It is attained. In the hadith, it is stated: "Every Muslim has an admonisher from Allah in his qalb (the heart)." (Musnad, IV, 182; Daylami, II, 429). In another hadith, it is also stated: "Truly, there is a piece of flesh in the body; if it is sound, the whole body is sound, and if it is corrupt, the whole body is corrupt. Behold, that piece of flesh is the qalb (the heart)." (Bukhari, Iman, 39; Muslim, Musaqat, 20)
If a person, with his qalb (the heart), reflects upon the futility of what he is doing and perceives the ugly deeds he is engaged in, then a desire for tawba (repentance) and deliverance from ugly deeds arises in his qalb (the heart). At that moment, the True Exalted One (Hakk Taʿālā) grants the correction of resolve, a beautiful turning back, and preparedness for the causes of tawba (repentance). The first of these is to abandon the company of evil people. For it is the evil companion who distances a person from this aim and causes him to fall into doubts regarding the firm decision he has made.
This goal can only be reached by striving constantly to attain the maqāms (spiritual stations) of witnessing (mushāhada). As a result of this striving, the servant's inclination toward tawba (repentance) increases, and the feelings that strengthen his fear (khawf) and hope (rajāʾ), which call him to complete what he has resolved, multiply. At this very moment, the knot of insistence regarding the ugly deeds he is upon is untied from his qalb (the heart). By this means, he restrains his nafs (the lower self) from being occupied with forbidden deeds, and by taking its reins in hand, he distances it from following its desires. Thus, in the ḥāl (spiritual state) he is in, he distances himself from committing errors, and sharpens his resolve not to return to similar errors in the future. (Qushayri, 49)
Junayd said: "Tawba (repentance) has three meanings: The first is remorse; the second is to resolve not to commit again what Allah has prohibited; and the third is to strive to make amends for the injustices committed."
tawba-ināba-awba 1075. Sahl Abdullah (Tustari) also says: "Tawba (repentance) is to abandon saying, 'I will do it later,' and not to postpone fulfilling the requirements of commands and prohibitions."
Abu'l-Qasim Junayd (may Allah have mercy on him) also said: "One day, I entered upon Sari al-Saqati and saw a change in his face. I asked, 'What has happened to you?' He said: 'A young man came to me and asked what tawba (repentance) is. I told him, "It is not forgetting your sin." He objected to me and said, "Rather, tawba (repentance) is to forget your sin." Thereupon, I said, 'In my view, the truth of the matter is as the young man said.' (And then Junayd) said: 'When I was in the state of tribulation (jafāʾ), He transferred me to the state of fidelity (wafāʾ). Is it not tribulation to remember tribulation in the state of purity (ṣafāʾ)?' Upon this, Sari fell silent."
Likewise, Sahl Abdullah (Tustari) also gave an answer similar to Sari's. Abu Nasr al-Sarraj (Tusi) says: "Sahl sometimes acted in their favor, and sometimes against them."