Is saying astaghfurila considered repenting?

Dear Hadi,

Dear Reader,

Thank you for your question.  In Islam, repentance (tawbah) is one of the most important and hopeful concepts — a direct path back to Allah’s mercy no matter how great the sin. The Qur’an, Hadith, and classical scholars lay out specific conditions and principles that make repentance sincere and acceptable.  It involves a bit more than simply saying “astaghfurillah,” but we certainly believe that saying astaghfurillah opens the door of repentance, or begins the process.

Before we get into the underlying principles or conditions, let’s take a look at the importance of repenting for one’s transgressions.  The Quran is replete with commands to the believers to repent such as:

“And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.”
(Surah An-Nur 24:31)

“O you who have believed, repent to Allah with sincere repentance (tawbatan nasūha).”
(Surah At-Tahrim 66:8)

These verses show that repentance is an obligation (fard ‘ayn) on every believer who has committed sin.

“Say, ‘O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.’”
(Surah Az-Zumar 39:53)

“Do they not know that it is Allah who accepts repentance from His servants and receives charities and that it is Allah who is the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful?”
(Surah At-Tawbah 9:104)

Classical scholars, including Imam al-Nawawi, Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, and Imam al-Ghazali, derive the following four key conditions from the Qur’an and Sunnah:

1. Regret (An-Nadam) – Genuine sorrow for committing the sin.
• The Prophet (pbuh) said: “Regret is repentance.”  (Ibn Majah, Hadith 4252)
2. Immediate Cessation (Al-Iqla‘) – Stopping the sin right away.
• Continuing in sin while claiming repentance is hypocrisy.
3. Firm Resolve (Al-‘Azm) – A sincere determination not to return to the sin again.
• Even if one falls again later, the initial repentance was still valid if it was sincere.
4. Restitution (I‘adah al-Huqūq) – If the sin involved the rights of others, the wrong must be rectified.
• For example: returning stolen property, asking forgiveness from someone wronged, or repaying debts.

As we can see from these principles, Islamic scholars believe that sincere repentance involves more than a simple utterance of “astaghfurillah.”  The repentance should involve both sincere regret and reformation of conduct to the best of our abilities.

All of that being said, we stress the most critical point of all.  Allah SWT is Al-Rahman Al-Raheem (the Most Beneficent, Most Merciful).  Thus, it is not up to us, be we lay persons or scholars, to circumscribe Allah’s mercy, and say that repentance will not be accepted unless such and such conditions are fulfilled.  Perhaps if even the smallest tinge of regret or remorse is there along with saying astaghfurillah, that will be accepted, or perhaps simply making the small effort to just say astaghfurillah would indeed be sufficient in the eyes of the Most Merciful.

In peace.