Repentance and Seeking Forgiveness — In the Light of the Qur’an

فَتَلَقّٰۤى اٰدَمُ مِنْ رَّبِّهٖ كَلِمٰتٍ فَتَابَ عَلَیْهِؕ-اِنَّهٗ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِیْمُ۝
Transliteration: Fatalaqqā Ādamu min rabbihī kalimātin fatāba ‘alayh, innahū huwa al-tawwābu al-raḥīm
Translation: “Then Adam (peace be upon him) received certain words from his Lord, and He accepted his repentance. Indeed, He is the Most Accepting of repentance, the Most Merciful.” (البقرہ ۔ ۳۷)

اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِيۡنَ وَيُحِبُّ الۡمُتَطَهِّرِيۡنَ۝
Transliteration: Inna Allāha yuḥibbu al-tawwābīn wa yuḥibbu al-muṭaṭahhirīn
Translation: “Indeed, Allah loves those who repent and loves those who purify themselves.” (البقرہ ۔ ۲۲۲)

فَمَنۡ تَابَ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ ظُلۡمِهٖ وَاَصۡلَحَ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَتُوۡبُ عَلَيۡهِ‌ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ غَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِيۡمٌ۝
Transliteration: Faman tāba min ba‘di ẓulmihī wa aṣlaḥa fa inna Allāha yatūbu ‘alayh, inna Allāha ghafūrur raḥīm
Translation: “Whoever repents after his wrongdoing and reforms, then indeed Allah will accept his repentance. Surely Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (المائدہ ۔ ۳۹)

وَاِذَا جَآءَكَ الَّذِيۡنَ يُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِاٰيٰتِنَا فَقُلۡ سَلٰمٌ عَلَيۡكُمۡ كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمۡ عَلٰى نَفۡسِهِ الرَّحۡمَةَ ۙ اَنَّهٗ مَنۡ عَمِلَ مِنۡكُمۡ سُوۡٓءًۢا بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ تَابَ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِهٖ وَاَصۡلَحَ فَاَنَّهٗ غَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِيۡمٌ۝
Transliteration: Wa idhā jā’aka alladhīna yu’minūna bi āyātinā fa qul salāmun ‘alaykum, kataba rabbukum ‘alā nafsihir raḥmah, annahū man ‘amila minkum sū’an bijahālatin thumma tāba min ba‘dihī wa aṣlaḥa fa annahū ghafūrur raḥīm
Translation: “And when those come to you who believe in Our verses, say: ‘Peace be upon you. Your Lord has prescribed mercy upon Himself: whoever among you does wrong out of ignorance and then repents thereafter and reforms, then indeed He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.’” (الانعام ۔ ۵۴)

اِنَّمَا التَّوۡبَةُ عَلَى اللّٰهِ لِلَّذِيۡنَ يَعۡمَلُوۡنَ السُّوۡٓءَ بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ يَتُوۡبُوۡنَ مِنۡ قَرِيۡبٍ فَاُولٰٓٮِٕكَ يَتُوۡبُ اللّٰهُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ‌ ؕ وَكَانَ اللّٰهُ عَلِيۡمًا حَكِيۡمًا۝
Transliteration: Innamā al-tawbatu ‘alā Allāhi lilladhīna ya‘malūna al-sū’a bijahālatin thumma yatūbūna min qarīb fa ulā’ika yatūbu Allāhu ‘alayhim, wa kāna Allāhu ‘alīman ḥakīmā
Translation: “Indeed, repentance accepted by Allah is only for those who commit evil in ignorance and then repent soon after; it is they to whom Allah turns in mercy. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.” (النساء ۔ ۱۷)

وَلَيۡسَتِ التَّوۡبَةُ لِلَّذِيۡنَ يَعۡمَلُوۡنَ السَّيِّاٰتِ حَتّٰٓى اِذَا حَضَرَ اَحَدَهُمُ الۡمَوۡتُ قَالَ اِنِّىۡ تُبۡتُ الۡـٰٔنَ وَلَا الَّذِيۡنَ يَمُوۡتُوۡنَ وَهُمۡ كُفَّارٌ‌ ؕ اُولٰٓٮِٕكَ اَعۡتَدۡنَا لَهُمۡ عَذَابًا اَلِيۡمًا۝
Transliteration: Wa laisati al-tawbatu lilladhīna ya‘malūna al-sayyi’āti ḥattā idhā ḥaḍara aḥadahumu al-mawtu qāla innī tubtu al-ān wa lā alladhīna yamūtūna wa hum kuffār, ulā’ika a‘tadnā lahum ‘adhāban alīmā
Translation: “Repentance is not for those who continue doing evil deeds until death comes to one of them and he says: ‘Now I repent,’ nor for those who die while they are disbelievers. For them We have prepared a painful punishment.” (النساء ۔ ۱۸)

وَالَّذِيۡنَ عَمِلُوا السَّيِّاٰتِ ثُمَّ تَابُوۡا مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِهَا وَاٰمَنُوۡٓا اِنَّ رَبَّكَ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِهَا لَغَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِيۡمٌ۝
Transliteration: Walladhīna ‘amilū al-sayyi’āti thumma tābū min ba‘dihā wa āmanū inna rabbaka min ba‘dihā laghafūrur raḥīm
Translation: “And those who committed evil deeds and then repented afterward and believed—indeed, your Lord thereafter is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (الاعراف ۔ ۱۵۳)

اَلَمۡ يَعۡلَمُوۡٓا اَنَّ اللّٰهَ هُوَ يَقۡبَلُ التَّوۡبَةَ عَنۡ عِبَادِهٖ وَيَاۡخُذُ الصَّدَقٰتِ وَاَنَّ اللّٰهَ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيۡمُ۝
Transliteration: Alam ya‘lamū anna Allāha huwa yaqbal al-tawbata ‘an ‘ibādihī wa ya’khudhu al-ṣadaqāt, wa anna Allāha huwa al-tawwābur raḥīm
Translation: “Do they not know that it is Allah who accepts repentance from His servants and receives charities, and that Allah is the Most Accepting of repentance, the Most Merciful?” (التوبہ ۔ ۱۰۴)

ثُمَّ اِنَّ رَبَّكَ لِلَّذِيۡنَ عَمِلُوا السُّوۡٓءَ بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ تَابُوۡا مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ ذٰلِكَ وَاَصۡلَحُوۡٓا اِنَّ رَبَّكَ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِهَا لَغَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِيۡمٌ۝
Transliteration: Thumma inna rabbaka lilladhīna ‘amilū al-sū’a bijahālatin thumma tābū min ba‘di dhālika wa aṣlaḥū inna rabbaka min ba‘dihā laghafūrur raḥīm
Translation: “Then indeed, your Lord—for those who committed evil in ignorance and afterward repented and reformed—surely your Lord thereafter is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (النحل ۔ ۱۱۹)

وَاِنِّىۡ لَغَفَّارٌ لِّمَنۡ تَابَ وَاٰمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا ثُمَّ اهۡتَدٰى۝
Transliteration: Wa innī laghaffārun liman tāba wa āmana wa ‘amila ṣāliḥan thumma ihtadā
Translation: “And indeed, I am Most Forgiving for the one who repents, believes, does righteous deeds, and then remains steadfast upon guidance.” (طہ ۔ ۸۲)

فَاعۡلَمۡ اَنَّهٗ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَاسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لِذَنۡۢبِكَ وَلِلۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ وَالۡمُؤۡمِنٰتِ‌ ؕ وَاللّٰهُ يَعۡلَمُ مُتَقَلَّبَكُمۡ وَمَثۡوٰٮكُمۡ۝
Transliteration: Fa‘lam annahū lā ilāha illā Allāh wastaghfir lidhanbika walilmu’minīna walmu’mināt, wallāhu ya‘lamu mutaqallabakum wa mathwākum
Translation: “So know that there is no deity except Allah, and seek forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and believing women. And Allah knows your movements and your resting place.” (محمد ۔ ۱۹)

يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا تُوۡبُوۡۤا اِلَى اللّٰهِ تَوۡبَةً نَّصُوۡحًا‌ ؕ عَسٰى رَبُّكُمۡ اَنۡ يُّكَفِّرَ عَنۡكُمۡ سَيِّاٰتِكُمۡ وَيُدۡخِلَكُمۡ جَنّٰتٍ تَجۡرِىۡ مِنۡ تَحۡتِهَا الۡاَنۡهٰرُ يَوۡمَ لَا يُخۡزِى اللّٰهُ النَّبِىَّ وَالَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا مَعَهٗ‌ ۚ نُوۡرُهُمۡ يَسۡعٰى بَيۡنَ اَيۡدِيۡهِمۡ وَبِاَيۡمَانِهِمۡ يَقُوۡلُوۡنَ رَبَّنَاۤ اَتۡمِمۡ لَنَا نُوۡرَنَا وَاغۡفِرۡ لَنَا‌ ۚ اِنَّكَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ قَدِيۡرٌ۝
Transliteration: Yā ayyuhā alladhīna āmanū tūbū ilā Allāhi tawbatan naṣūḥā, ‘asā rabbukum an yukaffira ‘ankum sayyi’ātikum wa yudkhilakum jannātin tajrī min taḥtihā al-anhār, yawma lā yukhzī Allāhu al-nabiyya wa alladhīna āmanū ma‘ah, nūruhum yas‘ā bayna aydīhim wa bi aymānihim yaqūlūna rabbanā atmim lanā nūranā waghfir lanā, innaka ‘alā kulli shay’in qadīr
Translation: “O believers! Turn to Allah in sincere repentance. It may be that your Lord will remove from you your sins and admit you into gardens beneath which rivers flow—on the Day when Allah will not disgrace the Prophet and those who believed with him. Their light will run before them and on their right; they will say: ‘Our Lord! Perfect for us our light and forgive us. Indeed, You are over all things Powerful.’” (التحریم ۔ ۸)

فَسَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّكَ وَاسۡتَغۡفِرۡهُ‌ ؕ اِنَّهٗ كَانَ تَوَّابًا۝
Transliteration: Fasabbiḥ biḥamdi rabbika wastaghfirh, innahū kāna tawwābā
Translation: “So glorify your Lord with His praise and seek His forgiveness. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance.” (النصر ۔ ۳)

Apart from these, the concept of repentance is mentioned approximately sixty-three times in the Noble Qur’an, which clearly indicates the immense importance of Tawbah.