Can I Still Attain Allah’s Forgiveness After Wronging My Mother?

Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick

Question

I wrongfully stopped my mother from seeking medical treatment for years, which worsened her illness. I have since repented, and my mother has forgiven me. Can I still attain Allah’s forgiveness and Paradise?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate.

It is a blessing from Allah that you have reached a point of clarity and understanding regarding your mistake. You have recognized your wrongdoing, repented sincerely, and sought forgiveness from your mother. These are precisely the steps required when one commits a sin, especially when it involves the rights of another person.

As painful as it may be to confront the reality and consequences of your actions, it is essential to understand that it was a mistake, and you have fulfilled what is required of you in response to that mistake.

The Reality of Sincere Repentance

The Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) guaranteed that:

“The one who repents from a sin is like one who never committed that sin.” [Ibn Maja]

This principle is foundational. When repentance is sincere, it completely wipes away the sin, as though it never occurred.

One of the great wisdoms behind Allah’s repeated emphasis on forgiveness throughout the Quran and the Sunna is that human beings are prone to despair. Allah knows His creation, and Shaytan exploits this weakness by pushing people toward hopelessness.

Allah warns against this despair and makes it clear that losing hope in His mercy is itself a grave error.

Never Despair of Allah’s Mercy

Allah addresses such people directly in the Quran, commanding the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) to proclaim:

“Say, (O Prophet, that Allah says,) ‘O My servants who have exceeded the limits against their souls! Do not lose hope in Allah’s mercy, for Allah certainly forgives all sins. He is indeed the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’” [Quran, 39:53]

This address is deeply intimate. Allah calls them “My servants,” not excluding them or casting them away, despite their excesses and wrongdoing. Rather than condemning them, Allah reassures them of His boundless mercy and assures them of guaranteed forgiveness.

There is no instance in the Quran or the Sunna where a person fulfills the conditions of repentance, returns to Allah with remorse, reforms their conduct, and Allah refuses to forgive them. That simply does not occur.

Restoring the Rights of Others

When a sin involves another person, repentance includes repairing the harm as much as possible. In your case, you sought your mother’s forgiveness, and she forgave you. This is a tremendous blessing. With that, and with sincere repentance, you can be confident, by Allah’s promise, that he forgives you, insha’Allah.

This assurance is not based on personal opinion, but on Allah’s own words and guarantees.

Let Repentance Transform You

Repentance is not only about seeking forgiveness. It is also about allowing remorse to fuel spiritual growth and meaningful change. True repentance should elevate a person, refine their character, and bring them closer to Allah.

If your repentance leads you to become a better, more pious servant, you may one day look back and recognize that this very repentance became a turning point in your life.

May Allah grant us sincere repentance, make us among those who constantly turn back to Him, purify our hearts, and include us among His righteous servants.

And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick

Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar Shaykh Taha Karaan (Allah have mercy on him), where he taught.

Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Shaykh Muhammad Awama, Shaykh Muhammad Hasan Hitu, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.

He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has been the Director of the Discover Islam Centre, and for six years, he has been the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.

Shaykh Irshaad has fifteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town. He is currently building an Islamic podcast, education, and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and has completed his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy Prophetic living and fitness.