Sheikh Awida Othman, Secretary of Fatwa at Egypt’s Dar Al-Iftaa, has warned Muslims against the destructive thought that “Allah will never forgive me”, explaining that such a feeling is one of Satan’s greatest tricks to plant despair and doubt in the believer’s heart after repentance.
He explained that the devil approaches a repentant person whispering words of hopelessness such as: “Do you really think Allah will forgive you after all you’ve done?”, or “It’s too late to repent now.” These thoughts, he said, are meant to strip away the sweetness of repentance and make the heart lose hope in Allah’s mercy.
The Sheikh emphasized that true repentance brings a unique peace and spiritual delight that only those who sincerely return to Allah can feel. Yet Satan seeks to rob the believer of this feeling by surrounding him with sadness, guilt, and despair.
He added that some humans act like devils by repeating the same discouraging words, mocking the repentant and pushing them further from faith.
Quoting the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, he reminded: “Even if your sins reach the clouds of the sky, if you seek My forgiveness, I will forgive you.” He confirmed that Allah never turns away a sincere heart that knocks on His door in remorse.
He also cited the Quranic verse: “Say, O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins.” – describing it as one of the most hopeful verses in the Quran, a divine invitation filled with mercy and compassion.
Sheikh Othman concluded with a heartfelt prayer: “May Allah forgive us all and accept our repentance. Indeed, He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.”
