Pardon and forgiveness

Pardon means treating the evil-doer and those who are mistaken with tolerance and forgiveness, and not punishing him or treating him in the same way as he did. Pardon is one of the Attributes of Allaah The Almighty and a feature of His methodology. Allaah The Almighty describes Himself as “Ever Pardoning and Forgiving”, “Pardons much,” and “Pardons misdeeds.” Allaah The Almighty shows unique pardon in the month of Ramadhaan, as He The Almighty Says (what means): {Allaah knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so He accepted your repentance and forgave you.} [Quran 2:187] In Ramadhaan, ‘Aa’ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, asked the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, “If I get to know the Night of Al-Qadr, what should I say in it?” He instructed her to say: “Allaahumma innaka ‘Afuwwun tuhibbu al-‘afwa fa‘fu ‘anni (O Allaah, Who pardons and loves pardoning! Pardon me.)” [At-Tirmithi: Saheeh] Allaah The Almighty is characterised by pardoning, He pardons very often and pardons much, and loves that His slaves ask for and seek pardon from Him. He also loves that His slaves pardon one another and adopt the quality of pardoning among themselves. Allaah The Almighty talks to us about pardoning and urges us to adopt it in many ways and many verses in His Glorious Book. For instance, Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And to forego it is nearer to righteousness. And do not forget graciousness between you.} [Quran 2:237] If a Muslim wants to attain piety and reach the level of the pious, let him follow the way of pardoning and adopt the quality of pardoning. The verse alerts that pardoning requires that the person remembers the good characteristics and virtues of the one who makes a mistake. A fault or a mistake should not rescind or cancel people’s virtues and good deeds; rather, these good deeds and virtues must cover their mistakes and faults. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds.} [Quran 11:114] So, you have to pardon and should not forget graciousness between you. The verses which urge us to adopt pardoning include what Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {If [instead] you show [some] good or conceal it or pardon an offence - indeed, Allaah is ever Pardoning and Competent.} [Quran 4:149] Allaah The Almighty attracts us by the quality of pardoning since He Himself is ever Pardoning and Competent. He has absolute power, and nothing fails Him. He fears neither the criticism of a critic nor the revenge of an avenger. If He punishes someone, He would punish him with full justice and wisdom. Nevertheless, He pardons much and does not punish unless pardoning proves to be ineffective. This means that the human being, who is weak when compared to others, stands in need of others, and is liable to get angry or behave unjustly, is the one who needs the quality of pardoning and to deal with others on the basis of clemency. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): • {But if you pardon and overlook and forgive - then indeed, Allaah is Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 64:14] • {And let them pardon and overlook. Would you not like that Allaah should forgive you?} [Quran 24:22] These two verses provide another reason why people should pardon one another; since they love that Allaah The Almighty pardons them and that they themselves benefit from His pardon and that of people, they should pardon and forgive people. In other words, we should pardon people as we seek pardon for ourselves and our mistakes. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And who restrain anger and who pardon the people.} [Quran 3:134] This verse calls for a unique level of pardon, which is, pardoning at the moment of anger and agitation. This is a rank that is very high and difficult to attain. When people incline to pardoning and forgiveness, they usually do it when they are relaxed and calm, which is probably preceded by an angry reaction. Therefore, Allaah The Almighty gives special praise to those who restrain anger and pardon people. They pardon while in the state of anger, nervousness, and pain resulting from the harm that befalls them. In this sense, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Real patience is that which is showed at the first stroke of grief,” and he said: “The strong man is not one who is good at wrestling, but the strong man is the one who controls himself in a fit of rage.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] Such was the manner of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and the prophets before him. Ibn Mas‘ood, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, “I can still recall as if I am seeing the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, resembling one of the prophets whose people scourged him and shed his blood, while he wiped blood from his face, he said: ‘O Allaah! Forgive my people for they do not know.’”[Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]