Repentance, and God's Forgiving Mercy

Koran. O ye who believe, repent unto God, for He loveth them who are penitent. O ye who believe in me, who by much sin have done a

great wrong to themselves, despair not of the mercy of God, for He forgiveth all sins. Verily He forgiveth and is merciful.

Traditions. Sorrow for sin is repentance. He who repents is like him who has not sinned.

Wise Sayings and Proverbs. No intercession succeeds so effectually as repentance.

The most truthful man is he who is true to his repentance.

Two sins only God does not forgive—worship of false gods and injury to men.

Footnotes

15:1
This opening chapter of the Koran—very short as it is—contains the fundamental principles of the whole book—the doctrine of God, His infinite mercy, the immortality of the soul, the rewards and punishments of the world to come, and the duty of prayer, and thanksgiving, and adoration, and obedience. It is a fair specimen of all that is best in the "Revealed Book" of the Moslems, and is as frequently repeated by them as the Lord's Prayer is by Christians.