Repentence of the Apostate “Murtadd”
After elucidating the categories of apostasy, do know that (It is obligatory upon the apostate “murtadd”) whether male or female (to return to) the religion of (Islam immediately). One reenters Islam (by uttering the Testification of Faith), i.e., the two shahadahs, which are: “I testify that no one is God except Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,” or what gives its meaning in any other language (and leaving off) that is, stopping, (whatever caused) his falling into (apostasy “riddah.”) So, if one leaves the matter which caused the apostasy and utters the Testification of Faith, one returns to Islam.
(Moreover), in addition to returning to Islam, the person must fulfill two matters in order not to be sinful. First, (it is obligatory upon one to regret having apostatized) by having hatred in his heart for what he did, (and) second, (to) firmly (intend) in his heart (not to return to committing anything like it), that is, the blasphemy. If one does not regret, or if it does not occur to him to intend never to return to the blasphemy, his return to Islam is valid, however, he would be sinful for falling short of those two obligations. As to the one who intends to or hesitates about committing blasphemy in the future, he blasphemes immediately.