consider using some of the listed duaas , don’t forget you do not have to do this formally
- Continue to make duaa
May Allah (swt) forgive you of all sins, accept all of your good and continue to guide you down a good path, ameen.
Conclusion
Seeking forgiveness opens the doors to Allah’s boundless mercy. As humans, we may falter, but the path of repentance allows us to correct our mistakes and draw closer to our Creator. By incorporating powerful duas for forgiveness into our daily lives, we strengthen our relationship with Allah. Never lose hope in His mercy, as highlighted in the Quran and Sunnah. Your sincere dua for forgiveness will be accepted, Insha’Alla
