Q:

Salaam, I wasnt praying or practicing islam. I have committed some major sins I.e adultery, stealing and etc.. I have now started practicing but still have a guilty feeling inside me. Regards to the stuff i have stolen the stuff is now damaged and I cannot return it even tho I still have it. What should i do? I’m willing to pay on a monthly basis but if I tell them I believe I will get in to big trouble. Also are my prayers valid even tho I have done all this.

A:

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu waRahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

You need not despair of the mercy of Allah.

We are in the last ten nights of Ramadan. It is the perfect time for you to come clean and seek forgiveness from Allah. As you may know, we are in the last ten nights of Ramadan. These are the days and nights that Allah chooses to dispense His special graces more than any other time. So, use this perfect time to wash your sins through lots of istighfaar (begging forgiveness of Allah), dhikr (remembrance of Allah), prayers, and reading the Holy Book.

However, while you are doing all of the above, you need to compensate the victims. If you have robbed people, you need to return what you stole;  if you cannot do so, the minimum you could do is to estimate the value of the stuff you have taken unlawfully and then give it away in charity on their behalf.

For details on divine mercfy and how to seek repentance, please refer to the answer linked below:

The Door of Repentance Is Wide Open

Almighty Allah Knows best.