God accepts repentance
God accepts repentance: Responsibilities put on Muslims by Islam are also reciprocal. For example, on one hand, God has made it a must for you to repent:
وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا، أَيُّهَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ، لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
“…and turn to Allah all of you, O believers, so that you may be successful.”
O Muslims! It is your duty to repent; on the other hand, The Holy One Himself has also made it a must for Himself to accept that repentance:
كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ الرَّحْمَةَ أَنَّهُ مَنْ عَمِلَ مِنْكُمْ سُوءًا بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ تَابَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَأَصْلَحَ فَأَنَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ
“…your Lord has ordained mercy on Himself, (so) that if anyone of you does evil in ignorance, then turns after that and acts aright, then He is Forgiving, Merciful.”
This is so because He Himself says:
وَأَمَّا السَّائِلَ فَلا تَنْهَرْ
“And as for him who asks, do not chide (him).”
Do not turn away anyone empty handed. How at all can He turn away a pardon seeker from His Court? God forbid. Such is not our opinion about You. He has made a must for both the parties at dispute to make peace. Whoever may make an advance; it is incumbent on the other one to respond positively. Reconciliation is a must for both the parties. One who goes first in this direction will enter Paradise earlier. One who made an advance did his duty. The other duty is to accept peace effort. If you were clever, you made an advance for making peace. If you were lazy and he became a dweller of Paradise you should not be a dweller of hell.
