How can one repent and feel remorse for a sin that a person persisted in despite knowing it was wrong? Is feeling remorse a prerequisite for the acceptance of repentance after abandoning the sin? What are the signs of accepted repentance? Is there a specific supplication for repentance and remorse?

Regret is the greatest pillar of repentance. Repentance is not valid without it. Indeed, whoever does not regret their misdeeds is not a penitent. Even if one abandons a sin without regretting having committed it, they are not truly repentant. For this reason, Ibn al-Qayyim said: "Regret is repentance."

Among the things that help a servant to regret a sin and comprehend the danger of disobedience are: realizing that Allah Almighty is watching, fearing His might and retribution, and contemplating the stance of accountability on the Day of Judgment. Ibn al-Qayyim said: "As for magnifying the offense, if one belittles it, they will not regret it. The extent of their regret for committing it will be proportionate to the magnitude of the offense."

As for the signs of sound repentance, they include: that the penitent’s state after repentance is better than it was before, that they are accompanied by the fear of Allah Almighty, and that they do not feel safe from Allah’s cunning for even a blink of an eye. Another sign is the heart becoming detached and torn apart by regret and fear, and this is proportional to the greatness or smallness of the offense.