Sincere repentance erases sins

📖Sunan Ibn Mājah 4250
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The one who truly repented of sin is like one without sin.

This hadith shows the great mercy of Allah: sincere repentance (tawbah) wipes away sins as if they never happened. However, it must be understood carefully. The Prophet ﷺ did not say “all sins,” but “sin” in general. Some sins in Islam, like murder, rape, or adultery, already carry fixed punishments (hudud) in the Qur’an and Sunnah. These cannot be erased simply by claiming repentance before justice is done.

Repentance works differently depending on the situation:

• For private sins between a servant and Allah: True tawbah erases them, provided the person regrets, seeks forgiveness, and does not return to the sin.
• For crimes that harm others (like theft, murder, or rape): Repentance does not remove responsibility in this world. Punishment may still apply, or forgiveness may depend on the victim’s family, as the Qur’an states.
• For major sins with fixed punishment: If someone repents before being caught and sincerely reforms, Allah may forgive them in the Hereafter, but this does not cancel the legal ruling in this world.

So, this hadith should not be misunderstood as a license to commit any sin and then wipe it clean with words of repentance. True repentance requires sincerity, regret, and reform, and it works within the limits Allah has already set.

Quranic Context:

📖Quran 25:70
Except for those who repent, believe, and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.
→ This shows Allah’s mercy for sincere repentance.

📖Quran 4:17
Allah only accepts the repentance of those who do evil ignorantly or carelessly and then repent soon after. It is they to whom Allah will turn in forgiveness. And Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.
→ Repentance is accepted when it is sincere and not delayed until death.

The hadith highlights Allah’s mercy, that sincere repentance wipes away sins, but it must be understood alongside the Qur’an and other hadith. Private sins can be erased by tawbah, but major crimes have their punishments in this world. If someone repents sincerely, Allah may forgive them in the Hereafter, yet they cannot use this hadith as an excuse to commit sins freely.