Meaning of the Dua’a: Oh Allaah! You are Al-‘Aafoow and You Love to Pardon, so Pardon me

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Chapter 41: Standing the Night on Laylat al-Qadr
Haafidh Ibn Rajab al-Hanbalee (d.795) [May Allaah have Mercy on him] says in his book Lataa'if al-Ma'aarif (Pg. 158-160)

 ‘Aaishah [May Allaah be Pleased with her] asked the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him] about the best Dua’a to make on this night and he [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him] replied by informing her to say:

اللهم انك عفو تحب العفو فاعف عني

Oh Allaah! You are Al-‘Aafoow and You Love to Pardon, so Pardon me.

Al-‘Aafoow is from the Names of Allaah, the Most High, which means he Forgives and Pardons all evil deeds from His Servant. He removes any trace of them and He Loves to Pardon, so He Pardons His Slaves on this night.

He also Loves from His Servants who forgive and are pardoning, so if one pardons or forgives another then this is more beloved to Allaah than one who tries to punish another.

The Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him] used to say:

أعوذ برضاك من سخطك، وعفوك من عقوبتك

“I seek refuge in Your Pleasure from Your Anger and in your Pardoning from Your Punishment.”

Yahya bin Mu’aath [May Allaah have Mercy on him] said, “If it wasn’t for pardoning then forgiving and pardoning those who wrong you wouldn’t be a means for you to be elevated above others.”

This indicates that most people are tested by the actions of his friends and family but treating them with pardoning and forgiveness is beloved to Al-‘Aafoow.

Others from the Salaf as-Saaleh said, “If you want to obtain the most beloved action to Allaah, the Most High, and that you wish to train yourself in it, then he should look for someone telling him in his dream, ‘You want what you haven’t gained, verily Allaah loves pardoning and forgiveness.’”

It is also narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas [May Allaah have Mercy on him] in a narration that can be ascribed to the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him], “Verily, Allaah Looks on the Night of Qadr to the believers of the Ummah of Muhammad [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him] and He Pardons them and has Mercy on them all except four; the one addicted to intoxicants, impious, the one who quarrels and the one who severs the ties of kinship.”

When those who have knowledge and recognize and realize His Majesty, they become humbled. When they hear of sins being eradicated by His Pardoning, they wish to seek it. Allaah has not prevented anyone from the fire except with His Pardon.

If the sinners didn’t have a way out via the Pardon of Allaah, their hearts would cease due to their despair in the Mercy of Allaah. However, if we remember that Allaah Pardons then we are able to be at ease again.

Others from the later scholars used to supplicate with the wording in their Dua’a, “Oh Allaah! My sins have intensified, if You Pardon it then it will only be a small portion of Your Pardon, so Pardon me.”

Others from the Salaf said, “I have corrupted myself extremely, but Your Pardon is vast, so place it between me and my sins by Your Pardon, Oh Kareem!”

Oh you who has sinned himself, the Pardon of Allaah is greater than your sins. It is greater than your burden. All you need to do is ask Al-‘Aafoow on Laylat al-Qadr after struggling and striving to do good deeds on that night, and on all the ten nights, because those who know and strive hard to do good deeds and aren’t arrogant because of the good deeds they have done, they seek Allaah and they ask Him for His Pardon, then your sins will be removed.

Yahya bin Mu’aath [May Allaah have Mercy on him], “The one who does good deeds and doesn’t seek Allaah’s Pardon is ignorant.”

Matroof [May Allaah have Mercy on him] used to say in his Dua’a, “Oh Allaah! Be Pleased with us and if you are not Pleased with us, then Pardon us our sins as we didn’t seek Your Pleasure at the time of committing them but now our intent is to hope and seek your Pardon.”