ANSWER:

Your letter has deeply shocked us that a “teacher” used your innocence and passion for his satisfaction. Allah Almighty may guide this gentleman, that he does not succeed making another such victim. Your letter makes three points:

One, that he took advantage of your father’s confidence and relationship, and won over your sympathy by telling his sad story and followed an unbecoming behaviour. It was a crime, both morally and legally. As a silent and passive partner you are to be equally blamed. When "A" made the first attempt you should have turned him away, no matter what loss to your studies.

Two, an important fact is that Islam is the only religion, that leads a person back to real clean life if he/she really feels of having committed a wrong and repent. It erases the past excesses, if the repentance is sincere. This means, that having passed through this bitter experience, if you admit that you also sinned as "A" sinned, and now wish to get rid of the feeling of this wrong, Islam provides hope and good tidings. It cleanses the past of any such feeling and pricking. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala says:

"The revelation of this Book is from Allah, exalted in Power, full of Knowledge. Who forgives Sin, accepts Repentance....." (al-Qur’an 40:2 – 3).

It means that if a person realizes to have committed a sin and immediately inclines to repent and seek Allah’s forgiveness, then He through His Mercy, obliterates the person’s past and grants him or her a new life.

To make mistake is no doubt, a weakness. But this is what a person commits under Satanic temptation. Hadrat Adam [and Hawwa] (A.S.) went closer to the Forbidden Tree. But feeling the mistake, they prayed to Allah, the Merciful Master:

"Our Lord! We have wronged our own souls; if You forgive us not, and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be lost." (al-Qur’an 7:23).

Similarly, when Allah’s prophet, Hadrat Younas (A.S.) tried to leave his people without first obtaining Allah’s permission or receiving His order, was "imprisoned" in the belly of the Fish. But as soon as he realised his mistake, he sought Allah’s Mercy: "........there is no God but You: Glory to You, I was indeed wrong" (al-Qur’an 21:87)

The fact is that it is the dignity and splendour of Allah alone to grace His servants with love and mercy and absolve them of their sins. With respect to the Believers, a very important fact is revealed in Sura ale-‘Imran that inspite of being deeply faithful, if they go wrong due to forgetfulness or under temptation, they do not just lament; they rather turn to their Lord, and He, of His love, forgives them. He says:

"Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a Garden......... prepared for the righteous.......... those who having done something to be ashamed of, or wronged their own souls, earnestly bring Allah to Mind, and ask for forgiveness for their sins, – And who can forgive sins except Allah?" (al-Qur’an 3:133, 135).

The last words of the verse indicate as if these have been revealed for us today. Because the way we commit sin, or do at time something shameful, can only be forgiven by Allah, – and no one else.

The Qur’an clarifies that only "Shirk" is the first degree wrong and injustice, which is never forgiven (al-Qur’an 4:48). It is further said:

"Allah forgives not (the sin of) joining other gods with Him, but He forgives, whom He pleases, other sins than this...."
(al-Qur’an 4:16).

For the mistake you have noted in your letter, the Qur’an presents a clear solution, that "if one repents, and mends his/her conduct", is acceptable to and forgiven by Allah (al-Qur’an 24:5). Time and again, the Merciful Lord calls His weak servants like us and informs them of the bright future:

"....despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins: for He is oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful" (al-Qur’an 39:53).

Concerning those who, of their oversight, or intentionally go wrong, Allah mentions of His Generosity of being One Who cover up sins, Who forgives and Who erases sins to make one absolutely clean, Has addressed in His Magnificent Book:

"....your Lord had inscribed for Himself (the rule of) Mercy: verily, if anyone of you did evil in ignorance, and thereafter repented and amended (his/her conduct), lo! He is oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (al-Qur’an 6:54).

In the light of these clear injunctions of the Holy Book of Allah, for everyone of us who wronged, who forgot, who transgressed, and who did something shameful – there is total forgiveness, mercy, salvation and supreme love. Therefore, the only proper course left for us is to make a race to secure Allah’s forgiveness, supplicate before Him, admit weepingly what wrong we have done, make a true pledge never to repeat such mistake – and then just forget about the past. This is the straight path, when taken, leaves no disappointment, no ill-feeling of the sin, nor any perplexity after having repented. Having thus got a new life, there is no need at all to mention of your past to the person you get married with. The true repentance has cleanly washed the past mistake.

In this respect, the best way is to be found in the Sunnah of the Prophet (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam). After performing ablution, go to the solitude and offer (nafal) prayers. Repent sincerely before your Lord. Then never ever make mention or disturb your mind about the past incidence. InshaAlalh, the Merciful Lord will favour you with faith, confidence and strength of character. You will then be rewarded for your virtues, both here and in the Hereafter. After the true repentance, never let the feeling creep in your mind that your conduct was in anyway inferior to others.

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