How Do I Repent from a Sexual Sin Committed in My Youth?

Answered by Shaykh Abdul Rahim Reasat

Question

How do I repent from a sexual sin committed in my youth?

Answer

In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful.

All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all beings, and may peace and blessings be upon our master Muhammad.

This was indeed something serious, but seeing as it was an isolated incident and a number of years ago, you should take it as a moment of folly, and you should repent to Allah Most High.

Repent sincerely, keep asking for forgiveness, and ensure nothing like this happens again. If you need to take active steps to prevent such a desire or situation from recurring, do so.

Yes, you don’t disclose this to your brother, as it would be a betrayal of trust and would only harm your relationship with him and, most likely, your family.

Once again, I must stress that nothing like this should happen again. It leads to a lot of psychological harm to a recipient, and the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, commanded that “No harm should be done and there should be no reciprocal harm.” (Ibn Majah)

Pardon Allah our mistakes and protect us from committing acts that would lead to a difficult situation on the day of judgment. Amin.

[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

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Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began studying Arabic Grammar and Morphology whilst studying for a degree in English and History. After graduating, He traveled to Damascus and studied Arabic, Hanafi Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Theology, and Logic with Shaykh Adnan Darwish, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahman Arjan al-Binsawi, Shaykh Husayn Darwish, Shaykh Muhammad Darwish, the late Shaykh Rashad Shams, and others. He then moved to Amman to continue his studies in those fields, as well as in Tafsir, Quranic Sciences, Hadith Methodology and Commentary, Prophetic Biography, Prophetic Perfections and Traits, Rhetoric, Arabic Literature, and Tajwid. His teachers include Shaykh Ali Hani, Dr. Hamza al-Bakri, Dr Salah Abu al-Hajj, Dr Mansur Abu Zina, Shaykh Ahmad Hasanat, Shaykh Ahmad Jammal, and others.