What are the conditions of tawbah?

A sincere tawbah (repentance) has four main conditions: stop the sin, feel real regret, resolve not to return to it, and, if you wronged someone, put it right. Behind all of these must be sincerity: you turn back to Allah for His sake, not to impress people or escape embarrassment. No special words are required, and it must be done before death.

What tawbah means

Tawbah means "to return" to Allah. The Quran calls believers to a deep, honest kind of repentance:

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحًا عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمْ أَن يُكَفِّرَ عَنكُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمْ وَيُدْخِلَكُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ "O believers! Turn to Allah in sincere repentance, so your Lord may absolve you of your sins and admit you into Gardens, under which rivers flow..." Quran 66:8

The conditions

1. Stop the sin now: repentance cannot go together with carrying on. If the sin is a habit, begin by cutting off what leads to it.
2. Regret: feel sorry, because you disobeyed Allah. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Regret is repentance" (Sunan Ibn Majah 4252).
3. Resolve not to return: make a firm intention to avoid it in future. If you slip again, you can repent again. The Quran praises those who "do not knowingly persist in sin" (Quran 3:135).
4. Restore people's rights: if the sin involved someone else, such as money taken or a person hurt, return it, apologise or ask their forgiveness. See Does Allah forgive sins against other people?

Scholars add that tawbah must be sincere for Allah's sake and made in time.

Timing: before it is too late

The Prophet ﷺ said that Allah accepts a servant's repentance as long as his soul has not reached his throat (Jami at-Tirmidhi 3537). That means up to the final moments of life. Another hadith says that whoever repents before the sun rises from the west, Allah turns to him with mercy (Sahih Muslim 2703). So there is never a point in life when it is too late to return, but it is wise not to delay.

What you do not need

No confession to a person: tawbah is between you and Allah, and Islam discourages broadcasting your sins.
No special wording: you can use your own words, and also the formal phrase "Astaghfirullah" (I seek Allah's forgiveness).
No perfection: you do not have to feel flawless afterward. Keep going.

Some people also pray two rak'ahs of repentance after a sin. See What is the prayer of repentance? If you worry about falling again and again, see Will Allah forgive me if I keep committing the same sin?

Practical steps after tawbah

Avoid the people, places and apps that pull you back.
Follow the sin with good deeds, such as extra prayer, charity or Quran.
Keep making dua and asking for forgiveness daily.
Think well of Allah: He loves those who return to Him.

Key points

Stop, regret, resolve not to return, and put right any wrong to people.
Sincerity for Allah's sake is the foundation.
Repentance is accepted until death (Jami at-Tirmidhi 3537).
No special wording or confession to others is required.

Tip: Make "Astaghfirullah" a daily habit, even when you have nothing in particular to repent from. It keeps the heart soft and the door of tawbah always open.