Huzoor (rh): This is a question which is very difficult to answer because all the various factors concerning each person who indulges in such things are variable factors and only Allah knows how to reward or punish such people because the intensity of Tawbah and the situation which is possible for the break of such a Tawbah, there are all so many factors, I mean within them there are so many shades, it’s impossible for an outside observer to judge and declare what’s going to happen to such a person.
But generally speaking, repeated error is a dangerous game. This is a general view. Particularly if you observe a repeated error in human beings, that ultimately turns into cancer. For instance, Dr. Mueeb perhaps would bear me out, that some ulcers which are not attended to earlier, some tumours which are not cared for in time, gradually by the repetition of irritation, they tend to become malignant. So this is why they are removed in time or cured in time. Otherwise undetected sources of irritation generally tend to end up into cancer.
According to the Holy Quran, the situations prevailing outside human beings are similar to the situation within human beings. Situations within human beings which are physical phenomena are similar to the situations which are spiritually happening to mankind. And all three are related in fact. So from this we can safely infer that however strong the Tawbah may be, it is always better to be on the safe side. Moreover, we don’t know whether a Tawbah really deleted all the effects or not. If some effects were not deleted and there was a mounting inward crime, that could lead to a different situation.
Even if you look at it otherwise, repeated mistakes and repeated Tawbah, in some ways, I don’t know, but in some ways I can realise, could be alright for somebody, good for somebody. Allah knows the weaknesses of every individual and this is why he has not declared His judgment on those people who have mixed affairs. For instance, the Holy Quran says that some of the people would be judged as good, some would be judged as bad. And there would be some. (9:102)خَلَطُوۡا عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَّاٰخَرَ سَیِّئًا
[They mixed a good work with another that was evil. It may be that Allah will turn to them with compassion]. So that shows that it is with Allah to pardon them or not to pardon them. So it’s not for me to opine on such a thing. Because when the Holy Quran clearly makes it known to us, that such people stand in the danger of not being forgiven and also can be forgiven. Why these two aspects are mentioned? Because the factors are variable and we don’t know.
