Question:

I was in a relationship outside of marriage with a girl for over 5 years, she was my girlfriend. I treated her badly and she has left me, now I feel extremely guilty for how I treated her and also that our relationship was illegitimate. I have been asking Allah to forgive me. How will I ever know if Allah has forgiven me? Will I have to carry this burden all my life? I was young and stupid. I shouldn’t have indulged in such a relationship in the first place.

Answer:

Regret is the first step to repentance. You can complete your repentance by desisting from entering into illegitimate relations again. You can also exchange a bad deed for a good one by seriously thinking about entering a healthy Islamic marriage. Inshallah by treating your respected Muslim wife well in the future you will gain the pleasure of Allah (swt).

Also, sharing this experience with your close friends and family will endeavour to prevent it from being repeated.

Answered by: Dr Ali Alsamail
Certified by: Sheikh Mansour Leghaei