Question Summary:
An unmarried cousin of mine committed zina a few times but has repented seriously and has never ever comitted this sin again.How should she repent? Can she be forgiven if she truly repents? How does she feel normal again!

Question Detail:

An unmarried cousin of mine committed zina a few times but has repented seriously and has never ever comitted this sin again.
But even after repentance she feels guilty and is unable to live a normal life. How can she overcome this feeling? How can she truly repent? Can you give references of Ahadith and Ayahs to console her that Allah can forgive any Sin and to give her hope and to live a normal life?
She cannot even pray for the reason that she feels impure and a hypocrite. She is still young but she really regrets this and for this guilt she doenot even want to marry and has affected her physcologically also. She is inable to live a normal life now.
How should she repent? Can she be forgiven if she truly repents? How does she feel normal again!
I want to give her hope that through true repentance Allah will fogirve her. Please help!

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
The fact that she regrets what she has done, is a clear indication of her repentance and tawbah (repentance) coupled with regret will surely be forgiven by Allah.
In a number of Quranic verses, Allah Ta’ala declares that He forgives all sins except Shirk (associating partners to Him)
Sinners whose sins far outweighed your cousins’ sins were forgiven by Allah. She should not lose hope in the mercy of Allah.
Allah promises us that His forgiveness will encompass us even if our sins outnumber the foam of the oceans.
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah