I have been spreading lies about my father, saying he abused me….how do I repent?
Salam,
Two years ago, I started lying about my father to my friends and saying things that would make them believe that he is a bad person. I said that he abuses me many times and that he doesn't give us any money. None of this is true--my father is a good man and he does everything to make us happy.
I really feel very guilty. My father didn't deserve this. I feel very guilty and am afraid that Allah may not forgive me. I remember saying these bad things about my father to gain my friends' attention and to make them sympathize with me, but I stopped doing this and lying about my father since seven months ago and I want to repent.
Can you please help me and tell what I need to do to repent? Do I have to tell those friends that I lied to them and that my dad isn't like that? I feel that if I told them I'm a liar they will hate me and leave me...what do I do?
Do I have to tell my father everything and ask him to forgive me? Or should I pray for my father, ask for Allah's forgiveness, and just by making dua for my father without telling my friends I lied or telling my father will Allah accept my repentance? I already told some of my friends that my father is a good man but do I have to tell them I lied?
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Asalamualaykum Sister,
It is commendable that you've realized that lying about your father is a great mistake (if he in fact did not abuse you and you aren't saying this because he does abuse you and you feel guilty talking about it.)
I wouldn't make it too complicated. Stop the behavior immediately and ask for forgiveness from Allah.
If your father hasn't caught on that something is amiss (i.e. by reactions of others towards him), then I wouldn't tell him. Why make him feel bad? If Allah has hidden your sin, then be grateful and don't disclose it yourself.
May Allah make it easy for you to repent and not repeat this again.
Hugs,
Nor
IslamicAnswers
Salam,
Your case is covered by these verses:
https://quran.com/24/11-21
Those verses cover a more serious slander but what you've done is also considered slander. To fix this you need to tell your friends that what you said was a lie and that you said it to gain their sympathy. You can let your father know of this and apologize to him as well. Your goal is to clear this sin as much as possible so that it doesn't exist to weigh against you on the day of judgement. Those friends are not worth going to hell for. Clearing this sin is better than worrying about losing them. Salam.
M