Forgiveness, A Divine Attribute And Merciful Practice Followed By The Righteous

By Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam

17 January 2022

Forgiving Someone Is A Quality That Not Everyone Possesses, But Only Those Who Are Sincere And Pious

Highlights

1.    Since we are the caliphs of God Almighty, we should beautify our character with the divine attribute which is forgiveness.

2.    Historically forgiveness has been crucial in the expansion of Islam.

3.    Islam does not preach any sort of forgiveness or pardon that encourages the opposing person or makes him more likely to commit sins.

4.    The importance of forgiveness can be shown in the fact that "forgiveness" and "mercy" are referenced roughly 100 and 200 times in the noble Qur'an, respectively.

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Forgiveness is a divine attribute and merciful practice. Since we are the caliphs of God Almighty, we should beautify our character with this holy character. One of many beautiful names of Allah is Al-'Afuw, which is an Arabic word and means "The Forgiver," "The Most Forgiving," "The Effacing," and "The Sin Eliminator,". Al-'Afuw, according to Islamic scholars, is more common than Ghafoor (the Forgiving). Since Ghafoor means to cover up sins while the sin remains in the sinner's book of deeds. But Al-'Afuw translates to erase the punishment as well as the natural effects of sins from the soul. It is better to forgive and erase the effects of sins than to forgive and cover up the sins.

Furthermore, when Allah forgives the sins of His slaves, He does not simply eliminate their misdeeds; if the slave enlightens his faith after repenting and asking for pardon, and makes a positive change in his character, Allah forgives him and replaces his sins with good acts. Accepting apologies from sinners and perpetrators is a mark of a humble and honourable person, and persevering in the face of opposition and foes is the bedrock of a good and ethical community.

Forgiveness is very essential in Islamic morality. This characteristic has been important in the expansion of Islam. This is the beloved attribute of Allah and has been repeatedly stated in the Holy Quran. The presence of life in the sky and on Earth is due to this trait. The system of the universe will be in disarray if forgiveness is removed from the planet. If forgiveness is not maintained, small offences will be detected, peace and tranquilly will be lost, life will become indigestible, an endless loop of retaliation will begin, and the world will become a hotbed of riots and mischief.

Errors and omissions are common in human behaviour. If his flaws are overlooked because of his inherent frailty, he will feel guilt, embarrassment, and respect for the forgiver. He will become capable of doing nice actions. This instruction is not only for Muslims. Non-Muslims will also be impressed and love Islam if they are treated with forgiveness, as has happened on numerous occasions. Non-Muslims, according to the Quran, should be treated in this manner:

“Who spend [in the cause of Allah] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people - and Allah loves the doers of good” (3:134) The word 'Naas,' which means 'people,' is used in this passage to refer to all people, Muslims and non-Muslims.

Islam does not preach any sort of forgiveness or pardon that encourages the opposing person or makes him more likely to commit sins. Forgiveness cannot restore lost rights, but it does eliminate bitterness, resentment, and malice from the heart, calm the spirit of vengeance, facilitate self-correction, and strengthen the social link, which is essential for people's togetherness. Forgiveness can be used as a corrective and training tool in this situation. That is why forgiving is a very praiseworthy act before Allah Almighty.

Allah Almighty, through His Beloved Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), encourages all Muslims to work for forgiveness by instilling moral values in them. In Qur’an, Allah Almighty says: “Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.” (2:222)

We can deduce from this Qur'anic verse that if someone asks forgiveness with repentance, Allah would love him/her and will certainly forgive him/her, but there is one condition: he/she must not do the same error or mistake again.

If someone wrongs another human being, the wrong must be made right with the wronged person or human being, who must be requested for forgiveness before seeking Allah for pardon. Human beings are taught to be forgiving in Islam, and if someone asks for forgiveness truly, the wronged person should forgive him. To encourage forgiveness, Islam says that you should not be harsh on other people's shortcomings, just as you would want Allah to forgive you for your misdeeds. This means that if we want Almighty Allah's forgiveness, we must be able to forgive others as well.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever suffers an injury and forgives (the offender), Allah will raise his rank and remove his sins” (Hadith reported by Al-Tirmidhi). We will be rid of the Shaytan (Satan) and its bad energy if we can sincerely forgive those who harm us, both internally and outside. Ignoring baseless comments is crucial since it is the first step toward tolerance.

The importance of forgiveness can be shown in the fact that "forgiveness" and "mercy" are referenced roughly 100 and 200 times in the noble Qur'an, respectively. The Qur'an dedicates an entire chapter to the quality of kindness in the name of Surah Rahman.

It is also necessary to prioritise forgiveness because, as the Qur'an has repeatedly stated, when a person goes beyond the limits of punishing the guilty, he frequently joins the ranks of the oppressor. As a result, forgiveness is valued in Islam. Forgiveness builds love, whilst chastising everyone for everything breeds hatred.

We must remember that as the lamp of our lives goes out, so does our strength, power, and leadership position and we will be held accountable before our Lord. We will be given the opportunity to seek forgiveness from Allah Almighty, and despite His infinite strength, Allah Almighty will forgive wrongdoers and criminals. Rather than being enraged, this concept instructs us to forgive our subordinates with sincerity.

The Sunnah of the Holy Prophet is to pardon the guilty. The Prophet (peace be upon him) is believed to have advised his Companions to show kindness to the captives of the Battle of Badr and to be hungry but to feed them. It is said that if you forgive the servants of God in this world, Allah will forgive you when there is no one else to forgive but Him. There is a tradition that a person who meets the people and is patient in the face of adversity is likewise thought to be superior to the one who worships in solitude.

This tradition makes it clear that if a person wrongs someone, and he shows patience despite his strength and power, and forgives him, then he is in a better position than one who worships in solitude. Forgiving someone is a quality that not everyone possesses, but only those who are sincere and pious. The weak people are constantly willing to exact vengeance. Revenge is likewise inappropriate for a Muslim, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) encouraged Muslims to treat the people with kindness and forgiveness. Whoever, despite his strength and influence, forgives the excesses and atrocities of the people, Allah bestows a higher recompense on him.

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Kaniz Fatma is a classic Islamic scholar and a regular columnist for New Age Islam.

URL:   https://www.newageislam.com/islam-spiritualism/forgiveness-divine-merciful-/d/126174

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