Regret and Repent in Dunyā

Bismi Llāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm:

“يَا لَيْتَنِي كُنتُ مَعَهُمْ فَأَفُوزَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا”

(Qur’an 04:73)

“Yā Laytanī Kuntu Maahum Fa’afūza Fawzāan Ažīmāan”

“Oh, I wish I had been with them so I could have attained a great attainment.” Ṣadaqa Llāhu l-‘Aẓīm.

Sometimes time would be too late for regret. But while alive, if people regret and repent for what they’ve done, Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla has promised them good things.

This Ayah Karīmah mentions how in ākhirah they will say, “I wish I was with them so that I could have attained a great attainment.” Ākhirah is a place where regret and feeling regretful is of no use. Regret as much as you want in ākhirah, it is of no use. If you regret while breathing in dunyā, that regret will benefit you. Nothing will benefit you in ākhirah. Be regretful as much as you want, it’s useless. If you regret while in dunyā, you will have won. If you regret the badness you’ve done and repent to Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla, it will benefit you.

But there are some regrets that are regrets for the sake of dunyā. They are of no use anyway. If they say, “If I had done this. If I had hit that. If I had beaten that. If I had worked that. If I had done that,” it’s of no benefit. Because it will not bring you any benefit. It also won’t bring you harm because you didn’t do it. It would even be better. If you regret the evil you didn’t do, even if it doesn’t benefit you, it won’t harm you. Because Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla gives rewards for the good deeds done. Even if it is his intention to do good, there is reward for it. But if he doesn’t do evil, if he says “I wish I had done it”, he won’t be written anything either. Because Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla writes what is done.

While people are living in dunyā, some say, “Wherever we go, no one is fasting. Everywhere there are people eating, drinking and so on.” Don’t care about it. They are the ones who will regret it. Allāh ﷻ gives you spiritual food, He ﷻ gives you spiritual beauty, He ﷻ gives you spiritual goodness. What these people are eating from food, junk food and so is poison for them; especially during Ramaḍān. We say, may Allāh ﷻ improve them.

In old times, our Armenian, Christian, Greek neighbors didn’t even do that because we were fasting in Ramaḍān. Now, may Allāh ﷻ improve them, those who claim they are Muslims are eating. It is harmful to them. It is not good. Everything they eat is ḥarām. Every bite is poison to their bodies. May Allāh ﷻ protect us.

Therefore, if they regret and come to the way, all will be forgiven. Their regret will be forgiven. But a person who does that and thinks he has benefited has gained no benefit. Harm is upon him. The harm is upon him, not upon others. Nothing will happen to others. The biggest harm the ego does is to itself. May Allāh ﷻ protect us. May Allāh ﷻ improve them, and may He ﷻ guide them.

As we said, the spiritual food that Allāh ﷻ has given you who are fasting is better. It is a cure, a beauty and peace for people, in shā’a Llāh. May Allāh ﷻ make it perpetual upon us. May this Ramaḍān of ours be blessed. Wa min Allah at-Tawfiq. Al-Fatiha.

Al-Fatiha.

• Mawlana Sheikh Muhammad Adil ar-Rabbani 

8 March 2025/ 8 Ramadhan 1446

Fajr Prayer – Akbaba Dergah, Istanbul