IMAM SAJJAD INSTITUTE
ع) Have we ever thought about the conditions of true tawbah? Many of us may conjecture that perhaps the factors of regret and expression of sorrow to God can suffice for tawbah. The reality of the matter, however, is quite different. Tawbah is not just a transient emotional experience but a transformation of one s state. It is the process of clearing one s heart and soaring to the higher planes of existence. It begins as follows: و ق ال ( ل ق ائ ل ق ال ب ح ض ر ت ه )أ س ت غ ف ر ألل ه (: ث ك ل ت ك أ م ك أ ت د ر ي م ا ألإ س ت غ ف ار أ لإ س ت غ ف ار د ر ج ة أل ع ل ي ين و هو أس م و أق ع ع ل ى س ت ة م ع ان : أ و ل ه ا ألن د م ع ل ى م ا م ض ى.و ألث ان ي أل ع ز م ع ل ى ت ر ك أل ع و د أ ل ي ه أ ب دأ.و ألث ال ث أ ن ت أ ؤ د ي ى ل أل م خ لوق ين حقوق هم ح ت ى ت ل ق ى ألل ه أ م ل س ل ي س ع ل ي ك ت بع ة. و ألر أب ع أ ن ت ع م د أ ل ى كل ف ر يض ة ع ل ي ك ض ي ع ت ه ا ف تؤ د ي ح ق ه ا. و أل خ ام س أ ن ت ع م د أ ل ى ألل ح م أل ذ ي ن ب ت ع ل ى ألس ح ت ف تذ يب ه ب الإح ز أن ح ت ى ت ل ص ق أل ج ل د بال ع ظ م و ي ن ش ا ب ي ن هم ا ل ح م ج د يد. و ألس اد س أ ن ت ذ يق أل جس م أ ل م ألط اع ة ك م ا أ ذ ق ت ه ح لاو ة أل م ع ص ي ة. ف ع ن د ذ ل ك ت قول : )أ س ت غ ف ر ألل ه (.
Therefore, in order for one to successfully achieve this level of tawbah, which would purify the heart and make it ready for the higher stations of spiritual wayfaring, one must struggle to meet the abovementioned conditions.
It should be noted however that when one is in the state of tawbah, no kind of self-esteem should ever deceive him. He should never think that it is his tawbah that would transport him to the house of the Only Beloved. Rather it is entirely Allāh s Grace and Mercy that enables him to undertake this great journey. Indeed tawbah is necessary, and in fact a succor (tawfīq) of Almighty Allāh Himself, but that should never deceive the repentant. He should always hopeful of its acceptance and understand the fact that it is not his struggle that would reap any benefit, but Allāh s Grace and Mercy. This is a monotheistic vision of the reality. Imām al-sajjād (as) teaches us the same in supplication no. 16 of his radiant work al-sahīfat al-sajjādiyyah as follows: ل و ب ك ي ت أ ل ي ك ح ت ى ت س قط أ ش فار ع ي ن ي و أن ت ح ب ت ح ت ى ي ن ق ط ع ص و ت ي و ق م ت ل ك ح ت ى ت ت ن ش ر ق د ماي و ر ك ع ت ل ك ح ت ى ي ن خ ل ع صل بي و س ج د ت ل ك ح ت ى ت ت ف ق ا ح د ق تاي و أ ك ل ت ت ر أب ألإ ر ض طول عم ري و ش ر ب ت م ا ء ألر م اد أخ ر د ه ر ي و ذ ك ر ت ك ف ي خ لال ذل ك ح ت ى ي ك ل ل س ان ي ث م ل م أر ف ع ط ر في أ لى أفاق ألس ماء أس ت ح ياء و أ ن كن ت. م ن ك م ا أس ت و ج ب ت ب ذل ك م ح و س ي ئ ة وأح د ة م ن س ي ئات ي ت غ ف ر ل ي ح ين أس ت و ج ب م غ ف ر تك و ت ع فو ع ن ي ح ي ن أس ت ح ق ع ف و ك
ف ا ن ذل ك غ ي ر و أج ب ل ي ب اس ت ح قاق و لإ أ ن ا أه ل ل ه ب اس تيجاب أ ذ كان ج زأئ ي م ن ك ف ي أ و ل م ا ع ص ي تك ألن ار ف ا ن ت ع ذ ب ن ي ف ا ن ت غ ي ر...ظ ال م ل ي Due to the brevity of this commentary we would suffice with these fundamental stations of the path towards Almighty Allāh over here. Those interested in understanding the intricacies of each and every station of wayfaring may refer to texts such as the
Manāzil al-sā irīn of Khwājah Abdullāh Ansārī and other relevant texts of practical gnosis. Having known the basics of self-reform, which is the beginning of every kind of reform, let us now look at how one can effect reform in others. It is incumbent, however, for us to first understand the characteristics of a true reformer. Nahju l Balāgha, pg. 549 al-sahīfah al-sajjādiyyah (The Psalms of Islām, English Translation by William Chittick), Supplication no. 16, pp. 59-60.