Can You Offer Salat al-Tawbah Daily? Understanding Repentance in Islam

The Role of Salat al-Tawbah in Daily Repentance Practices

Question: Can we offer Salat al-Tawbah (Repentance Prayer) daily?

Answer: Offering a prayer is not a strict condition for repentance. Repentance means feeling remorse over a sin, abandoning it, and resolving never to repeat it while seeking Allah’s forgiveness. However, offering two rak’ahs before repentance is permissible. As the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “When a person commits a sin, then performs wudu, prays two rak’ahs, and asks Allah for forgiveness, Allah forgives him.” (Abu Dawud: 1521)

As for praying Salat al-Tawbah daily, there is no authentic evidence or proof for this, so it should not be done regularly. Instead, follow the example of the Prophet (ﷺ), who would seek forgiveness 100 times a day. He said: “I seek Allah’s forgiveness 100 times a day.” (Muslim: 2702)

Therefore, we should practice the Sunnah of seeking forgiveness 100 times daily. If one wishes to offer two rak’ahs of prayer before sincere repentance for a major sin, it is allowed.

 Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi Hafizahullah

❪Jeddah Dawah Center – Al-Salamah – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia❫