Stages of True Repentance

TEHRAN (IQNA) – Tawbah (repentance) simply means returning from the path of wrongdoing and correcting past mistakes.

But it also includes profound aspects explained in the words of great men of God who have described the stages of true repentance.

Imam Ali (AS) said: “Repentance is regretting in the heart, asking (Allah) for forgiveness by the tongue, giving up (sins) by the organs and intending not to come back (to sins) again.”

So, according to Imam Ali (AS), repentance has four stages:

First, regretting in one’s heart,

Second, acknowledging and admitting to having committed sins and asking for forgiveness by the tongue,

Third, abandoning sins that one did in the past,

And fourth, taking the decision not to repeat committing sins.