Shaykh Ibraaheem bin Muhammad al-Haqeel
[May Allaah Preserve him]
An official preacher appointed by the Ministry of Islamic
Affairs, Saudi Arabia
All Praise is for the Lord of the Alameen and May the
Peace and Blessings of Allaah be on the most noblest of Prophets and
Messengers, our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his family and companions.
To Proceed;
Verily, Allaah, the Most High, created mankind and he has
made them a test for each other. He has also made us so we social and interact
with one another, working, cooperating, transacting, sitting and visiting , in
general humans are made to mix with one another in most aspects of their
lives.
When we are required to mix with each other, it is
understandable that there will appear mistakes and times these mistakes may
reach the level of oppression, transgression, whether this is in speech or in
action. The Shariah stresses the importance of giving people their due
rights, the establishment of justice, to repel any form of oppression, to deter
the oppressor. At the same time to encourage one to be pardoning, to be
forgiving and to readily except people’s excuses, to react to immoral with
morality and a way that is better. We are also encouraged to connect to those
who want to cut ties with us, to react to ignorance with forbearance and
leniency. If these aspects are organised properly then there will be a great
reward and benefit from the Lord of the Alameen, The Glorified and
Exalted.
Pardoning with Allaah
Our Lord, The Glorified and Exalted, has an attribute of
Pardoning, He is Generous and He Loves Pardoning. He loves those who pardon, he
raises their ranks and he gives them from the best of rewards. How many people
have Allaah, The Glorified and Exalted, Pardoned from the evils that His
creations do? He prevents harm from reach and averts affliction from effecting
them, despite them not being thankful to him, except those whom Allaah, The
Glorified and Exalted, has mercy on, and these are very few.
From the Pardoning of Allaah, The Glorified and Exalted,
upon His slaves is that he accepts their repentance and he pardons their sins,
as He, the Most High, says;
“And it is He who
accepts repentance from his servants and pardons misdeeds, and He knows what
you do”
[Shoora 42:25]
Also ‘Alee [May Allaah be Pleased with him] once said;
Shall I inform you about the most virtuous Ayah from
the Book of Allaah, the Most High? The Messenger of Allaah [Peace and Blessings
of Allaah be upon him] told me that it was;
“And whatever strikes
you of disaster - it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much”
[Shoora 42:30]
And he [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him said to
me, “I will explain this to you Oh ‘Alee. Whatever you are afflicted by from
sickness or punishment or trials in the life of this world, then this is from
what your own hands have earned. Allaah, the Most High, is Generous, as He
doesn’t give you sickness or punish you or test you with these things in the
Hereafter. Whatever Allaah, the Most High, pardons you from in the life of this
world then Allaah, the Most High, is lenient as He will not return to it once
He has Pardoned you for it.“
[Narrated by Ahmad 1/58, Haakim classified it as being Saheeh
and adh-Dhahabee agreed with him 2/445]
Praise of Allaah, the Most High, for those
Pardon
Allaah, the Most High, Praises His servants, those who repel
their anger and pardon the people. He has made their reward to be a place in Jannah,
a reward that is as vast as the heavens and earths. He also commanded the
Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] to be pardoning to the
general people, as He, The Exalted and Glorified, said;
“So by mercy from Allah , [O Muhammad], you were lenient
with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would
have disbanded from about you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and
consult them in the matter. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah .
Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon Him].” [aal-Imraan 3:159]
In another Ayah, Allaah, The Exalted and Glorified,
says;
“But pardon them and
overlook [their misdeeds]. Indeed, Allah loves the doers of good”
[Al-Maaidah 5:13]
Abdullah ibn Zubayr [May Allaah be Pleased with him] said,
“Allaah commanded His Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] to be
pardoning with the people.” [Narrated by Bukhaari 4644] this is referring to
the Ayah;
“Be pardoning, enjoin
what is good, and turn away from the ignorant” [A’raaf 7:199]
Some of the Salaf have stated about this Ayah that,
‘there is nothing in the Quraan that is more comprehensive in virtues of Akhlaaq
than this Ayah.’ [Ma’aalim at-Tanzeel 1/213]
The Manner of Pardoning of the Prophet [Peace
and Blessings of Allaah be upon him]
It is described that the manners of Prophet [Peace and
Blessings of Allaah be upon him] was the Quraan. He guided people to its Ayaat
and he did what the Quraan ordered him to and he abstained from what it
prohibited. He did not leave being pardoning except in cases where he was not
required by Allaah, the Most High, to pardon. The Prophet [Peace and Blessings
of Allaah be upon him] only got angry for the sake of Allaah, the Most High,
and he never got angry for the sake of himself. This is an attribute that has
been mentioned in the Tawraah as well, that the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of
Allaah be upon him], ‘doesn’t repel evil with evil, rather he is pardoning and
forgiving.‘ [Narrated by Bukhaari, 2125]
How many times did an ignorant person behave ignorantly with
him? How many times did people transgress him? How many times was he afflicted
by harm from the Muhsrikeen and the Munaafiqeen? His reaction to all of this was to be patient
with the harm that they were afflicting on him. When he became superior to them
and had a chance to seek revenge he was pardoning and he forgot the pain they
had caused him and he would say, “Go, for you are free” [Sunan Bayhaqee, 9/118]
This principle of his was based on the instructions he had
received from the Book of Allaah, the Most High, as He had commanded him to be
pardoning. This was also the way of his brothers from the Prophets [Peace be
upon them all] before him. For example, Ibraaheem [Peace be upon him] said;
“My Lord, indeed they
have led astray many among the people. So whoever follows me - then he is of
me; and whoever disobeys me - indeed, You are [yet] Forgiving and Merciful”
[Ibraaheem 14:36]
Also, there was Yusuf [Peace be upon him] who was the
subject of envy from his brothers and they threw him down a well. They turned
him into a slave and took away his freedom and they made money from selling
him, they abused him severely and took him through a great ordeal, however when
Allaah, the Most High, honoured him and gave him prestige and he had the chance
to seek revenge, he forgave and pardoned them;
He said, "No blame
will there be upon you today. Allah will forgive you; and He is the most
merciful of the merciful.” [Yoosuf 12:92]
And then there was ‘Eesa ibn Maryam [Peace be upon him], who
said;
“If You should punish
them - indeed they are Your servants; but if You forgive them - indeed it is
You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise” [Maaidah 5:118]
The approach of the Salaf to Pardoning
The Companions [May Allaah be Pleased with them all] and
those who followed them in guidance [May Allaah have Mercy on them] would
constantly pardon those who transgressed against them. They would respond in
good to those who were wicked towards them. They bore patience with those who
were ignorant with them.
It has been narrated that ‘Umar [May Allaah be Pleased with
him] said, “Everyone with me free to do what they wish.” [Aadaab ash-Shariyyah
1/71]
It once occurred that some money was stolen from ‘Abdullah
ibn Mas’ood [May Allaah be Pleased with him], so he supplicated for the thief.
He said, “Oh Allaah! If this person took from me because he desperate then may
You Bless him in it and if he took it because he fell into sin then make this
the final sin he ever does.” [Ahyaa ‘Uloom ad-Deen 3/184]
It was also narrated that Ibraaheem an-Nakha’ee [May Allaah
have Mercy on him] said about the Salaf as-Saaleh of this Ummah,
“They didn’t look to scorn or dispraise people rather if they had the chance,
they would pardon.” [Fath al-Baari 5/120]
The Reward for Pardoning
Pardoning is a principle only understood by the people who
have certainty, those who reach the high levels of Taqwa and they are
those who seek for the Hereafter and not for the life of this world. They are
those who seek the reward of their Lord for this characteristic in the
Hereafter;
“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.”
[Shooraa 42:40]
The reward mentioned in this Ayah has been left
general; the Ayah doesn’t tell us what the reward is for those who
pardon and it doesn’t inform us on the amount they will receive. Rather, the
decision for the amount of reward has been left for Allaah, the Most High and
whoever is in this situation, so then let him know that the reward of Allaah,
the Most High, isn’t trivial. There is no need for this person to feel that he
will be dealt with cheaply, verily Allaah is Bountiful [Al-Jawwaad],
Generous [Al-Kareem], Pardoning [Al-Afw] and Merciful [Al-Raheem]
so He will recompense you from the best of rewards.
Whatever is in the
Hereafter doesn’t have a limit so the slave acquires from the Bounty of Allaah,
The Glorified and Exalted. The reward comprising of being pardoned includes
both the worldly life and the hereafter, in the worldly life he is pardoned of
his sins whilst at the same time a reward that is preserved and awaiting him in
the Hereafter.
It was narrated that Aboo Hurayrah [May Allaah be Pleased
with him] said that the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him]
said, “Giving in charity doesn’t decrease you wealth in the slightest, and the
person who pardons is not increase except in honour and there is no person who
is humble for the sake of Allaah, except that Allaah will raise his rank.”
[Narrated by Muslim 2588]
Who is in need for Pardoning?
All those people who accompany you, from your family and
your children, are all in need of receiving pardon and mercy from you. This is
because you live with them and mistakes may transpire from them regularly. Not
only this, it may be that they are ignorant but Allaah, the Most High, says;
“O you who have
believed, indeed, among your wives and your children are enemies to you, so
beware of them. But if you pardon and overlook and forgive - then indeed, Allah
is Forgiving and Merciful.” [Taghaabun 64:14]
You are at service to them, so their mistakes must be met
with pardoning from you. You must be merciful when they slip. A man once came
to the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] and said, “Oh
Messenger of Allaah, how many times should we forgive our slaves?” So the
Prophet remained silent until the man asked again and the Prophet remained
silent. He asked a third time and he [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him]
said, “Pardon them seventy times every day.” [Narrated by Ahmad 2/111 and Aboo
Dawood 5164]
Seeking Pardon from Allaah, the Most High
It was from the guidance of the Prophet [Peace and Blessings
of Allaah be upon him] to repeated ask Alah, the Most High, to pardon him and
protect him. It has been narrated that Ibn ‘Umar [May Allaah be Pleased with
him] said;
The Messenger of Allaah didn’t leave asking Allaah every day
and every night;
“O Allaah, I ask You for pardon
and well being in this life and the next. O Allaah, I ask You for pardon and
well-being in my religious and worldly affairs, and my family and my wealth”
[Narrated by Aboo Dawood 5074, Ibn Maajah 3871 and it was
classified Saheeh by Ibn Hibbaan 961]
It was also from his habit to ask during the Witr
prayer at the end of the night;
“Oh Allaah! I seek refuge in Your Pleasure from Your Anger
and I seek refuge in Your Pardoning from Your Punishment.”
[Narrated by Aboo Dawood 1427; it was classified Saheeh
by Haakim and adh-Dhahabee agreed 1/306]
So it is for the Muslim to adopt pardoning and being
merciful in his manners and etiquettes. The Muslim must be one who overlooks
people’s mistakes and harm done to him; he must use this when turning away from
the ignorant, until it is written that he has reached the high status of those
who pardon.
I ask Allaah, the Most High, to support us in ourselves and
against what our desires want. I ask Allaah to Pardon and Protect us in the Dunya
and the Aakhira. Oh Allaah! You are al-Afw, you love to Pardon,
so Pardon us.
