Innovation and Innovators
Repentance of the Innovator: Conditions and Requirements
Shaykh Ubayd al-Jabiri explains that repentance from innovation follows the same conditions as repentance from sin. If the innovation was public or widely promoted, the repentance must also be public, with the individual clearly retracting, correcting, and clarifying the truth.
Questioner:
May Allah reward you O’ Shaykh of ours, and this is the nineteenth question from Morocco. The questioner asks is it upon the innovator who repents from his innovation to fulfil the conditions of repentance? And are the conditions of repentance from innovation the same as the conditions of repentance from sins? And do we accept the repentance of the innovator without any conditions? Especially because we have heard some students of knowledge come forward saying that repentance alone is sufficient without conditions; this is how they said it. Is this correct?
Shaykh ʿUbayd al-Jabirī:
This assertion is not correct. Repenting from innovation is just like repenting from sinfulness. However here, if the sin, regardless of whether it was an innovation or other than this; if it occurred publicly, then it is obligatory that the repentance to Allah occurs publicly and the person repenting clarifies that he was wrong, yes, especially if the innovation was something that he called to and encouraged and urged. Yes, and the conditions of repentance are as we have told you; the conditions of repentance from innovation are the conditions of repentance from sinfulness so it is a must that the individual rectifies his affair and makes things clear; he clarifies the truth that he used to conceal or distort. Yes.
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