Is My Repentance Valid If I Cannot Delete the Messages I Sent?

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Question

I fell into grave sin over the past year and created a social media account where I posted vile things. I turned to Allah in repentance and deleted everything I had posted publicly.

But there are haram things I sent in private messages that I can no longer delete, because the account has been suspended. Will I be accountable for those messages? It has left me deeply depressed, and I fear my repentance is not valid and that I am doomed. What can I do now?

Answer

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

You are carrying a heavy fear. I want to reassure you from the start.

Your repentance is valid. It is not waiting for anything else, and it does not depend on deleting those messages.

The Sacred Law does not ask you to do what you cannot. Your repentance was complete when you felt remorse, stopped, and resolved not to return. What remains on a server you cannot reach is not your responsibility.

Allah Accepts Repentance Until the Very Last Breath

The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Allah, Mighty and Majestic, accepts the repentance of the servant so long as he has not begun the death-rattle.” [Tirmidhi, who graded it hasan]

This is the vast mercy of Allah Most High. Reflect on this, and find hope.

And Allah Most High says, “Say, ‘O My servants who have committed excesses against their very selves, despair not of the mercy of Allah: Verily Allah forgives all sins soever: Truly He is the All-forgiving, the All-compassionate.’” [Quran 39:53; Keller, The Quran Beheld] All sins are forgiven. The verse leaves no category outside itself, and it was revealed for someone in your position.

He Is Not Reluctant. He Is Delighted

You wrote that you fear your repentance will not be accepted. Consider how the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) described the One you are repenting to: “Allah is more delighted at the repentance of His servant than one of you who, having lost his mount in a barren land, suddenly finds it again.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

Allah is not seeking reasons to turn you away. He has told us, “I am as My servant thinks of Me.” Think well of Him. Thinking well of Allah is itself worship.

Above His Throne is a writing: “My mercy has outstripped My wrath.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

What You Owe, and What You Do Not

You are responsible for what is within your ability. If the platform allows you to appeal, report, or request removal, do so properly and only once. This is what is asked of you.

You are not responsible for what is beyond your reach. Returning to it, or reopening the wound, is neither caution nor piety. Allah has closed this account for you.

And take the good that Take the good that remains before you. Do not dwell on what Allah has already forgiven. The believer’s gaze is not fixed on yesterday’s failure but on today’s opportunity to return to Allah.

Allah Most High says, “O you who believe: Repent to Allah from the utter depths of your conscience.” [Quran 66:8; Keller, The Quran Beheld] And He tells us plainly, “Verily Allah loves the oft-repentant.” [Quran 2:222]

Allah loves you for turning back to Him. Live as someone who has been forgiven, because you have. If the fear returns, let it remind you to say astaghfirullah once, and then do something good. Do not treat it as a verdict to revisit.

And Allah knows best.

[Shaykh] Faraz Rabbani

Related SeekersGuidance Answers

The Conditions of Repentance — the three conditions in full: regret, leaving the sin, and firm resolve never to return. Measure yourself against these, and you will see you have met them.

How Do I Stop Obsessing Over Guilt and Worry for My Past Sins? — directly on the state you describe, where the sin has been left, but the mind keeps returning to it.

How Do You Know If Your Repentance Is Sincere? — on the doubt itself, and why asking the question is a sign of sincerity rather than of its absence.

What Is Sincere Repentance? — a fuller treatment of tawba nasuh and what it does and does not require of you.

How Do I Balance Accountability and Repentance for Sin? — on holding yourself to account without tipping into despair.
Shaykh Faraz Rabbani is a recognized specialist scholar in the Islamic sciences, having studied under leading scholars from around the world. He is the Founder and Executive Director of SeekersGuidance.

Shaykh Faraz stands as a distinguished figure in Islamic scholarship. His journey in seeking knowledge is marked by dedication and depth. He spent ten years studying under some of the most revered scholars of our times. His initial studies took place in Damascus. He then continued in Amman, Jordan.

In Damascus, he was privileged to learn from the late Shaykh Adib al-Kallas. Shaykh Adib al-Kallas was renowned as the foremost theologian of his time. Shaykh Faraz also studied under Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi in Damascus. Shaykh Hassan is recognized as one of the leading Hanafi jurists of our era.

Upon completing his studies, Shaykh Faraz returned to Canada in 2007. His return marked a new chapter in his service to the community. He founded SeekersGuidance. The organization reflects his commitment to spreading Islamic knowledge. It aims to be reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible. This mission addresses both online and on-the-ground needs.

Shaykh Faraz is also an accomplished author. His notable work includes “Absolute Essentials of Islam: Faith, Prayer, and the Path of Salvation According to the Hanafi School.” This book, published by White Thread Press in 2004, is a significant contribution to Islamic literature.

His influence extends beyond his immediate community. Since 2011, Shaykh Faraz has been recognized as one of the 500 most influential Muslims. This recognition comes from the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center. It underscores his impact on the global Islamic discourse.

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani’s life and work embody a profound commitment to Islamic scholarship. His teachings continue to enlighten and guide seekers of knowledge worldwide.

النصوص

[الترمذي]
وعن أبي عبد الرحمان عبد الله بنِ عمَرَ بنِ الخطابِ رضي الله عنهما، عن النَّبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ: «إِنَّ الله عز وجل يَقْبَلُ تَوبَةَ العَبْدِ مَا لَمْ يُغَرْغِرْ». رواه الترمذي، وَقالَ: «حديث حسن».

[متفق عليه]
وعن أبي حمزةَ أَنسِ بنِ مالكٍ الأنصاريِّ خادِمِ رسولِ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: «للهُ أفْرَحُ بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ مِنْ أَحَدِكُمْ سَقَطَ عَلَى بَعِيرهِ وقد أضلَّهُ في أرضٍ فَلاةٍ». مُتَّفَقٌ عليه.

[متفق عليه]
وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى كَتَبَ كِتَابًا قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ الْخَلْقَ: إِنَّ رَحْمَتِي سَبَقَتْ غَضَبِي، فَهُوَ مَكْتُوبٌ عِنْدَهُ فَوْقَ الْعَرْشِ». مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ.