The Beneficial Regret

Bismi Llāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm

“يَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي قَدَّمْتُ لِحَيَاتِي“

(Qur’ān 89:24)

“Yaqūlu Yā Laytanī Qaddamtu Liĥayātī”, “He will say, Oh, I wish I had sent ahead [some good] for my life.” Sadaqa Llāhu l-‘Aẓīm.

Mankind says, “If only I did that” and feels regret about things they didn’t do.

People have two types of regret. Worldly people and everyone; Muslims, those who believe and don’t believe. Mankind says “If only I did this, I would have been in a better place now.” “If only we bought that land 5 years ago, we would have earned so much by now.” “If only we lent money to this man, we would have earned this much.” There are these coins now. They say “If only we bought bitcoins, we’d have so much profit” and feel regret. That regret is useless, because it was not in your fate. You’ve come to your senses now, but then you were thinking about something else.

Mankind must think about it. If you were told to do this and that then, you wouldn’t do it. And then you wish you had done so and so. This is regret for nothing. It has no benefit. Beneficial regret is wishing, “If only we weren’t busy with Dunya so much. If only we worshipped more. If only we didn’t miss our prayers and fasting.” If you feel regret about these, that is the beneficial regret. If you regret not doing things that were ordered by Allah ﷻ, or regret doing bad things, Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla will forgive you. If you repent and ask for forgiveness, He ﷻ will forgive you. That will bring benefit.

Otherwise, if you regret not doing this and that regarding Dunya, what will it do to you? It will make you worse and devastated. You will keep wishing “Akh! If only we did that as well. Look how much this man has earned.” You may regret as much as you want. That thing will not return. As we said, what will return is regretting doing bad things, asking for forgiveness from a person if you’ve taken his right. If you have no right of others, Allah ﷻ will forgive you. Ask for forgiveness from Allah ﷻ for the sins you’ve committed. That will have benefit. They will be erased, and Thawab will be written instead.

This is a mercy and grace shown to people by Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla in this world. Clever people will pay attention to this and will not upset themselves for Dunya and things that didn’t work out. They say it is over. Our late Uncle Ahmet used to say “The market in Bor is over, drive the donkey to Niğde.” The market here is gone, go to another market and earn from there. But there is always a chance for Akhirah. Therefore, regret and ask for forgiveness from Allah ﷻ, and Allah ﷻ will forgive you. May Allah ﷻ forgive us all insha’Allah. Wa min Allah at-Tawfiq.

Al-Fatiha.

• Mawlana Sheikh Muhammad Adil ar-Rabbani 

13 January 2025/ 13 Rajab 1446

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