Dear Brothers and Sisters!
Human beings are creatures who can make mistakes. We sometimes fall into carelessness and slip into wrongdoing and mistakes. At this point, one of the greatest doors of mercy that Allah (swt) has opened for us is repentance. Allah (swt) says: “Then Adam received words from his Lord and turned to Him in repentance, and Allah accepted his repentance. Indeed, He is the One who accepts repentance repeatedly, the Most Merciful.”^[1]

Dear Brothers and Sisters!
In the Qur’an it is stated: “O you who believe! Turn to Allah in sincere and firm repentance.”^[2] This verse teaches us that repentance must be sincere and conscious. In Islamic tradition, this is called Tawba Nasuh. The first sign of sincere repentance is heartfelt regret immediately after realising one’s mistake. Allah (swt) describes the believers as follows: “When they commit an indecent act or wrong themselves, they remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins—and who can forgive sins except Allah?—and they do not persist knowingly in what they have done.”^[3] Repentance should not remain only at the level of regret. A person must abandon the sin and agree never to return to it. If the sin involves the rights of others, whatever is necessary must be done to restore those rights and seek forgiveness.

Dear Brothers and Sisters!
Tawbah Nasuh means being determined not to return to the same mistake and, if possible, making amends. Such repentance softens the heart, keeps the conscience alive and gives life a new direction. The transformative power of repentance lies in freeing a person from despair. No matter how great a sin may be, it is never greater than Allah’s mercy. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “Allah, the Exalted, accepts the repentance of His servant as long as the soul has not reached the throat.”^[4] The one who repents lays down the burden of the past and looks to the future with hope. Repentance turns darkness into light, resentment into peace and chaos into harmony. For the one who repents from a sin is like someone who has never committed it.

Dear Jama’ah!
Our Prophet (saw) said: “By Allah, I seek Allah’s forgiveness and repent to Him more than seventy times a day.”^[5] advising us to repent daily. This teaches us that repentance is a lifelong call to purification and renewal. Repentance should be reflected not only in words, but also in actions. True transformation comes through repentance supported by sincerity, determination, good character, justice, compassion and a sense of responsibility. Let us cleanse our hearts through repentance. Let us take steps toward becoming better servants of Allah and more beneficial human beings by learning from our mistakes. Let us not forget that the doors of Allah (swt)’s mercy are wide open. May Allah (swt) make us among those who repent sincerely, who are purified through repentance and who beautify their lives through it. May He fill our hearts with faith and decorate our character with goodness. Ameen.

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

Today is 6 February 2026. It has been exactly three years since the devastating earthquake centered in Kahramanmaraş. Across 11 provinces of Turkiye, immense destruction occurred. We laid 53,537 of our loved ones to rest and 107,213 of our brothers and sisters were injured. We ask Allah to grant mercy to those who lost their lives, may their souls rest in peace. We pray for patience and strength for those left behind. May Allah (swt) protect humanity from such disasters.

[1] Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:37

[2] Surah At-Tahrim, 66:8

[3] Surah Âl-i İmrân, 3:135

[4] Tirmizî, Daavât, 98. Ayrıca bk. İbn Mâce, Zühd, 30

[5] Buhârî, Daavât, 3

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