How to Get on the Right Road Fast?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Allah has ordained the nature of man to be fallible. We are constantly subjugated to the pulls and desires of this worldly life. While we have the ability to steer our “free will” in any direction, we remain exposed to shaytan attacks and whispers that can stray us from the straight path. We can counter shaytan’s plan of pulling us down with sins by increasing our faith, knowledge, and good deeds and that can then elevate us to a level which can merit our meeting with Allah with bright and shining faces. Alternatively, we can ignore Allah’s commands and burden ourselves with sins thus bringing in darkness and sadness on our faces. As Allah says in the Qur'an:

وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَّاضِرَ‌ةٌ ﴿٢٢﴾ إِلَىٰ رَ‌بِّهَا نَاظِرَ‌ةٌ ﴿٢٣﴾ وَوُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍۭ بَاسِرَ‌ةٌ ﴿٢٤﴾ تَظُنُّ أَن يُفْعَلَ بِهَا فَاقِرَ‌ةٌ ﴿٢٥

[Some] faces, that Day, will be radiant, (22) Looking at their Lord. (23) And [some] faces, that Day, will be contorted, (24) Expecting that there will be done to them [something] backbreaking. (25) [Qur'an, Al-Qiyama 75:22-25).

Islam does not expect humans to not commit mistakes, rather what it wants from us is to realize our mistakes and repent for whatever mistakes we have committed.

The Qur'an provides a roadmap that can get you on the right road fast.

Sin- The bad news? When you commit a sin, you’re automatically on the road to Hellfire.

بَلَىٰ مَن كَسَبَ سَيِّئَةً وَأَحَـٰطَتْ بِهِۦ خَطِيٓـَٔتُهُۥ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ‌ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ ﴿٨١

Yes, whoever earns evil and his sin has encompassed him - those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally. (81) [Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:81]

Realizing that you’ve sinned— You won’t actually seek forgiveness until you’re able to see your own sin.

قَالَ لَقَدْ ظَلَمَكَ بِسُؤَالِ نَعْجَتِكَ إِلَىٰ نِعَاجِهِۦ ۖ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرً‌ۭا مِّنَ ٱلْخُلَطَآءِ لَيَبْغِى بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَقَلِيلٌ مَّا هُمْ ۗ وَظَنَّ دَاوُۥدُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّـٰهُ فَٱسْتَغْفَرَ‌ رَ‌بَّهُۥ وَخَرَّ‌ رَ‌اكِعًا وَأَنَابَ ۩ ﴿٢٤

[David] said, "He has certainly wronged you in demanding your ewe [in addition] to his ewes. And indeed, many associates oppress one another, except for those who believe and do righteous deeds - and few are they." And David became certain that We had tried him, and he asked forgiveness of his Lord and fell down bowing [in prostration] and turned in repentance [to Allah]. (24) [Qur'an, Sa'd 38:24]

Repentance— There must be a realization that you’ve done wrong and must be put right again, and that the only one who can forgive you is Allah Almighty.

...and turned in repentance [to Allah]. (24) [Qur'an, Sa'd 38:24]

Asking forgiveness— You must demand forgiveness with full sincerity of your heart.

قَالَ رَ‌بِّ إِنِّىٓ أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْـَٔلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِى بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ ۖ وَإِلَّا تَغْفِرْ‌ لِى وَتَرْ‌حَمْنِىٓ أَكُن مِّنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِ‌ينَ ﴿٤٧

[Noah] said, "My Lord, I seek refuge in You from asking that of which I have no knowledge. And unless You forgive me and have mercy upon me, I will be among the losers." (47) [Qur'an, Hud 11:47]

Receiving forgiveness— The good news? Our Lord is compassionate.

قَالَ لَا تَثْرِ‌يبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْيَوْمَ ۖ يَغْفِرُ‌ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۖ وَهُوَ أَرْ‌حَمُ ٱلرَّ‌ٰ‌حِمِينَ ﴿٩٢

He (Yusuf) said, "No blame will there be upon you today. Allah will forgive you; and He is the most merciful of the merciful." (92) [Qur'an, Yusuf 12:92]

Abandoning the sin— Sincere repentance involves doing your utmost avoid repeating the sin for which you’ve asked forgiveness.

وَٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا۟ فَـٰحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُ‌وا۟ ٱللَّهَ فَٱسْتَغْفَرُ‌وا۟ لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَن يَغْفِرُ‌ ٱلذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّ‌وا۟ عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلُوا۟ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٣٥

And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins - and who can forgive sins except Allah? - and [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know. (135) [Qur'an, AleImran 3:135]

Stay on the right road— Once you’re forgiven and have made a decision to abandon sin, you should increase your efforts to receive and follow Allah’s guidance.

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِن تَتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّكُمْ فُرْ‌قَانًا وَيُكَفِّرْ‌ عَنكُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ‌ لَكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو ٱلْفَضْلِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ ﴿٢٩

O you who have believed, if you fear Allah, He will grant you a criterion and will remove from you your misdeeds and forgive you. And Allah is the possessor of great bounty. (29) [Qur'an, Al-Anfal 8:29]

وَإِنِّى لَغَفَّارٌ‌ۭ لِّمَن تَابَ وَءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحًا ثُمَّ ٱهْتَدَىٰ ﴿٨٢

But indeed, I am the Perpetual forgiver of whoever repents and believes and does righteousness and then continues in guidance. [Qur'an, Ta-Ha 20 :82]

Readiness to forgive others and to ask forgiveness for them- Allah Most High has given you the priceless gift of forgiveness; now you need to pass it on.

قَوْلٌ مَّعْرُ‌وفٌ وَمَغْفِرَ‌ةٌ خَيْرٌ‌ۭ مِّن صَدَقَةٍ يَتْبَعُهَآ أَذًى ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَنِىٌّ حَلِيمٌ ﴿٢٦٣

Kind speech and forgiveness are better than charity followed by injury. And Allah is Free of need and Forbearing. [Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:263]

Avoidance of penalty- You dodged a serious bullet by seeking forgiveness.

وَإِنَّ رَ‌بَّكَ لَذُو مَغْفِرَ‌ةٍ لِّلنَّاسِ عَلَىٰ ظُلْمِهِمْ ۖ وَإِنَّ رَ‌بَّكَ لَشَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ ﴿٦ ...

...And indeed, your Lord is full of forgiveness for the people despite their wrongdoing, and indeed, your Lord is severe in penalty. [Qur'an, Al-Ra'd 13:6]

A great reward- It doesn’t get any better than this.

أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ جَزَآؤُهُم مَّغْفِرَ‌ةٌ مِّن رَّ‌بِّهِمْ وَجَنَّـٰتٌ تَجْرِ‌ى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ‌ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ وَنِعْمَ أَجْرُ‌ ٱلْعَـٰمِلِينَ ﴿١٣٦

Those – their reward is forgiveness from their Lord and gardens beneath which rivers flow [in Paradise], wherein they will abide eternally; and excellent is the reward of the [righteous] workers. [Qur'an, AleImran 3:136]

This is a highway with the most beautiful destination imaginable. Let’s stay on it and meet in the highest Paradise, inshaa Allah.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.

And Allah knows best and He alone grant success.
Wassalaam