Expiation not dropped by repentance

15-5-2017 | IslamWeb

Question:

I owe an expiation because of debts that I have not paid off. Now I have repented. Shall I still observe the expiation, or is repentance sufficient?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

It is not clear what you mean by “expiation because of debts.” Anyhow, one requirement for the validity of repentance is that you fulfill your obligations towards Allah and the people. If you owe the observance of a specific type of expiation, then mere repentance is not sufficient to waive such expiation. Rather, you have to observe the expiation so that your repentance will be accepted. In Bareeqah Mahmoodiyyah, the author said, “Requirements of repentance include that you make up for missed obligations, seek pardon from those whom you wronged, and observe the required expiation.”

Allah knows best.