[Q]: Will Allāh accept the repentance of the public sinner?

[A]: Allāh will undoubtedly accept repentance from all sins, regardless of whether that sin is public or private. Moreover, even the repentance of the disbeliever is accepted by Him:

قُل لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِن يَنتَهُوا۟ يُغْفَرْ لَهُم مَّا قَدْ سَلَفَ وَإِن يَعُودُوا۟ فَقَدْ مَضَتْ سُنَّتُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ

“Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief) their past will be forgiven. But if they return (thereto), then the examples of those (punished) before them have already preceded (as a warning).”
(Al-Anfāl, 8:38)

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “True repentance erases all preceding sin.”¹

Allāh—the Most High—also said:

قُلْ يَٰعِبَادِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا۟ مِن رَّحْمَةِ ٱللَّهِ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ

“Say: “O’ my slaves who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allāh, verily Allāh forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
(Al-Zumar, 39:53)

True, penitent repentance expiates all sins, including shirk (associating partners with Allāh in any form of worship), kufr (disbelief), hypocrisy (hidden disbelief or perpetual, rebellious sinning) and any other misdeed. Whoever truly repents, Allāh will accept his repentance, forgiving and pardoning him.

Source: Al-Walā wa-al-Barā:28-29
Translated by: Riyāḍ al-Kanadī, Abū ʿUbaydah al-Ḥabashī