Page 56 - Why Do You Deceive Yourself ?

54 WHY DO YOU DECEIVE YOURSELF?

self will be paid in full for what it earned. They will not be
wronged. (Surat al-Baqara: 281)
However, we should point out that naturally, any person can
make mistakes during his life and may feel remorse for the wrong
things he has done and the mistakes he has made because man is
prone to error. Nobody can claim to be perfect. Because of this, while
he is in the world a person can repent to Allah in order to be forgiven.
Until death, Allah allows everybody the opportunity for repentance;
but the Qur'an tells us what kind of repentance is sincere and will be

accepted. In the following verses, Allah tells us that sincerity is a con-
dition of repentance:
Allah only accepts the repentance of those who do evil in ig-
norance and then quickly repent after doing it. Allah turns
towards such people. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. There
is no repentance for people who persist in doing evil until
death comes to them and who then say, "Now I repent," nor
for people who die unbelievers. We have prepared for them a
painful punishment. (Surat an-Nisa': 17-18)
Since this is the case, when a person falls into error he should not
regard it as unimportant and think, "Never mind, I'll be forgiven any-
way," he should sincerely turn towards our Lord and repent his mis-
take with the determination to put it right. What is important is for a
person to be a sincere and honest servant of Allah. Only in this way

can he hope for Allah's forgiveness. Those who do not take refuge in
Allah and do not ask for forgiveness, who think that Allah will for-
give them anyway, will meet with results which they do not at all ex-
pect.
Be careful and do not risk making the mistake, with which Allah
will not be pleased, of thinking that He will forgive you whatever hap-