Bismillah
Allah ta’ala says:
Those who have believed and done righteous deeds – ‘Tooba’ is theirs and a good return. (Suratur Ra’ad, ayah 29)
Allah ta’ala promises ‘Tooba’ to the believers in this ayah. We also know this word for the famous hadeeth of the strangers, the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam states: fa Tooba lil ghurabaa’, so Tooba to the strangers. What does Tooba mean?
It is said to be from 3 derivatives:
1- plural of tayyibah
2- masdar of tayyib
3- feminine version of the superlative, atyab اطيب
All of these derivatives are from the same root word, which is tayyib, from taw-ya-ba (ط ي ب) and it literally means to be good, pleasant, agreeable, lawful.
From this we derive that Tooba means every kind of good that has biqaa’, an everlasting nature. Tooba is happiness that lasts. Tooba is also whatever makes you rich and content and you won’t be in need of anything else to satisfy you. We also learn from a hadeeth that Tooba is a tree in Jannah. The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, “Tooba is a tree in Paradise, as big as a hundred year’s journey; the clothes of the people of Paradise comes from the outer parts of its flowers” (Silsilat al-Hadith as-Saheehah, 4⁄639, no. 1985, the isnaad is hasan)
may Allah ta’ala grant us Tooba, Ameen!
wa lillahil hamd.
Al-Huda Institute Canada: Ta’leem Al Qur’an English course for women.