Ibn 'Abbâs (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that some idolaters had often killed and often committed adultery.
They came to the Prophet ﷺ: “What you call to is good. If only you told us of an expiation for what we did.”
The answer came from Allah: verses were revealed about them.
Those who do not invoke another god with Allah, nor kill a soul Allah made sacred except by right, nor commit adultery.
Whoever does that, the verses go on, faces a punishment doubled and lasting. Then comes an exception.
Except whoever repents, believes and does righteous work.
For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good.
The evil deeds are not only erased: they are replaced with good. That is what the verse says.
In the same hadith, another verse came down for them:
Say: “O My servants who have transgressed against themselves,
do not despair of the mercy of Allah.
Indeed, Allah forgives all sins.”
Look at the first words: “O My servants.” Allah still calls them His, while naming their excesses.
Who are the lowest in the Fire? The Qur'an names the hypocrites: they will be in its lowest depth.
Except those who repent, correct themselves, hold fast to Allah, and are sincere in their religion for Allah:
those will be with the believers.
Even for them, the door stayed open. So who could tell you it is closed for you?
The Prophet ﷺ said: if you did not sin, Allah would bring a people who sin, ask forgiveness, and are forgiven.
This is no permission to sin. Allah knew you would fall, and He opened a way back.
Some people think: after what I have done, it is too late for me.
The Qur'an answered that thought long ago, for people who had done far worse.
Even the heaviest past received an answer: 39:53.
Tonight, read 39:53 slowly, then say “Astaghfirullâh” for the sin that weighs on you most.