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Fatwa CenterRegretting What One Had Missed in Worldly or Religious Matters
Question
Assalamu alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu Is it permissible to regret about wasted opportunities be it in wordly or religious matters?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
There is nothing wrong with the Muslim in regretting what he had missed of what he likes of the permissible matters of this world if this regret is not accompanied by being discontent of the Predestination of Allah. As regards regretting the loss of opportunity in the matter of religion, if what is meant is regret for missing an act of obedience, then it is not described as permissible, but it is required by Sharia and it (this regret) is obligatory in regard to abandoning religions obligations or committing what is forbidden. The Muslim must regret whatever he has been negligent about and the evil deeds that he had committed. He can amend that by sincere repentance before it is too late and regret and feel remorse in the Hereafter.
Allah Says (what means): {And return [in repentance] to your Lord and submit to Him before the punishment comes upon you; then you will not be helped. And follow the best of what was revealed to you from your Lord before the punishment comes upon you suddenly while you do not perceive. Lest a soul should say, "Oh [how great is] my regret over what I neglected in regard to Allah and that I was among the mockers."} [Quran 39:54-56]
Ibn al-Qayyim 
said in al-Wabil at-Tayyib:
“The sign of glorification of commandments is to take care of their times and limits, study their pillars, obligations and perfection, and be careful to performing them on time, and hasten to perform them when they become due to perform, and become sad, depressed and regret when missing one of their rights, such as one who grieves for missing a congregational prayer and knows that his individual prayer has been accepted, for he had missed the reward of twenty-seven times.”
Allah knows best.
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