Chapter I: Repentance
It appears from the sayings of the sages that after the commission of sin, if eight good deeds are done, it may be forgiven. The actions of heart regarding expiation of sins are four-Tauba, to think of a good thing, to take precautions of sins and to fear punishment for sins and for that to expect forgiveness. The actions of limbs are four regarding expiation of sins - (1) To pray two rak'ats immediately after commission of a sin. (2) then to pray for forgiveness to God seventy times and to recite ( God is great with His praise ) one hundred times, (3) to give charity, and then (4) to keep fast. Some wise man said "After sin, make ablution well and pray two rak'ats in a mosque." There is in a Hadis : When you commit a sin, do a good deed immediately, pray secretly, if you do a sinful act secretly and pray openly if you do a sinful act openly. A certain sage said :
"Sin committed at night is expiated by secret charity and sin committed at day time is expiated by open charity. There is in a Hadis : A man came to the Prophet and said I have committed every sort of sin with a woman except fornication. Give judgment against me according to the laws of God. The Prophet said : Have you not said the morning prayer with us ? He said "Yes, I have prayed." The Prophet said "Certainly good deeds remove evil ones." It appears from this that except fornication, any other act with a strange woman is a minor sin. The minor sins committed during five prayers are expiated by these prayers.
Different stages of seeking forgiveness: Hazrat Sahal Tastari said "It is necessary for a slave to approach his master in every condition. So it is better to return to the master in every matter. If he commits a sin he says : O, Lord keep it a secret.
When he finishes his sinful act, he says: O, Lord, accept my repentance. When he repents, he says "O Lord, make me sinless".
When he does an act, he says, O Lord, accept this from me. Once a man asked him about such seeking of forgiveness as expiation of sins. He said "The beginning of seeking forgiveness is Izlijabat,
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be removed by a good deed done immediately after it. ;If the evil deed rises from mind, its expiation is to seek forgiveness with all the humility of a slave. Expiation by tongue is admission of evil and seeking forgiveness from God saying. 'O Lord I have done oppression to my soul and committed sin. So forgive my sins".
Expiation by bodily limb is to pray, to give charity and to do divine services.
46 TAUBA Vol-IV