Repentance from wrongdoings
Sheikh al Islam was asked about a muslim, who, at his youth, was fond of committing wrongdoings that cost him to be exiled and avoided. Then a group of people said, “He has sought forgiveness from Allah , and Allah will forgive his mistakes and eliminate his past mistakes.” While another group said, ” It is not allowed to establish brotherhood with him nor being hostile to him;” Which of the two parties is more correct?
He answered,
No doubt that whoever repents with true repentance, Allah will accept his repentance, as He decreed, which can be translated as,
“He it is Who accepts repentance from His servants and forgives sins and knows all what you do,” (QS. Asy-Syura/The Council: 25).
“Tell them, (O Prophet): “My servants who have committed excesses against themselves, do not despair of Allah’s Mercy. Surely Allah forgives all sins. He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (QS. Az-Zumar: 53)
That is, for every one who repents.
If so, and he already repented, then, if he has performed righteous deeds for a year, and he doesn’t invalidate his repentance, then his repentance is accepted, and it is allowed to befriend and talk to him. But if he had repented and has not up to a year, then the scholars are divided into two famous opinions.
Some of them said, “He must be befriended and his testimony must be accepted, no matter what.” While sone of them said, “It must reach a year of period, just as what Umar Ibn Al Khaththab had done to Sabigh Ibn Asal.” And this is the problem of ijtihad. Whoever thinks that his repentance is accepted and he must be befriended no matter what his condition, before putting him into a trial first, then he has taken a rightful opinion to be taken, and whoever thinks that he must be postponed for some times until he performed righteous deeds and the truth of his repentance been revealed, then he has also taken a rightful opinion. Both opinions are not a kind of misguidance.
Source: The collection of fatwas of Ibn Taimiyya, by Sheikh al Islam Ibn Taimiyya, published by Darul Haq.
Article of www.whatisquran.com