AL-GHAFFAR [The Great Forgiver]

AL-GHAFFAR [The Great Forgiver]

Root Word

Ghaffaar comes from the root ghayn-faa-raa, which points to three main meanings.

• To cover, veil, conceal, and hide.

• To pardon, to forgive, and to set aright.

• To cover a thing to protect it (from dirt).

Al-Ghaffar Meaning

Allah’sﷻ three names of forgiveness have the same root, “ghayn-faa-raa”; Ghafir al-Dhanb, Al-Ghafur, and Al-Ghaffar. Allah has the attribute of forgiveness, unlike humans. Allahﷻ forgives sins in this life and the hereafter.

Like humans, Allahﷻ does not keep grudges and reminds us of our sins. Heﷻ not only forgives our sins but also conceals them in this life and the hereafter.

These three names of Allahﷻ related to forgiveness tell us that;

• Allahﷻ forgives sins.

• Allahﷻ forgives sins again and again, which gives us hope and motivation to better ourselves, and go to Allah if we fall into sin again and again - but we have to try and change ourselves.

• Allahﷻ forgives all types of sins - the gravest of the sins, except shirk(associating partners with Allah).

“Oh son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it is” [Tirmidhi]

Al-Ghaffar Reflection

“Tell my servants that I am the Forgiving, the Merciful." [15:49]

Forgiveness has many facets and how it humbles us only when we deeply interpret the meaning of sin and forgiveness.

I cannot even start to imagine the sins that we commit, intentionally or unintentionally, if they were to come in front of the world and people. It is not only about the sins, we all sin in our own ways - but the world does not show mercy. Even if people are singing themselves, they shame others for sinning, never forget, and even claim no forgiveness, despite having no right in it, people pass judgments on behalf of Allahﷻ.

And more than the sin, the world makes it hard for us to repent or even start to contemplate that it is Allahﷻ we have to fear and not the people.

SubhanAllah. I cannot even start to understand, if our Lord, ALLAHﷻ, would not have been the Al-Ghaffar, the most forgiving, would we be able to live through this life, let alone face Him Subhana Wa Ta’la on the day of judgment?

Whom does Allah forgive?

The forgiving attribute of Allahﷻ tells us that we all are made to sin - the best of humans are not the ones who do not sin, but the ones who seek repentance, acknowledge their mistakes/sins and ask Allah’s forgiveness.

Allahﷻ forgives everyone who seeks sincere repentance, no matter the type of sin, no matter the amount of sin, if there is sincere repentance, Allah’sﷻ mercy is greater than all and everything.

“If anyone of you has foolishly done a bad deed, and afterwards repented and mended his ways, God is mot forgiving(Ghafir), and most merciful.” [6:54]

This gives us so much hope in different ways;

• We always have a chance for forgiveness.

• There always is room for improvement.

• Acceptance and acknowledgment of our flaws and imperfections.

• It softens our hearts.

• Makes us humble.

But, what Allah’sﷻ mercy and forgiveness should not make us feel is to keep in mind that we cannot take God’s mercy for granted or as an excuse to keep doing what Allahﷻ does not like or hate.

Surely, only Allahﷻ knows the mercy of Him. He forgives whom He wills. We cannot ever say, looking at others that Allahﷻ will not forgive you - this is arrogance.

Hope and Fear

In the context of forgiveness, the most important aspect is fear along with hope.

We cannot survive only on fear, or only on hope. Both alone lead to sin.

Excessive hope makes us ignorant of our sins, and makes us feel that we can continue our ways in the hope that Allahﷻ forgives all sins.

Excessive fear alone, makes us stumble in despair and nervousness.

We cannot purposefully disobey Allahﷻ, and think that we can seek forgiveness later.

The greatest purpose of knowing about Allah’sﷻ forgiveness is to motivate us to change, to improve ourselves, to fight against our nafs, and do everything in our capacity to stay away from sins and put effort into changing ourselves.

Conditions of Repentance/Forgiveness

For the very purpose of practicing hope and forgiveness together, there are conditions for forgiveness.

• Acknowledgment of our sins.

• Making sincere intentions of seeking forgiveness.

• Feel remorse and guilt for our sins.

• Seek forgiveness from Allahﷻ.

• Do not return to the same sin.

The last one is the most important, yet the most neglected.

Where Allahﷻ is merciful and forgiving, He is the most wise and just.

Heﷻ knows the heart, and the intentions - and it is the effort Heﷻ sees.

We all know that Allahﷻ has advised us to tie our camel, and then leave it to Allah.

How can we expect not to make an ever to change our ways, leave the bad company, find alternatives for bad habits, and only sit on the prayer mat and ask Allah to forgive us?

No, it does not make any sense - and that is why most of us get stuck, whether Allah has forgiven us or not.

Why do people not find peace even after seeking forgiveness?

Mostly because they know that they are still into the same sins, and not making the right effort that is required to refrain from the sin, and change themselves.

How to bring Allah’s name Al-Ghaffar into our lives?

Ya ALLAH, Al-Ghaffar, you are the most forgiving and the most loving, I am a sinner, and I put my head in front of you and seek forgiveness from the very core of my heart. It is just you who can forgive me and save me. I seek forgiveness and your mercy.

1. Reflecting on Our State

Everything is connected to our hearts, and after Allahﷻ, it’s only us who know ourselves the best. No matter how the world sees us, no matter how good we pretend in front of the world, no matter how much we repent from the tongue unless we internalize it, and seek forgiveness through our actions, we will keep worrying about whether Allahﷻ has forgiven us or not.

We cannot complain about gossiping if we are not making an effort to change our company of people who make it easy for us to gossip.

We cannot keep complaining about not covering ourselves if we are not getting that cloth over our heads.

Know that our merciful Lord is looking for an effort, not perfection!

Feel it in your heart.

Let the frustration of sin disturb your peace.

Let the sins burn your heart and soul - eventually, you have to sit with it and accept it, and you have to go to Allahﷻ and acknowledge it - and Heﷻ will open ways for you.

Take that one step.

Let your consciousness tell you that you are doing something wrong!

Do not resist forgiveness by giving yourself those excuses.

Heﷻ forgives sin like nothing has ever happened - please have that trust in Allah.

You know it is not about just forgiveness, we are rewarded even for the efforts we make resisting the sin, making that effort, or taking that one step - that is how merciful our Lord is.

2. Conceal Your and Others’ Sins

An important aspect of forgiveness is to conceal our sins, and not boast about it - and also the sins of others.

We are in no place, especially with our own sins, to judge or uncover others’ sins.

It is to defy Allah’sﷻ decree, plan, or wisdom.

The Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) said;

“All of my nation will be forgiven except the mujahirun(those who sin openly and/or publicize their sins). It is a part of sinning when a man does something at night, then the following morning when Allah has concealed his sin, he says to someone, ‘I did such and such last night’, when all night his Lord has concealed him and the next morning he uncovers what Allah has concealed.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

3. Increase Good Deeds

Trying to make up for bad deeds, and increasing good deeds is a part of forgiveness.

“Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds. That is a reminder for those who remember.” [11:114]

Every little act of good deed erases or compensates for some part of bad deeds. We should always strive to increase our good deeds - give charity, help someone, remember Allahﷻ, read the Qur’an, smile at others, be there for someone, even give water or food to animals, or water the plants with an intention to please Allah - all come in good deeds.

It is not hypocrisy to do good deeds after sinning. If our intentions are sincere, it is our attempt to seek forgiveness.

4. Keep Asking for Forgiveness in Abundance

As soon as, at any time, whenever it comes to your mind, seek repentance.

If you are working, out in a gathering, eating, or doing anything, if the thought of your sin, or a fear of misconduct comes to your mind, it is a sign that Allahﷻ wants to forgive you.

Take that chance given to you, to instantly say “astagfirullah”.

There is this dua(supplication) taught to us by our beloved Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) that fills my heart with fear, love, awe, hope, and submission. Ah! It always makes me cry, and humble in submission to only one true, the most merciful Lord.

Allahumma anta rabbi laaa ilaaha illa anta. Khalaq tani wa aana a'bduk. Wa aana aa-la ahdika wa wa'di-ka masta-ta'tu. Aa u'zubika min-sharimaa sa-na'tu. Aa-bu u-laka bi-ni'matika a'laiya. Wa aa-bu u-bi-zambi Fagh-firli Fa-inna-hu la yagh-firuz-zu-nu ba il-la Ant.

Translation: “O Allah, You are my Lord, none has the right to be worshipped except You, You created me and I am Your servant, and I abide to Your covenant and promise [to honour it] as best I can, I take refuge in You from the evil of which I committed, I acknowledge Your favour upon me and I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me, for verily none can forgive sins except You.”

SubhanAllah - let me tell you, there is no better peace and consolation than uttering your own sins out in front of you Lord, with all your shame.

No matter how dire the sin is, no matter how ashamed and afraid you feel even thinking about it, when you say it in front of your Lord, you acknowledge it to be forgiven.

It’s so beautiful, ugh, I just can’t.

Your Lordﷻ already knows it, Heﷻ may have forgiven you for it, but for once saying it yourself to Allahﷻ removes so much of the burden from your heart and soul.

It’s like, ya Rabb, I sinned, and it had been done. I am so weak and I have been so ignorant, there is nothing I can do about it other than coming to you now. I cannot change it ya Allah, but you can forgive me. I accept, I sinned. I come to you with my shame and my guilt. My sins do not let me face you, but IT’S YOU YA ALLAH, al-Ghaffar, the most forgiving - forgive me my Lord, forgive me. I have realized, and I accept, as you most sinning servant. There is no one more sinning than me, and there is no one more merciful than YOU, and here we are, me, your servant, in front of you, my Master.

Ugh! It tells me that my Lordﷻ has forgiven me.

I don’t know how to tell you this, but for the sins you have repented, do not please return to it. It’s okay, if sometimes we fall and slip, foolishly, and unknowingly, but do not please ever return to the sin you have repented for.

To me, it makes me feel like I have come to ground zero. When I fall into the sin I have sincerely repented from, it makes me feel like I have lost everything - but again, in those moments, know that it is never too late, there is no such thing as one time.

Go to your Lord, as many times as you sin. Every time you sin.

Go to Allahﷻ ten times, if you have sinned ten times.

Go to Allah 100 times, if you have sinned a hundred times.

Go Allahﷻ a million times, if you have sinned a million times.

Just go, and fall in front of Himﷻ.

Cry and scream, and feel guilty, and feel bad, and feel remorse, and ask Him, tell Him, my Rabb, I have sinned again - here I am, your most sinning, and imperfect servant - forgive me.

Till the moment your heart is pure, and your intentions are sincere, and you have made an effort to resist sinning, and changing yourself - the mercy of Allah is there.

When we sin, as a believer, as Muslims, as a servant of our Master, Allahﷻ - even if for a moment, this realization comes to us, something inside us pinchs us for a second that this is something wrong, this is something Allahﷻ does not like.

Those are the moments, that split second is the moment you have to put your all in resisting that sin.

5. Be in the gathering of people of Allahﷻ

Islam is about our personal growth, reflection, and relationship with Allahﷻ - but the community plays an important role in reaching that point, in unity, as an ummah.

Surely, as Muslims, we have the same purpose. So, it is not hard to understand who is sincere to you and themselves, and it is not hard to understand who wants good for you, and what kind of people are going to help you reach Jannah.

• Be with people who remind you of Allahﷻ.

• Be with people who tell you(in a sincere manner) of your sins.

• Be with people who bring the best out of you.

• Be with people who align with your change, goal, and purpose.

SubhanAllah, this makes me cry for the mercy and forgiveness of Allahﷻ, when I read this;

Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) has taught us that the angels seek out the gatherings where people have come together to remember God, and they speak to Allah about these people.

Allah then says to the angels; “You are my witness that I have forgiven them.”

One of the angels will reply: “So and so is not really one of them; he came for some other reason.”

And Allah will respond, “They were all in the gathering, and not one of them will be excluded(from forgiveness).” [Bukhari]

If this does not reform us, what will?

Ya Allahﷻ, forgive me for all the moments I transgressed against myself. For my sin does not affect you, but me. It is my loss that I sinned. It is my loss that I forgot about you. It is my loss that I was ignorant. Ya Allahﷻ, do not distance me from your mercy my Rabb.

6. Forgive Others the Way You Want Allah to Forgive You

Many people find it hard to do so - and it is totally valid and understandable.

We are all humans, and we do not have the attribute of forgiveness like Allah - but do we not have Allahﷻ?

We do!

• Know that there is no better judge than Allahﷻ.

• Allah’sﷻ justice is greater than our hurt and emotions.

• Nothing is left from Allah’sﷻ knowledge.

• Heﷻ sees the good, and Heﷻ also sees the bad.

Heﷻ is the same Lord for the one who is oppressed, and the one who oppresses. Hisﷻ justice is also the same for both. The oppressed will be compensated, and the oppressor will be held accountable for their deeds.

“They should forgive and forebear. Do you not love that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving, and Merciful.” [24:22]

We need to have a little more faith, when it comes to forgiving others because we know that we want justice, that we are hurt, we are being wronged.

But here, we have to understand that, when we sin, we want forgiveness from Allah. But if someone else sins or does wrong to us, we never want to forgive them ever.

Sometimes, you won't understand any of it, but the moment you will let go of the control over things that are not in your hands, or that are above your understanding, you will see how Allah will show you things.

But, why should we keep that hatred and grudge in our hearts, when we can have Allah’s justice, and reward in our minds?

Myths about forgiving others

Forgiving others does not mean that they will not be held accountable on the day of judgment.

• It means you have left your matter in Allah’sﷻ mercy and justice.

• Forgiveness does not mean that you have to take abuse from the oppressor.

• Forgiveness does not mean you have to be exactly the same with them.

• Distance yourself, cut off, or whatever you seem suits you - just do not keep hatred and grudge in your heart.

• Learn from your experience.

If nothing gives you enough courage to forgive someone, just forgive them with an intention and a prayer that ya Allahﷻ, I am not able to forgive so and so, but I forgive them for your sake - forgive my sins my Rabb.

This name of Allahﷻ is the closest to my heart, and this reflection became a little longer than others in the series. For my own sins, and my humbleness, and repentance, I can write on it, pages and pages.

May Allahﷻ forgive us for our shortcomings, ignorance, and arrogance.

May Allahﷻ guide us and keep us guided.

May Allahﷻ accept our repentance, and give us the ability to make sincere repentance.

Ameen.

**Any lesson or experience mentioned in this blog is for awareness and learning, not to expose or boost the sin.

May Allahﷻ forgive us for our intentional and unintentional sins.

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Jazakumullahi khairan Kaseeran.