Allah’s Command to people to repent for what they did

Allah the Almighty, said: Allah accepts only the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and foolishness and repent soon afterwards. [4:17]Allah says:Then, verily! Your Lord, for those who do evil in ignorance and afterward repent and do righteous deeds, verily, your Lord thereafter, (to such) is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. [16:119]Thus although the companions and those who followed them say: "Each disobedient person is an ignorant person,” as has been explained in another place, this saying includes those who know it was unlawful as well.This is a proof that one is a doer of an evil deed, even though he did not hear the address that clarifies the prohibited action. If he repents of it, Allah the Almighty forgives him and has mercy on him. He does not deserve punishment except after the address has been conveyed and the proof established.If repentance and asking for forgiveness are for abandoning obligations, and for the action which one commits not knowing it is a sin while committing it, then this clarifies the many things that repentance and seeking forgiveness would cover. When repentance and asking for forgiveness are mentioned before many people, they recall the disgraceful deeds they have done. Common knowledge tells them that such acts are disgraceful, like immoral behavior and open oppression.As for following religion without knowing it is sinful - with the exception of those who are aware of their falsehood like the religions (creeds) of the polytheists, and the distorted beliefs of the people of the Book - then repentance and asking for forgiveness in such cases is obligatory, even though their followers think that they follow guidance. The same applies to the innovators.This is why a group of predecessors - Ath-Thawri is one of them - said: Innovation is dearer to Iblis than disobedience. Because one repents from the act of disobedience and it is liable to be forgiven; while the innovator does not repent.This is the meaning of what has been narrated by a group: Allah the Almighty has withheld repentance from each innovator. Meaning that the innovator will not repent for it, because he thinks that he is following guidance. But if he repents, Allah the Almighty accepts his repentance as He accepts the repentance of the disbeliever.Whoever says that Allah will not accept the repentance of an innovator at all, he is severely mistaken. As for what is said that: Allah the Almighty does not allow the innovator to repent. It means that as long as he adheres to what he innovated and sees it as good, then he does not repent from it (thinking that he is guided). But if Allah, the Almighty, shows him its evil, (and he repented from it), Allah, the Almighty will accept his repentance in the same way as when the disbeliever sees that he is in error. It is well known that many of those who were innovating in the religion of Allah the Almighty came to know that they were in manifest error and repented from it, and Allah accepted their repentance. None knows their true number but Allah.When Ibn Abbaas (radiallahu ‘anhu) went to the Khawaarij to debate with them, about half or more of them repented. Such a portion of people who do not know the evil they commit represent a large number of people of the Qiblah, and the number is even greater among other people.So there are a great many cases of people abandoning what is obligatory, while they do not know that it is obligatory. Then when one comes to know that what he abandoned was something good, part of faith and Tawheed, that it is something for which he was commanded to repent and ask for forgiveness, as he repents for what he had done of evil deeds, (he would repent and ask for forgiveness).Thus, the repentant repents for what he had abandoned, missed, and neglected of the rights of Allah, the Almighty, just as he repents from what he committed of evil deeds; even if he committed this or abandoned that before the Message reached him. Once the Message reaches him, punishment for abandoning and committing becomes due. As for him being a doer of blameworthy deeds, and abandoning good deeds for which one would be blameworthy, he is still considered repentant as previously clarified; where we mentioned the two views, the view of those who negated the blame and punishment and the view of those who affirmed both the blame and the punishment.If it is said: "If it is not punishable, it is not disgraceful.” Then the reply can be from two views.1. It is a cause for punishment, but this depends upon a condition, and that condition is the proof. Allah, the Almighty says:And you were on the brink of a pit of fire, and He saved you from it. [3:103]If He did not rescue them they would have fallen. Whoever stands at the brink of the fire, then his destruction depends upon falling into it. The case differs if one is far from the brink, because he is far away from perishing. Thus, those people were close to destruction and torment.2. They are blameworthy, deficient, and hold a lower position because of this. If it is preordained for them not to be punished, they do not deserve what the safe person deserves of dignity and reward. This is a good punishment in the form of depriving them of good, and it is one of the two forms of punishment.It is known that everyone who misses a desirable action, misses its reward; but there is a difference between what he misses because he could not obtain it, and what he neglects which he already had. This falls under the category of the sins for which one is not punished.As for the one whom a Messenger was not sent to during his life, there are some narrations that Messengers will be sent to them at the gathering places on the Day of Judgment, as explained elsewhere.People disputed about obligation and prohibition. Can these be realised without punishment for abandonment?Here are the two views:1. It cannot be achieved; since if it is not punished for, it is as if it were allowed.2. It can be achieved; since one can be blamed even though he is not punished.[Excerpted from the book Seeking Forgiveness by Taqiuddin Ahmed ‘Abdul-Halim]