Q: I have been offering Salah (Prayer) since I was a child. I do not do anything that displeases Allah (Exalted and Glorified be He). Since I was fifteen years old, (Part No. 22; Page No. 43)  I have been committing fornication. Now, I am twenty five years old. It should be noted that the rulings of Shari`ah are not observed in my country. When I asked a Shaykh in my country about this issue, he told me that if I repent to Allah, He will accept my repentance and forgive me then he quoted the following Qur'anic Ayah, And those who invoke not any other ilâh (god) along with Allâh, nor kill such person as Allâh has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse - and whoever does this shall receive the punishment. The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace; Except those who repent and believe (in Islâmic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds; for those, Allâh will change their sins into good deeds, and Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Now, I deserve to be punished by Allah, however Allah (Exalted and Glorified be He) says, Except those who repent and believe (in Islâmic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds This happens after the execution of Had (prescribed penalty) on me. I have repented to Allah since I heard the answer of the Shaykh in our country. I observe Salah (Prayer). However, sometimes I feel that this repentance is not enough and that it is not an accepted repentance. I hoped and prayed to Allah (Exalted and Glorified be He) much to enable me to travel to Saudi Arabia to turn myself in to the authorities to execute the Had (prescribed penalty) on me. Allah (Exalted be He) answered my invocation. Now, I seek your advice in this regard and by Allah's Will I am going to go by whatever you say; because this issue anguishes me much and I live torn without a solution to it. (Part No. 22; Page No. 44) Please substantiate your Fatwa with evidence!

A: If the person repents to Allah sincerely, Allah (Exalted and Praised be He) will accept his repentance and turn his previous sins into good deeds. This is out of Allah's Grace and Generosity. Allah (Exalted be He) says, And those who invoke not any other ilâh (god) along with Allâh, nor kill such person as Allâh has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse - and whoever does this shall receive the punishment. The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace; Except those who repent and believe (in Islâmic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds; for those, Allâh will change their sins into good deeds, and Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. The conditions of sincere repentance are abstaining from committing the sin, regretting committing past sin, and determining not to commit it again. If this sin relates to people's rights, the sinner has to give people back their rights and ask them to forgive him. It is authentically reported on the authority of `Ubadah ibn Al-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ...And whoever among you fulfils it, his reward is with Allah and he who commits any such thing and is punished for it, that will be all atonement for it. If anyone commits anything and Allah conceals (his faults), his matter rests with Allah. (Part No. 22; Page No. 45) He may forgive him if He likes, or He may punish him if He likes. The Prophet (peace be upon him) encouraged genuine repentance and said in the Hadith about the story of Ma`iz, Why did you not leave him alone. Perhaps he might have repented and been forgiven by Allah. It is narrated by Malik in Al-Muwatta' on the authority of Zayd ibn Aslam a Hadith in which Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, O People! The time has come for you to observe the limits of Allah. Whoever has had any of these ugly things befall him should cover them up with the veil of Allah. Whoever reveals to us his wrong action, we perform what is in the Book of Allah on him. So, you have to repent to Allah sincerely, observe congregational Prayers and do many good deeds.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.