Sinning Intentionally and Intending to Repent
Question

                I was just wondering if someone says he will drink and do zina (fornicate) and do haram (unlawful) stuff and then he will repent, will his repentance be accepted?
Praise be to Allah.
    
    Firstly: 

    
    This questioner – may Allah guide him – does not realize that he has already 
    disobeyed Allah, may He be exalted, by saying this even if he has not 
    committed the sins that he stated clearly he would commit. 

    
    (a)

    
    It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the 
    Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah, may He be 
    glorified and exalted, will forgive my ummah (followers) for whatever 
    crosses their minds so long as they do not act upon it or speak of it.” [al-Bukhari, 
    Muslim]. 

    
    Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: 

    
    The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)) has told us that 
    Allah forgives whatever crosses a person’s mind so long as he does not speak 
    of it. So a distinction is made between thoughts that cross the mind and 
    words that are spoken. And he told us that he will not be blamed for a 
    passing thought unless he speaks of it. What is meant is unless his tongue 
    utters it, according to scholarly consensus.

    
    End quote from Majmoo‘ al-Fatawa. 

    
    (b)

    
    It was narrated from Abu Kabshah al-Anmari that he heard the Messenger of 
    Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: People of this world 
    are of four types.  The first is a man to whom Allah gives wealth and 
    knowledge, so he fears his Lord concerning it, upholds ties of kinship with 
    it and realizes that something is due to Allah for that. This man will 
    attain the highest status. The second is a man to whom Allah gives knowledge 
    but He does not give him wealth, but he is sincere in intention and says: If 
    I had wealth, I would have done what (the first man) did. He will be judged 
    according to his intention and their reward will be the same. The third one 
    is a man to whom Allah gives wealth but does not give knowledge, so he 
    squanders his wealth without knowledge and does not fear Allah concerning it 
    or uphold ties of kinship with it, and he does not realize that something is 
    due to Allah for that. His will be the lowest status. Then there is a man to 
    whom Allah gave neither wealth nor knowledge, but he says: If I had wealth I 
    would do what the third man did. He will be judged according to his 
    intention, and their burden of sin will be the same. [at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah] 

    
    This questioner also has to pay attention to the fact that he may not be 
    able to repent because of being overwhelmed by his whims and desires, his 
    regarding sin as permissible and his persisting in it. He may not be able to 
    do this because his time has come and his soul is taken. Let him listen to 
    the words of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted (interpretation of the 
    meaning):

    
    “And We shall turn their hearts and their eyes away (from guidance), as they 
    refused to believe therein for the first time, and We shall leave them in 
    their trespass to wander blindly.”

    
    [6:110]

    
    Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: This is part of a greater 
    understanding: that a man fears that his sins may cause him misfortune at 
    the time of death and keep him from a good end. Al-Imam Ahmad narrated from 
    Abu’d-Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) that when he was dying, he would 
    lose consciousness then he would come to and recite: “And We shall turn 
    their hearts and their eyes away (from guidance), as they refused to believe 
    therein for the first time, and We shall leave them in their trespass to 
    wander blindly” [6:110]. 

    
    Because of this, the early generation feared sins, lest they kept them from 
    a good end.

    
    End quote from al-Jawab al-Kafi by Ibn al-Qayyim. 

    
    Secondly: 

    
    This questioner has to ask his Lord for forgiveness and repent to Him for 
    having said this and having resolved to commit sin and persist in it. Allah, 
    may He be glorified and exalted, has enjoined repentance upon His slaves. He 
    says (interpretation of the meaning): 

    
    “O you who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance! It may be that 
    your Lord will remit from you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under 
    which rivers flow (Paradise).”

    
    [66:8]

    
    Allah, may He be exalted, has told us that He accepts repentance from His 
    slaves and that He will pardon them; indeed He will turn their bad deeds 
    into good deeds. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

    
    “And He it is Who accepts repentance from His slaves, and forgives sins, and 
    He knows what you do.”

    
    [42:25]

    
    “Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic Monotheism), and do 
    righteous deeds; for those, Allah will change their sins into good deeds, 
    and Allah is Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

    
    [25:70]

    
    Sincere repentance, according to the scholars, is that which fulfils the 
    following conditions: 

    
    (a)  Sincerity in repentance

    
    (b)  Giving up the sin

    
    (c)  Regretting the sin

    
    (d)  Resolving not to go back to the sin

    
    (e)  Repenting in time, for Allah does not accept repentance when the death 
    rattle sounds before the soul is taken, or after the sun rises from its 
    place of setting

    
    (f)  Restoring people’s rights if the sin had to do with the rights of other 
    people 

    
    We give our brother the glad tidings that if he has not done what he 
    intended and spoke of, and he refrained from it out of fear of Allah and 
    respect for His sacred limits, then Allah, may He be exalted, will record 
    one good deed in his record, instead of the bad deed that he was thinking of 
    doing. 

    
    It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the 
    Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah 
    says: ‘If My slave thinks of doing a bad deed then do not write it down for 
    him unless he does it, then if he does it write it down as one bad deed. And 
    if he refrains from it for My sake, write down one good deed for him. If he 
    wants to do a good deed then he does not do it, write it down as one good 
    deed and if he does it, write it down tenfold up to seven hundred 
    fold.” [al-Bukhari, Muslim]. 

    
    And Allah knows best.