"Repentance is an internal revolution of the human being against the self

Ayatullah Mutahhari explains repentance: "Repentance is an internal revolution of the human being against the self. Plants and animals do not act against themselves yet the human being has the ability to do so. The rise of one group of human being against another group is a natural and obvious matter since we expect the oppressed to arise against the oppressor. This is also true of the rise of one country or nation against another country or nation. But the rise of a person against the self is not so simple and obvious. Why does it happen? The reason is that, in spite of having one body, a human being is intellectually and spiritually a complex being. The human being is a mixture of animal ferocity and passion on the one hand, and of angelic qualities on the other. Sometimes the pig takes over the command as a lustful being, giving no choice to the ferocious beast, devil or angel within to act. Suddenly one part rebels against this rule and subverts it in favor of the domination of another of its aspects.

"A sinful being is one who is dominated by the beast or devil within by which the angel and its noble qualities are imprisoned. Repentance is the arising of the noble qualities within against one's own mean and wicked aspects, putting an end to their domination and destroying all their force. Thus, repentance is a reaction of the holy and noble spirit of the human being against the lower animal self; a holy rebellion of the angelic side against the evil and beastly vices within."

In a way, repentance is the reaction of the angelic or noble self of man after committing sin. Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) says in a du'a: "My God, offenses have clothed me in the garment of my lowliness, separation from Thee has wrapped me in the clothing of my misery! My dreadful crimes have deadened my heart". If a human being is not spiritually dead and has not reached the point of death, if the heart has still some life-like characteristics, then sins are bound to make one sad. The degree of remorse and regret after sins is dependent on two factors: the intensity of sin we have committed (the degree of our crime and a measure how much we have hurt our angelic aspect of self), and our closeness with Allah. The closer we are to Allah, the more we will feel pained after sinning.

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