Page 37 - The Moral Values of the Qur'an

is very truly merciful to His servants and does not
punish them at once for their sins:
“And if Allah were to seize mankind for their wrong-
doing, He would not leave on it (the earth) a single moving
(living) creature, but He postpones them for an appointed
term and when their term comes, neither can they delay nor
can they advance it an hour (or a moment).” (Surat an-
Nahl, 16:61)

By reprieving them, He gives wrongdoers time to
ask for forgiveness and to repent. No matter how
important the sin one commits, one always has the
opportunity to be forgiven if one repents and behaves
righteously:
“When those who believe in Our signs come to you,
Say: ‘Peace be on you: Your Lord has written Mercy for
Himself, so that, if any of you does evil in ignorance,
andthereafter repents, and amends (his conduct), then
surely He is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.’ ” (Surat al-
An‘am, 6:54)
Repentance also includes an appeal for support
and strength from Allah to help the wrongdoers not
to repeat the same misdeeds. The form of repentance
accepted by Allah is one that is followed by good
deeds: “And whoever repents and does good has
truly turned to Allah with an (acceptable)
conversion” (Surat al-Furqan, 25:71)

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