Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Mercy-Giving

 

Allah says, “If you shun the major sins  that you are enjoined to shun, We shall efface your [minor] bad deeds, and shall cause you to enter an abode of glory.” (An-Nisaa’ 4 31)

 

So, once we shun the major sins, Allah will forgive our minor sins. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “A person’s performance of five daily prayers, attendance of Jumu’ah prayers every week, and observing the fasts of Ramadan every year will erase the bad deeds and compensates for them – as long he avoid the major sins.”

 

As for the major sins, we ought to turn to Allah in sincere repentance. Since repentance entails the following steps; namely, remorse, refraining, and resolving never to do them.

 

Remorse means feeling deep sorrow for sinning; refraining implies that one must stay away from the sin including all of its leads and associations and finally resolving firmly never to sin again.

 

Once we fulfill these conditions, we can hope for the mercy of Allah.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.