3.

2 Forgiveness

Linguistically it means “to go back or to return”, literally it means “to step back from the sins or
disobedience and turn towards Allah swt”. So the forgiveness is based on two things: “one is to
stop committing sins and second is to turn towards the right path.” Prophet Pbuh was instructed
by Allah swt to seek forgiveness so many times in Quran like in Sura al-Nasr:
‫استَ غْ ِف ْرهُ إِنَّهُ َكا َن تَ َّوابًا‬ َ ِّ‫سبِّ ْح بِ َح ْم ِد َرب‬
ْ ‫ك َو‬ َ َ‫ف‬
“Then exalt (Him) with praise of your Lord and ask forgiveness of Him, indeed He is ever
acceptance of forgiveness.” (Sura al-Nasr – 3)
It is to ne noted that He Pbuh was innocent and infallible and in no need for forgiveness but still
Allah instructed him to seek forgiveness as with it Allah elevate his rank. Prophet Pbuh said “I
seek forgiveness more than 70 times a day”. (Sahih Bukhari) And for us it is farz as we all are
guilty of committing crimes. We are not free from the tensions of world, from the negligence of
Allah swt, from the whispering of satin, etc. So in every stage of life we need forgiveness of
Allah swt. As mentioned in Hadith: “Prophet Pbuh said: All of the children of Adam are sinners,
and the best of sinners are those who repent.” (Sunan Ibn-e-Majah)
Characteristics of Tauba:
Allah loves those who repent. As mentioned in Hadith that Prophet Pbuh called those who
repents are the best among the others: as mentioned: “All of the children of Adam are sinners,
and the best of sinners are those who repent.” (Sunan Ibn-e-Majah) Moreover Prophet Pbuh gave
the example of a person, that: “A person once went on a journey through the desert. He had his
camel with all the basic necessities of journey like food and water on it. Accidently he lost his
camel while sleeping. He searched a lot but couldn’t find it. He laid down with all his hopes
vanished for life. Suddenly he fall asleep and when he woke up, sees that his camel with all his
belongings, standing in front of him. He got too excited as like his life returns to him and in this
excitement he said: “O Allah I am your Lord and you are my servant.” While explaining the
extent of happiness of this person that he did not even think what is saying in happiness, Prophet
Pbuh said, Allah loves his abd even more than that when he truely repents. (Sahih Muslim)
Furthermore, Prophet Pbuh said in Hadith-e-Qudsi that Allah swt said: “I am as My servant
thinks (expects) I am. I am with him when he mentions Me. If he mentions Me to himself, I
mention him to Myself; and if he mentions Me in an assembly, I mention him in an assembly
greater than his. If he draws near to Me of hand’s length, I draw near to him an arm’s length.
And if he comes to Me walking, I go towards to him running.” (Sahih Bukhari)
Allah swt joined His name with mercy: Quran starts with a statement: “Begin with the name of
Allah who is the most merciful and the most beneficent”. Allah might have said that Begin with
the name of Allah whose punishment is very severe, instead He swt mentioned His name with
mercy. And in every Salah, we read in every rakat as: ( ‫الرِحي ِم‬
َّ ‫الر ْح َم ِن‬
َّ ‫ين‬ ِ ِّ ‫ْح ْم ُد لِلَّ ِه َر‬
َ ‫ب ال َْعالَم‬ َ ‫ )ال‬i.e. All the
praises and thanks to Allah, the Lord of everything, the most Beneficent and the most Merciful.
(Sura al-Fatiha, v. 1-2). So we should seek forgiveness and mercy from Allah swt every time as
it is one of the great characteristics of Allah swt among other attributes of Him.

832 of 1014
Do not get hope-less: Allah’s mercy is more than anything else even more than His anger, as
mentioned in Hadith: “That My mercy is dominant over My anger” (Sahih Bukhari). Even if
your crimes reach to the level of the mightiest mountains or even to the sky, still Allah except
your forgiveness. As mentioned in Hadith, Prophet Pbuh said: “If any of you have committed
sin, perform two nafil with the intention of seeking forgiveness, Allah swt will surely forgives
you.” (Musnad Ahmed)
Declaration of Allah swt: Allah says in Quran:
‫الرِحيم‬ ِ
ُ ‫وب َجم ًيعا إِنَّهُ ُه َو الْغَُف‬
َّ ‫ور‬ ُّ ‫َس َرفُوا َعلَى أَنْ ُف ِس ِه ْم ََل تَ ْقنَطُوا ِم ْن َر ْح َم ِة اللَّ ِه إِ َّن اللَّهَ يَغْ ِف ُر‬
َ ُ‫الذن‬ ْ ‫ين أ‬
َ ‫ي ا لذ‬
ِ ِ
ِ َّ ‫اد‬
َ َ‫قُ ْل يَا عب‬
“Say, O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of God’s mercy,
for God forgives all sins. He is indeed the forgiver, the clement.” (Al-Zumar, 53)
Allah swt changes the bad deeds into good deeds in reward of repentance, Allah says in Quran:
‫اب يَ ْوَم ال ِْقيَ َام ِة‬
ُ ‫ف لَهُ ال َْع َذ‬
ْ ‫اع‬
َ‫ض‬ َ ُ‫ْق أَثَ ًاما ي‬ َ ِ‫ْح ِّق َوََل يَ ْزنُو َن َوَم ْن يَ ْف َع ْل ذَل‬
َ ‫ك يَل‬ ِ ‫والَّ ِذين ََل ي ْدعُو َن مع اللَّ ِه إِل ًَها آ َخر وََل ي ْقتُ لُو َن النَّ ْف‬
َ ‫س الَّتي َح َّرَم اللَّهُ إََِّل بِال‬َ َ َ َ ََ َ َ َ
ِ ‫ات وَكا َن اللَّه غَ ُفورا رِحيما ومن تَاب و َع ِمل‬ ٍ ‫ِّل اللَّهُ سيِّئَاتِ ِهم ح‬ َ ِ‫صالِ ًحا فَأُولَئ‬ ِ ِِ
ُ‫صال ًحا فَِإنَّه‬ َ َ َ َ ْ ََ ً َ ً ُ َ َ‫سن‬ ََ ْ َ ُ ‫ك يُبَد‬ َ ‫آم َن َو َعم َل َع َم ًال‬ َ َ‫َويَ ْخلُ ْد فيه ُم َهانًا إََِّل َم ْن ت‬
َ ‫اب َو‬
‫وب إِلَى اللَّ ِه َمتَابًا‬
ُ ُ‫يَت‬
“And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has
forbidden [to be killed], except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And
whoever should do that will meet a penalty. Multiplied for him is the punishment on the Day of
Resurrection, and he will abide therein humiliated. Except for those who repent, believe and do
righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah
Forgiving and Merciful. And he who repents and does righteousness does indeed turn to Allah
with repentance.” (Sura Furqan, 68-71)
Allah swt declaring us through the Prophet Pbuh:
‫يم‬ ِ َّ ‫ادي أَنِّي أَنَا الْغَُفور‬
ِ ‫نَبِّئ ِعب‬
ُ ‫الرح‬ ُ َ ْ
“[O Muhammad], inform My servants that it is I who am the Forgiving, the Merciful. (Sura Hijr,
49)
Prophet Pbuh said that “Allah swt stretches His hand at night in order to forgive those who
committed sins in the morning and stretches His hand in the morning in order to forgive who
committed sins at night.”
Promise of Allah swt: At the time when Allah swt expelled the satin from heaven, he declared
to Almighty Allah that he will deviate His people. Upon it Allah swt also made a promise to him
that whenever they ask forgiveness from me, I will forgive them. As mentioned in Quran:
ِ ِ ْ َ‫ش ِاء َواللَّهُ يَ ِع ُد ُك ْم َمغْ ِف َرةً ِم ْنهُ َوف‬
ٌ ‫ض ًال َواللَّهُ َواس ٌع َعل‬
‫يم‬ َ ‫الش ْيطَا ُن يَ ِع ُد ُك ُم الْ َف ْق َر َويَأ ُْم ُرُك ْم بِالْ َف ْح‬
َّ
“Satan threatens you with poverty and orders you to immorality, while Allah promises you
forgiveness from Him and bounty. And Allah is all-Encompassing and knowing.” (Sura Bakara –
268)

Hasting in seeking forgiveness: Quran emphasizes a lot that we should seek forgiveness as soon
as possible so to avoid Allah’s wrath that comes on sinner, as mentioned in glorious Quran:

833 of 1014
 ِ ِ ِ ‫وأَنِيبوا إِلَى ربِّ ُكم وأ‬
‫ص ُرو َن‬ ُ ‫َسل ُموا لَهُ م ْن قَ بْ ِل أَ ْن يَأْتيَ ُك ُم ال َْع َذ‬
َ ْ‫اب ثُ َّم ََل تُن‬ ْ َْ َ ُ َ
“And return [in repentance] to your Lord and submit to Him before the punishment comes upon
you; then you will not be helped.” (Sura Zumar, v.54)
‫ٌ إِلَى يَ ْوِم يُ ْب َعثُو َن‬
ٌ ‫ت َك َّال إِنَّ َها َكلِ َمةٌ ُه َو قَائِلُ َها َوِم ْن َوَرائِ ِه ْم بَ ْرَز‬
ُ ‫يما تَ َرْك‬ ِ ِ ‫ون لَعلِّي أَ ْعمل‬
َ ‫صال ًحا ف‬
َ َُ
ِ ِ ِّ ‫ال ر‬
َ ‫ب ْارج ُع‬َ َ َ‫ت ق‬
ُ ‫َح َد ُه ُم ال َْم ْو‬ َ ‫َحتَّى إِذَا َج‬
َ ‫اء أ‬
“[For such is the state of the disbelievers], until, when death comes to one of them, he says, "My
Lord, send me back. That I might do righteousness in that which I left behind." No! It is only a
word he is saying; and behind them is a barrier until the Day they are resurrected.” (Sura
Mu’minoon, v.99-100)
Have competition in seeking forgiveness: Allah swt advising us to compete each other in
seeking forgiveness. As mentioned in Quran:
َ َ‫ض ُل اللَّ ِه يُ ْؤتِ ِيه َم ْن ي‬
ْ ‫شاءُ َواللَّهُ ذُو الْ َف‬
‫ض ِل‬ َ ِ‫آمنُوا بِاللَّ ِه َوُر ُسلِ ِه ذَل‬
ْ َ‫ك ف‬ ِ ِ ْ ‫ُعد‬
َ ‫َّت للَّذ‬
َ ‫ين‬ ِ ‫الس َم ِاء َو ْاأل َْر‬
ِ‫و أ‬ َّ ‫و‬ ِ ‫ض َها َك َع ْر‬ ُ ‫َسابِ ُقوا إِلَى َمغْ ِف َرةٍ ِم ْن َربِّ ُك ْم َو َجن ٍَّة َع ْر‬
‫ال َْع ِظيم‬
“Race toward forgiveness from your Lord and a Garden whose width is like the width of the
heavens and earth, prepared for those who believed in Allah and His messengers. That is the
bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty.”
(Sura Hadid, v.21)
Prophets mission: Every Prophet had one thing common that all of them call their nations
towards Allah swt and His forgiveness, as mentioned in Quran at various places about the
Prophets. As for Adam a.s when he committed mistake by eating the forbidden fruit in heavens,
Allah swt taught Adam a.s the wordings by which Allah accepted their repentance. As mentioned
in Quran:
‫الرِحيم‬َّ ‫اب‬ َّ ‫اب َعلَ ْي ِه إِنَّهُ ُه َو الت‬
ُ ‫َّو‬
ٍ ِ ِ ِ َ ‫فَ تَ لَ َّقى‬
َ َ‫آد ُم م ْن َربِّه َكل َمات فَ ت‬
“Then Adam a.s receive words from his Lord, so he relented towards him. Allah is the relenting
and the merciful.” (Al-Baqarah, 37)
As for Hud a.s:
‫اء َعلَ ْي ُك ْم ِم ْد َر ًارا َويَ ِز ْد ُك ْم قُ َّو ًة إِلَى قُ َّوتِ ُك ْم َوََل تَ تَ َولَّ ْوا ُم ْج ِرِمين‬ ِ
َّ ‫استَ غْ ِف ُروا َربَّ ُك ْم ثُ َّم تُوبُوا إِلَيْ ِه يُ ْر ِس ِل‬
َ ‫الس َم‬ ْ ‫َويَا قَ ْوم‬
“O my people, ask forgiveness from your Lord and repent to Him. He will release the sky
pouring down upon you, and will add strength to your strength”. (Hud, 52)
As for Saleh a.s:
ِ ِ َ‫و واست عمرُكم فِيها ف‬ ِ َ ْ‫ال ياقَوِم ا ْعب ُدوا اللَّه ما لَ ُكم ِمن إِل ٍَه غَي ره هو أَن‬ ِ ‫ود أَ َخاهم‬
ٌ ‫استَ غْف ُروهُ ثُ َّم تُوبُوا إِلَيْه إِ َّن َربِّي قَ ِر‬
‫يب‬ ْ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ ِ ‫شأَ ُك ْم م َن ْاأل َْر‬ َ ُ ُُ ْ ْ ْ ََ ُ ْ َ َ َ‫صال ًحا ق‬َ ْ ُ َ ‫َوإِلَى ثَ ُم‬
‫يب‬ ِ
ٌ ‫ُمج‬
“And to the thamood, (we sent) their brother Saleh. He said: O my people, worship God, you
have no God other than Him. He initiated you from the earth, and settled you in it. So seek his
forgiveness and repent to Him.” (Hud, 61)
As for Shuaib a.s:
ِ ِ ِ ‫و‬
ٌ ‫استَ غْف ُروا َربَّ ُك ْم ثُ َّم تُوبُوا إِل َْيه إِ َّن َربِّي َرح‬
‫يم َو ُدود‬ ْ َ

834 of 1014
“And ask your Lord for forgiveness and repent to Him. My Lord is Merciful and Loving.” (Hud,
90)
Types of Tauba:
1. Specific Tauba: i.e. to ask forgiveness of the specific action commited and from
every kind related to it, e.g. if a person drinks alcohol of a specific brand, so when
seeking forgiveness it should be from every kind of it.

2. General Tauba: i.e. generally asking forgiveness from Allah every time even
from the actions which are not swear like being unethical, or to do something makrooh,
etc.

Conditions of Tauba:
1. Islam: Tauba is not valid unless a person is a Muslim, while for the non-Muslim his
tauba would be considered when he entered into the fold of Islam. Allah says in the Quran:
‫ض َال ًَل بَ ِعي ًدا‬ َ َ‫ك لِ َم ْن ي‬
َ ‫شاءُ َوَم ْن يُ ْش ِر ْك بِاللَّ ِه فَ َق ْد‬
َ ‫ض َّل‬ َ ِ‫إِ َّن اللَّهَ ََل يَغْ ِف ُر أَ ْن يُ ْش َر َك بِ ِه َويَغْ ِف ُر َما ُدو َن ذَل‬

God will not forgive that He be associated with partners, and forgive anything less than
that to whom He wills.” (Al-Nisa, 116)
2. Sincerity: It means when seeking forgiveness, should be for the sake of Allah swt not by
being fear of someone or due to being pressurized by someone or for showing purpose i.e. Riya,
etc. Allah says in Quran:

‫َح ًدا‬ ِ ِ َ ‫فَمن َكا َن ي رجو لِ َقاء ربِِّه فَلْي عمل َعم ًال صالِحا وََل ي ْش ِر ْك بِعِب‬
َ ‫ادة َربِّه أ‬َ ُ َ ً َ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ ُ َْ َْ
“Whoever hopes to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness and never associate anyone
with the service of Lord”. (Al-Kahf, 110)
3. Repentance: There is no tauba but with the sin, and it is very important to know the
things which comes under the category of sins. When a person understands that what I am doing
is an act of sin, and that I am disobeying my Lord, then he should feel repentance on his actions.
Moreover, this repentance is the beginning of tauba i.e. if a person start feeling shame upon his
bad actions, as what the Prophet Pbuh said: “repentance is the tauba”. (Ibn-e-Maja). This
repentance leads a person in abstaining from that bad act and stopping him from committing it
again.

835 of 1014
4. Firm intention: i.e. firm Determination follows from regret, which means “to determine
not to return to a sin again”. Allah says in Quran:

‫َم نَ ِج ْد لَهُ َع ْزًما‬ ِ ِ ‫ولَ َق ْد ع ِه ْدنَا إِلَى‬

ْ ‫آد َم م ْن قَ ْب ُل فَ نَس َي َول‬
َ َ َ
“And We covenanted with Adam before but he forgot and We found him in less
determined.” (Taha, 115)
5. Give back the right of a person: Prophet Pbuh said: “if any of you had any right of his
brother violated, then settle it in this world before a time comes when no dirham or dinar would
give any benefit. Moreover, the compensation will be paid in exchange of good deeds in the Here
After.” (Bukhari)

6. Tauba should be in the time of acceptance: it has two major aspects:

 Tauba should be before death or even before the state of naza’. As Allah says in
Quran:

َ ِ‫ار أُولَئ‬ ِ َّ ُ ْ‫ال إِنِّي تُب‬ ِ َ‫السيِّئ‬

َ ‫ات َحتَّى إِذَا َح‬ ِِ ِ ْ‫ولَي‬
‫ك أَ ْعتَ ْدنَا‬ ٌ ‫ين يَ ُموتُو َن َو ُه ْم ُك َّف‬
َ ‫ت ْاآل َن َوََل الذ‬ َ َ‫ت ق‬
ُ ‫َح َد ُه ُم ال َْم ْو‬
َ ‫ض َر أ‬ َ ‫ست الت َّْوبَةُ للَّذ‬
َّ ‫ين يَ ْع َملُو َن‬ َ َ
‫يما‬ِ
ً ‫ل َُه ْم َع َذابًا أَل‬
“But repentance is not available for those who commit evils untill when death
approaches on of them, he says: Now I repent, nor for those who die as disbelievers.
For them we have prepared a painful punishment.” (Al-Nisa, 18)
 Tauba should be before the closing of the time of acceptance, i.e. a time when sun
will rise from the west and sets in the east. As Prophet Pbuh said: “Whoever ask
forgiveness of Allah before the sun rises from the west, Allah will surely forgive him.
Afterwards, it won’t be acceptable.” (Sahih Muslim)
Benefits of Tauba:
1. Cause of love of Allah swt: Allah loves those who seek forgiveness from Him, as
mentioned in Quran:
ُّ ‫ين َويُ ِح‬
َ ‫ب ال ُْمتَطَ ِّه ِر‬
‫ين‬ َ ‫َّواب‬ ُّ ‫إِ َّن اللَّهَ يُ ِح‬
ِ َّ ‫ب الت‬

Allah loves the repentant and He loves those who keep clean.” (Al-Bakarah, 222)
2. Changing of bad deeds into good deeds: Allah will not only forgives but due to this
virtue Allah change the bad deeds in to good deeds, as declared in the Quran:

836 of 1014
 ِ ‫ات وَكا َن اللَّه غَ ُف‬
ٍ ‫ِّل اللَّهُ سيِّئَاتِ ِهم ح‬ َ ِ‫صالِ ًحا فَأُولَئ‬ ِ
‫يما‬
ً ‫ورا َرح‬
ً ُ َ َ‫سن‬ََ ْ َ ُ ‫ك يُبَد‬ َ ‫آم َن َو َعم َل َع َم ًال‬ َ َ‫إََِّل َم ْن ت‬
َ ‫اب َو‬
“Except for those who repent, and believe, and do good deeds. For then Allah replace
their bad deeds with good deeds. Allah is ever forgiving and merciful.” (Al-Furqan, 70)
Moreover Prophet Pbuh said: “When a person sincerely repents, will becomes like he
never committed that sin.” (Sunan ibn-e-majah)
3. Cause of safety from calamities: Allah says in the Quran:

َ ْ‫َوَما َكا َن اللَّهُ لِيُ َع ِّذبَ ُه ْم َوأَن‬

‫ت فِي ِه ْم َوَما َكا َن اللَّهُ ُم َع ِّذبَ ُه ْم َو ُه ْم يَ ْستَ غْ ِف ُرو َن‬

“God would not punish them while you are amongst them. And God would not punish
them as long as they seek forgiveness.” (Al-Anfal, 33)
4. Cause of better life in this world: Allah says in Quran:

ُ ‫ضلَهُ َوإِ ْن تَ َولَّ ْوا فَِإنِّي أَ َخ‬ ْ َ‫ت ُك َّل ِذي ف‬

ِ ‫اعا حسنًا إِلَى أَج ٍل مس امى وي ْؤ‬ ِ ِ ِ
‫اب‬
َ ‫اف َعلَيْ ُك ْم َع َذ‬ ْ َ‫ض ٍل ف‬ َُ َ ُ َ ْ ‫استَ غْف ُروا َربَّ ُك ْم ثُ َّم تُوبُوا إِلَيْه يُ َمت‬
َ َ ً َ‫ِّع ُك ْم َمت‬ ْ ‫َوأَن‬

‫يَ ْوٍم َكبِي ٍر‬

“And ask your Lord for forgiveness and repent to Him. He will provide you with good
sustenance until a stated term and will bestow His grace on every possessor of virtue.”
(Al-Hud, 3)
Forgiveness among people: The very best example we have is that when “the mother of the
belivers Ayesha r.a” was slandered with evil law, one of the people who was spreading rumors
was Mistah, a family member of Abu Bakr r.a as his mother was the cousin of Abu Bakr r.a.
Mistah was a person to whom Abu Bakr r.a used to provide him with financial aid, helped him to
buy a house, helped him to marry and at the end he returned the favor by accusing his cousin
Ayesha r.a, the mother of believers, the daughter of Abu Bakr r.a, and the wife of Prophet Pbuh.
As when Abu Bakr r.a heard of him saying this, to whom he had financed, he swore an oath that
I will not spend a single penny on Mistah, as long as I am alive. Upon this Allah swt revealed
versed of sura Noor saying:
ِ ‫السع ِة أَ ْن ي ْؤتُوا أُولِي الْ ُقربى والْم‬ ِ ْ ‫وََل يأْتَ ِل أُولُو الْ َف‬
ُ‫ص َف ُحوا أ َََل تُ ِحبُّو َن أَ ْن يَغْ ِف َر اللَّهُ لَ ُك ْم َواللَّه‬ ِ ِ ِ‫اج ِرين فِي سب‬
ِ
ْ َ‫يل اللَّه َولْيَ ْع ُفوا َولْي‬ َ َ ‫ين َوال ُْم َه‬
َ ‫ساك‬
َ َ َ َْ ُ َ َّ ‫ض ِل منْ ُك ْم َو‬ َ َ
‫يم‬ ِ
ٌ ‫ور َرح‬ ٌ ‫غَ ُف‬
“And let not those of virtue among you and wealth swear not to give [aid] to their relatives and
the needy and the emigrants for the cause of Allah, and let them pardon and overlook. Would
you not like that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” (Sura Noor,
v.22)
Anybody who deserve to be angry, anyone who deserve to cut the kinship, anyone who deserve
to swear an oath, he would be Abu Bakr r.a. as it was not just sarcastic comments but an evil lie

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upon his beloved daughter, an evil lie upon the mother of the believers, an evil lie upon the wife
of the Prophet Pbuh. But when Abu Bakr r.a heard this verse that Allah swt is addressing him in
this verse by saying O Abu Bakr you are among the “ulul fadl” (the righteous and noble person),
you are not like others. You are the one who should forgive. By this Abu Bakr r.a. had forgiven
the Mistah and continue with financial support.
This is the nature of the world that you will find people hurting you, they will take what is yours
and in return you will do the same thing. Then what is the philosophy of Islam in this? Islam
gives the concept of “al-tasamuh” “al-‘afwu” i.e. to forgive and pardon people. Allah swt links
the forgiveness with heavens that if you want to go to the heavens and need the love of Allah,
then be forgivable to people, as explained in Quran:
‫ين‬ ِ ‫َّت لِل‬ ِ ‫ات و ْاألَر‬ ُ ‫َو َسا ِر ُعوا إِلَى َمغْ ِف َرةٍ ِم ْن َربِّ ُك ْم َو َجن ٍَّة َع ْر‬
َ ‫ْمتَّق‬
ُ ْ ‫و أُعد‬
ُ ْ َ ُ ‫الس َم َاو‬
َّ ‫ض َها‬
“And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth,
prepared for the righteous. (Sura al-Imran, v.133)
Moreover, Allah swt also explains the characteristics of the believers as:
‫ين‬ِِ ُّ ‫َّاس َواللَّهُ يُ ِح‬
ِ ‫ين َع ِن الن‬ ِ ِِ ِ ِ َّ ‫الَّ ِذين ي ْن ِف ُقو َن فِي‬
َ ‫ب ال ُْم ْحسن‬ َ ‫ظ َوال َْعاف‬
َ ‫ين الْغَْي‬
َ ‫الس َّراء َوالض ََّّراء َوالْ َكاظم‬ َُ
“The believers are those who spend in charity during ease and hardship and who restrain their
anger and pardon the people, for Allah loves the doers of good.” (Al- Imran, 134)
ِ ِ ُّ ‫َجرهُ َعلَى اللَّ ِه إِنَّهُ ََل ي ِح‬ ِ ٍ
َ ‫ب الظَّالم‬
‫ين‬ ُ ُ ْ ‫َصلَ َح فَأ‬
ْ ‫َو َج َزاءُ َسيِّئَة َسيِّئَةٌ مثْ لُ َها فَ َم ْن َع َفا َوأ‬
“And the retribution for an evil act is an evil one like it, but whoever pardons and makes
reconciliation - his reward is [due] from Allah. Indeed, He does not like wrongdoers.” (Sura
Shura, v.40)
Islam also specifies the limits if someone wants to take revenge, as in the verse above, Allah swt
explains four different levels for treating people, and it is up to you what you chooses:
1. Haram (forbidden): Taking revenge more than what other person did to you is totally
not acceptable in Islam, as you will become cruel and you owe him your good deeds in the
hereafter if not seek forgiveness from that person.
2. Not recommended but allowed: i.e. taking revenge with the same intensity is not
recommended as it is difficult to measure the intensity of an action but still it is allowed if
you do not exceed the limits. So taking revenge with the same limit is allowed but not
preferable and will not count as the sign of a good believer.
3. Recommended: That you have forgiven but not forgotten. This is “afa” but not “aslaha”,
i.e. if you had an issue with your friend which he did wrong to you, you did not take revenge
but forgives him on his mischief except of returning to the level of friendship.
4. Highest level: This level requires that you forgives and forgets i.e. after giving pardon,
you will return to the level of relation that you were before. This is the quality of the true
believer that verify the saying Allah that Allah loves those who forgives.
Moreover, Prophet Pbuh said: Charity does not decrease wealth, and that no one forgives except
Allah increases his honor and no one humbles himself for the sake of Allah except Allah raises
his status. (Sahih Muslim)

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Anas ibn Malik reported: A man came to the Messenger of Allah, with the killer of his relative.
The Prophet said: Pardon him. He refused to give pardon. The Prophet said: Take the blood
money. He refused to take it. Upon this Prophet Pbuh said: Go, kill him, for you are like him.
Anas r.a said: After hearing this, the man pardoned him. (Sunan al-Nasai)

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