The Hazrat said, “May your mother mourn you!

The Hazrat said, “May your mother mourn you! Do you understand what Istighfar is?” For the word ‘Istighfar’ to be meaningful a person must first undergo a mental reformation. Which means that he is sorry and shameful about the earlier misdeeds, and has resolved to give up sin forever. He must pay the dues (rights) of others so that when he dies he meets his Lord Almighty without others’ having any claim on him. He must perform all the duties obligatory on him without fail.

If his flesh and blood were made up of unlawful earning he should be fearful and worry about the punishments of Hell to such an extent that his body becomes extremely thin and lean and only thereafter it should be rebuilt on lawful food. He must worship Allah (S.w.T.) so much that his body experiences hardships and atones for the unlawful pleasure enjoyed by it. When these conditions are fulfilled, then you should utter Astaghfirullah.

All religious scholars have agreed that Tawba is obligatory for all sins. Muhaqqiq Tusi (r.a.) writes in his Tajrīd al-Kalām and Allamah Hilli (a.r.) writes in its commentary that Tawba is the means of making up for spiritual losses suffered, and wisdom therefore dictates that Tawba is compulsory. Allah Almighty says in Surah Nūr’s verse 31: “And turn to Allah all of you, O believers! so that you may be successful.” He also says in Surah Tahrīm (Ayat:8): “O you who believe!

Turn to Allah a (Tawba of Nasūh) sincere turning; maybe your Lord will remove from you your evil and cause you to enter gardens beneath which rivers flow.” What is Tawba of Nasūh? Allamah Majlisi, in Sharhe Kāfi, quotes the commentators about meaning of Tawbatan Nasūh: To repent purely and piously in the presence of the Lord. Repentance should not merely be due to a desire of Paradise and fear of Hell, it should be due to a feeling of shame and remorse for not obeying Allah’s commands.

Tusi (r.a.) writes in Tajrīd al-Kalam . “It is not Tawba to worry about sins for fear of Hell.” The Tawba should be such that it may serve as a lesson even to others. A person should repent with such sincerity and such persistence that by observing his repentance other sinners may also be inclined towards Tawba. In this way he also becomes a means of guidance for others. Nasīhat (admonition) or advice is like sewing.

So the clothing of religion which was torn into pieces because of sins can be stitched by the threads of Tawba. Such repentant people are also called Awliyaullah (Friends of Allah).