repentance will not be accepted from him; such a claim is nothing but a mockery. He must therefore adopt a firm, unwavering resolve. If, after having made that resolve, his soul later entices him and he falls back into the sin, the earlier repentance is not invalidated—but he must undertake a new repentance for the fresh offence.

The fifth condition: repentance must occur while there is still time for it to be accepted. Once the appointed time has passed, repentance brings no benefit. That time expires when death arrives. Thus, if death confronts a person, no matter how sincerely he repents, it will not help him. Allah the Exalted says, “But repentance is not for those who persist in wrongdoing until, when death approaches one of them, he says, ‘Now I repent’” (Al-Nisa, 4:18). At that moment, saying “now” is pointless. Accordingly, when Pharaoh was drowning he cried out, “I believe that there is no god except the One in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of those who submit” (Yunus, 10:90). He was told, “Now—do you say this now, when previously you disobeyed and were among the corrupters?” (Yunus, 10:91). The opportunity had slipped away. For this reason, a person must hasten to repent, for he does not know when death will overtake him; how many have died suddenly, without warning! Let him turn to Allah before the time is lost.

The second event that closes the door of repentance is the rising of the sun from the west. The Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—informed us that when the sun sets, it prostrates beneath the Throne of the Most Merciful and seeks permission from Allah; if permission is granted it continues on its course, but if it is told, “Return from where you came,” it turns back by Allah’s leave and command.