Christianity
Islam
Judaism
Hinduism
Buddhism
Confession & Repentance
Acknowledging wrongdoing before God or community is a transformative practice across traditions. Whether through the Christian sacrament of confession, Islam's istighfar, Judaism's vidui, or Buddhism's patimokkha, confession opens the door to forgiveness and spiritual renewal.
Across the World's Religions
Christianity
- अभ्यास
- Confession (exomologesis) — sacrament of reconciliation
- Key Text
- 1 John 1:9; James 5:16; Psalm 32:5
Islam
- अभ्यास
- Istighfar — seeking Allah's forgiveness; Tawbah (repentance)
- Key Text
- Quran 3:135, 11:90
Judaism
- अभ्यास
- Vidui (confession) — integral to Yom Kippur liturgy
- Key Text
- Leviticus 5:5; Numbers 5:6-7; Psalm 32:5
Hinduism
- अभ्यास
- Prayaschitta (expiation) — confession to guru or before deity
- Key Text
- Manusmriti 11.228; Bhagavad Gita 9:30
Buddhism
- अभ्यास
- Patimokkha recitation — communal confession of transgressions
- Key Text
- Vinaya Pitaka; AN 2.21; Dhammapada 173