Should I Repent If Only My Intention Was Sinful?

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question

If I did something thinking it was sinful but it wasn’t, should I repent for the act itself or for the intention of sinning?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

If one believed an action to be sinful and then intentionally did said action, one must repent for that intention. This applies even if one later on discovers that said action was permissible.

This is another reason why it is obligatory to know the legal ruling of every issue that one intends to delve into before doing so. Imam Bukhari strategically chapters a section in his Sahih hadith collection (Sahih al-Bukhari):

“The Chapter of Knowledge Before Speech or Action.”

Related

• How Can a Muslim Ensure Their Intentions Are Sincere?
• Is Repentance Due if One Intentionally Tries to Inflict an Evil Eye on Someone?
• 113- Does seeking reward affect the sincerity of one’s intentions? – Islam FAQ- Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Hope this helps
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he went on to study at Darul Uloom Seminary in New York and completed his studies at Darul Mustafa in Tarim, Yemen.

There, he completed the memorization of the Quran and his study of Islamic Sciences. Throughout his years of study, he was blessed to learn from many great scholars: Habib Umar bin Hafiz, Habib Kazhim al-Saqqaf, Shaykh ‘Umar bin Husayn al-Khatib, and others.

Upon returning, he joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.