Virtues of Forgiveness

Allah, to whom all praise and glory is due, said to Muhammad (peace be upon him):

Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the foolish (meaning, don't punish them).

And Allah says:

 So forgive and overlook, until Allah brings His command. Surely, Allah has power over all things.

Anas narrated that Muhammad (pbuh) said, "When the Day of Judgment will be established, a caller will say, 'the one whose reward is due on Allah should enter Paradise.' Then it will be announced, 'where are those whose reward is due on Allah?' So a group of people, who used to forgive others, will stand up and enter Paradise without reckoning.

Remember, this life is temporary.

The attribute of forgiveness is important, which is why Allah commanded Muhammad (pbuh) to 'show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the foolish."

Muhammad (pbuh) asked the angel Gabriel (pbuh), "What is forgiveness?" Gabriel (pbuh) replied, "To join the one who severed you, to give to the one who denied you, and to pardon the one who oppressed you." At-Tabri explained: "This means to adopt the attribute of forgiveness over all the other attributes of people, to overlook their wrong doings directed at you, and to turn away from the foolish ones with peace."

Some people incorrectly assume that forgiveness is a sign of weakness and cowardice. Rather, forgiveness is a sign of strength and an attribute of the brave, because the one who forgives has control over his ego (nafs) and his desires.

Jafar As-Sadiq said, "I prefer to err on the side of pardon ten times, than to err on the side of punishment once." This means that it is better to forgive someone by mistake than it is to punish someone by mistake.

Forgiveness brings us together

Furthermore, forgiveness has great importance in Islam. Imam ibn Qayyim declared, 'Oh child of Adam! Between you and Allah are mistakes and sins that only Allah knows. You desire Allah to forgive you, so forgive Allah's servants and Allah will forgive your mistakes, because if you forgive in the world, Allah will forgive you in the Hereafter."

Ali ibn Abi Talib narrated that Muhammad (pbuh) said, "Shouldn't I tell you about the most superior verses in the book of Allah? It is the saying of Allah: 'Whatever misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. Allah pardons from much (of your misdeeds)." I will explain it to you, Oh Ali. What reaches you from sickness, hardship, or trial in this world is because of your actions. So Allah will not return the punishment in the Hereafter, and what Allah forgives in this world, Allah will not punish for what he has already forgiven."

Allah has praised the righteous people and promised them paradise, as spacious as the heavens and the Earth, because of their following attributes: giving charity in prosperity and times of hardship, holding back anger, forgiving people, and excellent morals.

If someone oppresses us or holds back what is rightfully ours, and we forgive him or her, Allah will accept our forgiveness and enter us into paradise. As previously mentioned, forgiveness does not mean weakness and cowardice, rather it means to forgive when you have the power to take retribution, and still forgive for the sake of Allah. Ibrahim an-Nakhi said, "the companions of Muhammad (pbuh) disliked to be humiliated, but when they had power, they forgave."

Do you need to forgive someone?

Taking revenge from the oppressor is a right, but forgiveness is superior. Allah says, "The recompense of an injury is an injury like thereof; but whoever forgives and makes reconciliation, they shall be rewarded by Allah. Surely, Allah does not like the wrong-doers."

Let each one of us forgive when wronged by another, as Muhammad (pbuh) did after he conquered Mecca. The people of Mecca had plotted to kill him, tortured his companions, fought against him in Badar and Uhad, and brought many allies against him in the Battle of the Trench. When the Meccans were defeated and forced to lay down their arms, the Muslims were waiting word from Muhammad (pbuh) to punish the Meccans. Muhammad (pbuh) asked, "O you people of Mecca! How do you imagine I am going to deal with you?"

The Meccans said, "You are a kind person and the son of a kind person."

Muhammad (pbuh) said, "Go, you are free." And he (pbuh) forgave them.

Allah reminds us that "the good deed and the evil deed are not equal. Repel (evil) with the one which is better. Then surely, one with whom you had enmity will become your close friend. But none will be granted (this quality) except those who are patient, and none will be granted it except those who own the greatest portion (of high morals)."

And Allah knows best.