Qabul al-Tawba
Definition
Qabul al-tawba — the acceptance of repentance — refers to the divine act of receiving the servant's return and wiping the sin from the record. Al-Ghazali grounds this in God's own name Al-Tawwab, 'The Ever-Accepting of Repentance,' which appears repeatedly in the Quran. He teaches that God's acceptance of sincere repentance is not a possibility but a certainty — divine generosity is such that no sincere tawba goes unanswered, regardless of how great the sin or how long it was sustained. The signs of acceptance are inward: a settled softness in the heart, a new sensitivity to wrongdoing, a grief that does not fade, and a changed orientation toward life that makes the person nearly unrecognizable to their former self.
As understood in the classical tradition of Imam al-Ghazali and the scholars of his school.
How the scholars use Qabul al-Tawba.
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"Hence, this much suffices to demonstrate that every sincere repentance is inevitably accepted. Principle: If you say, 'Do you claim, as the Mu'tazilah do, that acceptance of repentance is obligatory upon Allah? I say: I do not mean that acceptance of repentance is obligatory upon Allah except in the sense that when a garment is washed with soap, the dirt must be removed, and when a thirsty person drinks water, thirst must be relieved, and when water is withheld for a period, thirst must ensue, and if thirst persists, death must follow."
— Imam al-Ghazali, Book 31: The Book of Repentance
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"They point out that اللّٰه has linked the acceptance of repentance to seeking forgiveness and not persisting in sin, rather than to not returning to it. اللّٰه says, "And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves, remember اللّٰه and seek forgiveness for their sins—and who can forgive sins except اللّٰه?—and do not persist in what they have done while they know." Persistence is the heart's resolve to commit the sin whenever the opportunity arises, and this is what prevents forgiveness."
— Ibn al-Qayyim, Volume One
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"The name "The Forbearing" is evident from His patience with sinners and the disobedient. The names "The Forgiving" and "The Acceptor of Repentance" are evident from the forgiveness of sins and acceptance of repentance. The evidence of His name "The Wise" is apparent from the wisdom in His creation and command. Every name from His beautiful names has evidence in His creation and command, recognized by those who know."
— Ibn al-Qayyim, Volume Three
Appears in
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