Answer
In this counseling answer:
The important thing is repenting and avoiding committing the sin again and in sha Allah, Allah will forgive you.
Avoiding situations that might potentially lead you to do so will greatly assist you with this.
Negative consequences, such as guilt, can actually provide a useful protective mechanism against allowing this to happen again.
As-Salamu ‘Alaikum brother,
Firstly, let me commend you for reaching out for assistance in the matter. We all become weak to some sin or another at some point, but the important thing is repenting and avoiding committing the sin again and in sha Allah, Allah will forgive you. You are aware that what you have done is a sin, you feel guilty for it, and you have repented and promised not to do this act again. This is the first step and the best one in moving forward in this matter.
It is now your responsibility to ensure that you don’t commit the same sin again. Avoiding situations that might potentially lead you to do so will greatly assist you with this. Alhamdulillah, Islam imposes upon us all the etiquettes that will prevent this from happening, such as avoidance of free mixing and lowering the gaze. If you live by these Islamic practices, then you will be unable to fall into this trap of zina again.
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Negative consequences, such as guilt, can actually provide a useful protective mechanism against allowing this to happen again. It is a very uncomfortable feeling and will help you to not fall into the same trap again to avoid feeling such terrible feelings again.
May Allah forgive you and make it easy for you to stay clear of situations that lead to such sins in the future.
Salam,
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