From `Abdul `Aziz Bin `Abdullah Ibn Baz to the honorable (...). May Allah protect you from the Satanic temptations and guide you to what sets your religion and life right! May peace and Allah's Mercy and Blessings be upon you!
I have received your letter concerning some things that you committed but you are unaware of their ruling and fear their consequences. It is worth mentioning that we asked you previously on 12/7/1390 A.H. to come but this was not possible. However, we are going to answer the questions mentioned in your letter, if Allah wills.
Q: You asked that you may abandon Salah at times and that you many times resolved to repent to Allah from this but you went back on your decision. You said that this leniency caused you to abandon other Pillars of Islam. Then, you stated that you have made up your mind to truthfully return to Allah in repentance and to give up all evil deeds. You also ask whether you will be among those whom Allah accepts their repentance or those whom Allah says about them, Verily, those who believe, then disbelieve, then believe (again), and (again) disbelieve, and go on increasing in disbelief; Allâh will not forgive them You also put forth the question that whether it is a condition of repentance to say the two declaration of faith aloud in front of a scholar, perform Ghusl (ritual bath), offer two Raka`ahs (units of Salah), and so on?
Verily, those who believe, then disbelieve, then believe (again), and (again) disbelieve, and go on increasing in disbelief; Allâh will not forgive them
A: Allah (Glorified be He) says in His Glorious Book that He accepts the penitence of His Slaves regardless of the wrongdoings they committed. He (Exalted be He) says, Say: "O 'Ibâdî (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allâh: verily, Allâh forgives all sins. Truly He is OftForgiving, Most Merciful. Scholars agreed that this Ayah (Qur'anic Verse) was revealed concerning penitent people. It means that Allah (Exalted be He) may forgive all the sins, if the person is truthful in his repentance which is fulfilled by regretting the sins he committed, abstaining from committing bad deeds, and being determined not to recommit them. If someone observes these things, they are truthful in their repentance.
Say: "O 'Ibâdî (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allâh: verily, Allâh forgives all sins. Truly He is OftForgiving, Most Merciful.
Moreover, the Ayah forbids evildoers to despair of Allah's Mercy no matter how grave and multiple their sins might be, as Allah's Mercy is wider and His Forgiveness is greater. Allah (Exalted be He) says,
And He it is Who accepts repentance from His slaves, and forgives sins, and He knows what you do.
Will they not turn with repentance to Allâh and ask His Forgiveness? For Allâh is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Islam wipes out all that has gone before it and penitence, also, wipes out all that has been done before it (of misdeeds).
You should abandon all sins, resolve not to repeat them again, and regret the sins you committed in the past. You should do so with a sincere intention to Allah, glorification of Him, caution from His punishment and thinking well of Him (Glorified be He). It is authentically reported that Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) says, "I am as My Slave would think of Me and I am in favor of Him whenever he supplicates Me." The Prophet (may Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon him) also says in another report: Let none of you die without thinking well of Allah. In the light of this, you should fear Allah (Exalted be He), be pleased with your Lord and repent to Him in order to please Him and humiliate Satan. I would like to say to you that Allah will accept your repentance and forgive your past misdeeds, if you are sincere, for He (glory be to Him) is the AllMerciful and His Promise never fails.
Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) says, "I am as My Slave would think of Me and I am in favor of Him whenever he supplicates Me."
Let none of you die without thinking well of Allah.
Saying the declaration of faith in front of a scholar is not among the conditions of repentance. Rather, repentance is fulfilled through admitting the wrongdoings and abandoning all evil deeds. To explain, if the problem is abandoning Salah (prayer), penitence is done through returning to Salah, regretting the past negligence and intending never to do so again and you are not asked to make up for the Salahs you did not perform according to the principle that repentance wipes out what was done before it. Similarly, if you did not say the two declarations of faith or doubted whether you have said them or not, repentance from this is carried out through saying them even if you are alone. So you say, "I testify that there is no one worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is Allah's Messenger," with sincerity in firm belief that the only Lord is Allah (Exalted be He), Who has no partner, and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is Allah's Slave and Messenger to the Jinn and mankind; whoever of them obeys him will enter Paradise and who disobeys will enter Hell.
I testify that there is no one worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is Allah's Messenger