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Repentance shatters anxiety
Haniff
08/17/01 at 02:28:06
Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh Repentance shatters anxiety Describing the believers, God says in the Qur'an: "(The God-fearing are) those who, 'when they have committed a shameful deed or have (otherwise) wronged themselves, remember God and pray that their sins be forgiven' for who but God could forgive sins? They do not knowingly persist in doing whatever (wrong) they may have done." (3: 135) Recent studies in psychology clearly show that the sense of guilt is a major cause of anxiety and depression. A person who is guilt-conscious because he might have unjustifiably wronged someone else is definitely prone to experience anxiety and depression. He may feel that he has been unjust to that person, and such injustice may lead to God being displeased with him. In this situation, anxiety may be the outcome of different factors, one of the most important of which is our inner feeling that "one is bound to reap the fruits of one's actions," and that God may well punish us for what we do to others. Thus a person who does wrong to another feels threatened with God's vengeance. That leads him to anxiety as he worries whether God's punishment would be inflicted on his person, property or family. On the other hand, a person who commits sinful actions experiences an inner fear that he may die before he has properly repented to earn God's forgiveness. Any one of us may suffer the death of a close relative and he feels that he has not done his duty. He may blame himself for not having helped in providing the best medical care for him. Had he done so, that relative might have survived, or so he feels. Thus he considers himself responsible for his death. He may even fear that God is certain to punish him for his failure. That leads to severe anxiety. A sense of guilt may also be the outcome of something a person might have done without knowing if it is permissible or not. He is confused and his confusion causes him anxiety. Guilt-consciousness and its attendant blame a person levels at oneself are two aspects of man's ability to recognize one's mistakes. This ability has been given to us so that we repent of our sins and mistakes, and try to put to right the wrong we have done, and to compensate others for our offenses against them. When a person blames himself, that blame is indication of the goodness of that person. He comes out as one who takes stock of his deeds and acknowledges his mistakes. A person who persists in doing injustice rarely blames himself. He is more likely to overlook his faults and put the blame on others for what his offenses, even though they are the ones to suffer the effects of those offenses. When Adam and Eve realized that they have sinned as they ate of the forbidden tree, they said: "Our Lord! We have sinned against ourselves. Unless You grant us forgiveness and bestow Your mercy upon us, we shall most certainly be lost." (7: 23) But when Iblis disobeyed his Lord, he accused God of having tempted and deluded him. He stubbornly refused to acknowledge his responsibility for what he has perpetrated. He said: "My Lord, since You have left me to fall into error, I shall indeed make all evil on Earth seem goodly to them, and shall most certainly beguile them into grievous error, except such of them as are truly Your servants." (15: 39-40) In another report of the story given in the Qur'an, Iblis says to God: "Now that You have left me to fall into error, I shall most certainly lie in ambush for them all along Your straight path, and shall most certainly fall upon them from between their hands and from behind their backs, and from their right and from their left, and You will find most of them ungrateful." (7: 16-17) A self-blaming soul demonstrates that it takes the right stand, acknowledging the right of others and one's own faults. It does not boast of its mistakes, nor does it stand arrogantly in front of God. Its attitude is one of recognition of the truth, without trying to delude oneself or others. Because of this attitude, God Himself has shown its nobility by swearing by it: "Nay! I swear by the Day of Resurrection, and I swear by the self-reproaching soul." (75: 1-2) But when the reproach one heaps on oneself does not fit the occasion that has given rise to it, or when it is coupled with despair of God's forgiveness, it becomes a psychological disorder which disables man and makes his life one of depression and despair. This is the opposite of what God wants for His servants, although He swears by the self-reproaching soul. Hence, He considers a person who genuinely repents of his sins like one who has not committed a sin. He leaves the door to repentance open until the moment of death. Anas, a companion of the Prophet, reports that he heard God's messenger quote God as saying: "Son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. Son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds in the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. Son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the Earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it."(Related by At-Tirmithi). The Prophet says: "By Him who holds my soul in His hand, if you would not commit sins, God will replace you with people who sin and pray God for forgiveness and He will then forgive them." (Related by Muslim). And God says in the Qur'an: "You, servants of Mine who have transgressed against your own selves! Do not despair of God's mercy. Indeed, God forgives all sins, for, in truth, He alone is much-forgiving, merciful." (39: 53) Everyone of us knows that when one offers the pilgrimage abstaining from lewd speech and all wicked conduct shall go back home with a slate wiped clean of all sin, like a child just born. Whoever fasts in Ramadan for no reason other than being a believer keen to please his Lord shall have all his past sins forgiven. All this shows that there are numerous opportunities offered to a believer to purge himself of sin. When he does that, [color=Green]the light of faith will fill his heart and inner peace and serenity will impart to him a feeling of pure happiness.[/color] [i]By Dr Muhammad Kamal Al-Shareef - Arab News - 17 July 2000[/i] Wassalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh Haniff (with 2 f's)

Re: Repentance shatters anxiety
Asim
08/17/01 at 02:59:49
wlm Br Haniff (with 2 f's :)), just wanted to let you know that I, and I believe all of us, really appreciate you posting these wonderful articles. May Allah reward you for your time and sincere effort to spread knowledge. BTW, do you really type these articles out? Jazaakallahu khayran. I must admit that I haven't read every article but one of these days inshallah I am going to run my printer, read them, and file them for reference. Wasalaam.

Re: Repentance shatters anxiety
Haniff
08/17/01 at 06:43:32
Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh Jazakallahu Khaira for your kind words, Asim. I have sent you a Madina message. Please read it at your leisure. Haniff (with 2 f's)
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