What must be done after repenting?

Dear Islamic brothers! When a person has repented of his sins, the first thing he should do is obtain information about sins by any means so that he could avoid committing sins in future. For this, it is very effective to study the published books of Maktaba-tul-Madinah, the publishing department of Dawat-e-Islami, namely ‘Ihya-ul-‘Uloom’, ‘Minhaj-ul-‘Aabideen’, ‘Mukashafa-tul-Quloob’ and ‘Jahannam mayn Lay Jaanay walay A’maal’ [Deeds Leading to Hell] (volume 1, 2). Then avoid these sins completely and try to avoid those things that lead towards sins.

In addition to this, he should perform good deeds abundantly as the Noor of good deeds overpowers the darkness of sins. Pointing towards this, the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said: ‘اِتَّبِعِ السَّيِّئَةَ الۡحَسَنَةَ تَمۡحُهَا’ Perform a good deed, after committing a sin (in error), it will erase it.

(Al-Musnad Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal, vol. 8, pp. 92, Raqm 21460)

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It is stated in another blessed Hadees, ‘The example of the person who was first occupied with evils, then started performing good deeds is like the one who is clothed in tight armour due to which his neck is being strangled. Then he performs a good deed, so a ring of this armour gets undone. Then if he performs a second good deed, so the second ring gets undone (and then as he continues to perform good deeds), until the tight armour opens and falls down to the ground.’ (Al-Mu’jam-ul-Kabeer, vol. 17, pp. 248, Raqm 783)

کر کے توبہ میں پھر گناہوں میں ہو ہی جاتا ہوں مُبتلا یا ربّ

   طالبِ مغفرت ہوں یا الله                        بخش حیدر کا واسطہ یا ربّ

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب       صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد