Forgiving or Not Forgiving, It’ll be Settled in the Hereafter!
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم, الحمد لله رب العالمين و صلى الله و سلم و بارك على نبينا محمد و آله و صحبه أجمعين, أما بعد
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, Most Merciful, All praises be to Allah, Lord of universe, peace and prayer of Allah and His blessing be upon our Prophet, Muhammad, his family, and all his companions.
After that,
Dear readers, how do you do?
I wish that Allah the Exalted always eases your affairs and mine, Amin O Allah.
In this article, I’ll explain about some noble principles in Islam, regarding the etiquette of social relationship among Allah’s creatures, particularly among muslims.
1. Forgiving a Sin is Better than Keeping the Hatred until the Hereafter
Forgiving one who ever wronged us, whatever the wrong, is suggested in shari’a and in the noble Qur’an and exemplified in the noble hadith of Prophet Muhammad -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-.
Indeed it is hard, but the reward is also great, that is, Allah the Exalted will forgive the sins of the forgiver.
Let’s see the following verse and hadith below:
وَلَا يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ وَالسَّعَةِ أَنْ يُؤْتُوا أُولِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَالْمُهَاجِرِينَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلْيَعْفُوا وَلْيَصْفَحُوا أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ .. النور: 22
“Let those among you who are bounteous and resourceful not swear to withhold giving to the kindred, to the needy, and to those who have forsaken their homes in the cause of Allah; rather, let them forgive and forbear. Do you not wish that Allah should forgive you? Allah is Ever Forgiving, Most Merciful. “(QS. An Nur/The Light: 22).
The verse was revealed regarding the story of Abu Bakr Ash Shiddiq -may Allah be pleased with him- who vowed to stop funding Misthah Ibn Utsatsah -may Allah be pleased with him-, because Misthah -may Allah be pleased with him- was one of the people who spread the false accusation to ‘Aisha -may Allah be pleased with her-.
And when Allah the Exalted had revealed the verse that confirmed about the purity of ‘Aisha -may Allah be pleased with her- from all false accusations made by the hypocrites, and the condition of muslim society had returned to normal, Allah the Exalted granted His forgiven to the believers who joined in talking about this news, and those who deserved of criminal penalties were given their penalties because of their deed.
Thus, Allah, with His excellence and mercy enticed Abu Bakr Ash Shiddiq -may Allah be pleased with him- to forgive Misthah -may Allah be pleased with him-, who was the son of his aunt, a poor man who had no wealth but what Abu Bakr Ash Shiddiq -may Allah be pleased with him- gave him, and Misthah -may Allah be pleased with him- was among the emigrants, and Allah the Exalted had accepted his repentance, moreover, Misthah -may Allah be pleased with him- already received criminal penalty for what he did. Then what was the response of Abu Bakr Ash Shiddiq -may Allah be pleased with him- in the end? Let’s see it in the following hadith:
أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ – رضى الله عنها – زَوْجَ النَّبِىِّ – صلى الله عليه وسلم – قَالَتْ: “… فَلَمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ هَذَا فِى بَرَاءَتِى قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ – رضى الله عنه – وَكَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحِ بْنِ أُثَاثَةَ لِقَرَابَتِهِ مِنْهُ ، وَفَقْرِهِ وَاللَّهِ لاَ أُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ شَيْئًا أَبَدًا بَعْدَ الَّذِى قَالَ لِعَائِشَةَ مَا قَالَ ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ( وَلاَ يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ وَالسَّعَةِ أَنْ يُؤْتُوا أُولِى الْقُرْبَى وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَالْمُهَاجِرِينَ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلْيَعْفُوا وَلْيَصْفَحُوا أَلاَ تُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ ) قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ بَلَى ، وَاللَّهِ إِنِّى أُحِبُّ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لِى ، فَرَجَعَ إِلَى مِسْطَحٍ النَّفَقَةَ الَّتِى كَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهِ ، وَقَالَ وَاللَّهِ لاَ أَنْزِعُهَا مِنْهُ أَبَدًا
‘Aisha -may Allah be pleased with her-, wife of the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said, “When Allah revealed my liberty (from the false news spread by the hypocrites), Abu Bakr Ash Shiddiq -may Allah be pleased with him- said about Misthah Ibn Utsatsah -may Allah be pleased with him-, and Misthah was a man he supported financially because of his family tie to him and his poverty, ‘By Allah, I will not support Misthah anything, forever, after what he said about ‘Aisha -may Allah be pleased with her-“. Then Allah revealed the verse:
( وَلاَ يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ وَالسَّعَةِ أَنْ يُؤْتُوا أُولِى الْقُرْبَى وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَالْمُهَاجِرِينَ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلْيَعْفُوا وَلْيَصْفَحُوا أَلاَ تُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ )
“Let those among you who are bounteous and resourceful not swear to withhold giving to the kindred, to the needy, and to those who have forsaken their homes in the cause of Allah; rather, let them forgive and forbear. Do you not wish that Allah should forgive you? Allah is Ever Forgiving, Most Merciful. “
Then Abu Bakr said, “Certainly, by Allah, I want that Allah the Exalted forgive me.” Thus, he resumed his financial support Misthah again, whom used to support. And he said, “By Allah, I will not leave the support for him.” (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim. See: “Tafseer Al Qur’an Al Azhim” by Ibn Katsir -may Allah have mercy on him-).
Dear readers, I believe you understand about this story…
Hence, Abu Bakr Ash Shiddiq -may Allah be pleased with him- previously wanted to stop his financial support to Misthah -may Allah be pleased with him-, because Misthah -may Allah be pleased with him- was among those who told the false news about ‘Aisha -may Allah be pleased with her- , which was initiated by the hypocrites.
But after he saw the greatness of the reward that Allah the Exalted promised him if he forgave Misthah -may Allah be pleased with him-, Abu Bakr -may Allah be pleased with him- chose the reward, that was the forgiveness from Allah the Exalted, rather than keeping a long lasting hatred. Allahu Akbar!
Forgive the mistakes of our brother believers, whatever it is, do not let the hatred because of it stuck in our chest, don’t we wish to get the forgiveness of Allah the Exalted? Forgiving, equals to getting the forgiveness of Allah the Exalted.
2. Forgiving should be followed by Forbearing
The perfection of forgiving is when it is followed by forbearing, that makes the person feels that nothing had happened before.
Some might be able to forgive, but could not forbear after. For examples:
A might have forgiven B, one who ever wronged him, but:
– he doesn’t want to see B anymore
– he feels reluctant in gathering again with B
– he keeps on bringing B’s mistake
– he doesn’t want to deal with B anymore
– he doesn’t want to help B. if he needs help
and many other examples, that you could find by yourself.
Whereas if we look closely to the holy verses of the Qur’an, we’ll see that a muslim is ordered to forgive people with forbearing:
وَلْيَعْفُوا وَلْيَصْفَحُوا [النور: 22]
“…let them forgive and forbear..” (QS. An Nur/The Light: 22).
In this noble verse, there is a lesson, namely: An order to forgive and forbear, whatever he got from those who wronged him. (See: “Tafsir al Karim Ar Rahman fi Tafsir Al Kalam Al Mannan”, by Sheikh As Sa’di -may Allah have mercy on him- ).
فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاصْفَحْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ [المائدة: 13]
“…Pardon them, then, and overlook their deeds. Surely Allah loves those who act benevolently.” (QS. Al Maidah/The Table Spread: 13).
There are some lessons that we could infer from this noble verse:
Forgiving followed with forbearing is a quality of people who act benevolently.
2. One who acts benevolently have several excellences, such as he will be loved by Allah the Exalted. And the excellences of those whom Allah the Exalted loves are:
– They will enter the Paradise
عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ رضى الله عنه قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَتَى السَّاعَةُ قَالَ « وَمَا أَعْدَدْتَ لِلسَّاعَةِ ». قَالَ حُبَّ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ قَالَ « فَإِنَّكَ مَعَ مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ ».
Anas Ibn Malik -may Allah be pleased with him- said, “A man came to the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- and asked, “O Messenger of Allah, when will the Hour set?”. He replied, “What have you prepare to welcome it?.” The man answered, “The love to Allah and His messenger.” the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said, “So, indeed, you’ll be with the ones you love.” (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim).
– Allah the Exalted will forbid them to enter the hell
عنْ أَنَسٍ رضى الله عنه قَال: قَالََ النَّبِىُّ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « والله, لاَ يُلْقِى اللَّهُ حَبِيبَهُ فِى النَّارِ ».
Anas Ibn Malik -may Allah be pleased with him said, Prophet Muhammad -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said, “By Allah, Allah will not cast the one He loves to the hell.” (Narrated by Ahmad, and classed valid in “Silsilat Al Ahadits Ash Shahihah”, no. 2047).
– They will be loved by all of the angels -peace be upon them- and accepted by the earth dwellers.
عَنْ أَبِى هُرَيْرَةَ – رضى الله عنه – قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صلى الله عليه وسلم – « إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى إِذَا أَحَبَّ عَبْدًا نَادَى جِبْرِيلَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَحَبَّ فُلاَنًا فَأَحِبَّهُ فَيُحِبُّهُ جِبْرِيلُ ، ثُمَّ يُنَادِى جِبْرِيلُ فِى السَّمَاءِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَحَبَّ فُلاَنًا فَأَحِبُّوهُ ، فَيُحِبُّهُ أَهْلُ السَّمَاءِ وَيُوضَعُ لَهُ الْقَبُولُ فِى أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ » .
Abu Huraira -may Allah be pleased with him- said, the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said, “If Allah the Exalted loved so-and-so, Allah the Exalted would call upon Gabriel, ‘Indeed, Allah have loved so-and-so, hence, love so-and-so.” and thus Gabriel loved him, then Gabriel announced in the sky: “Indeed, Allah has loved so-and-so, hence, love him.” Thus the residents of the sky loved him and he would also get the acceptance and sympathy of the earth residents. “(Narrated by Bukhari).
Hopefully you’ll find this article useful.
Written by Ahmad Zainuddin
Ahad (Sunday), 22nd of Rabi’uts Tsani 1432H
Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Article of www.WhatIsQuran.com