Article Surah 85 · Ayah 14
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Allah orders us in His saying :
وَلِلّهِ الأَسْمَاء الْحُسْنَى فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا وَذَرُواْ الَّذِينَ يُلْحِدُونَ فِي أَسْمَآئِهِ سَيُجْزَوْنَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ
“ And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them. And leave [the company of] those who practice deviation concerning His names. They will be recompensed for what they have been doing.” Qur’an.surah Aaraaf 7:180
Thus the ayath clearly displays :
1. The obligation of worship through the Most Beautiful Names of Allah
2. The obligation of abandoning those who believe and indulge in :
- tahreef ( to change or distort the wording of Allah’s name or attribute)
- tamtheel / tashbeeh (to claim Allah’s Attributes resemble the attributes of the creation),
- ta’teel (denying any of Allah’s attributes)
- ta’weel (to give a figurative explanation of any of Allah’s Attributes).
And this is the backbone of the aqeedah (creed) of the Prophet (sallahAllahu alayhi wasallam) and his companions (radhiyaAllahu anhum ajma’in) and the pious predecessors.
Hadith
The importance of these Beautiful Names of Allah and their numbers ; is specified in the authentic ahadiths narrated that The Prophet (sallahAllahu alayhi wasallam) said : “ Allah has ninety-nine names, i.e., one hundred minus one, and whoever believes in their meanings and acts accordingly, will enter Paradise..” Sahih Al Bukhari 6410 (Vol 8:419)
and another narration "Allah has ninety-nine names, one-hundred less one; and he who memorized them all by heart will enter Paradise." Sahih Al Bukhari 7392 (Vol 9:489)
Allah is Al Ghafoor
( ( إِنْ تُبْدُوا خَيْراً أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ أَوْ تَعْفُوا عَنْ سُوءٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَفُوّاً قَدِيراً
“ Whether you (mankind) disclose (by good words of thanks) a good deed (done to you in the form of a favour by someone), or conceal it, or pardon an evil, … verily, Allâh is Ever Oft-Pardoning, All-Powerful. ” [An-Nisaa : 149]
( نَبِّئْ عِبَادِي أَنِّي أَنَا الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ )
“ Declare (O Muhammad Sallah Allahu alayhi wasallam) unto My slaves, that truly, I am The Oft-Forgiving, The Most-Merciful. ” [Al-Hijr: 49]
Allah is Al Wadud
( وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الْوَدُود ذُو الْعَرْشِ الْمَجِيدُ )
“ And He is Oft-Forgiving, full of love (towards the pious who are real true believers of Islâmic Monotheism). Owner of the throne, the Glorious. ” [ Al - Buruj : 14/15]
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Signs of Allah’s love for His slaves and how to achieve His love
-These are among whom Allah loves -
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, I thank Him for the perfection of His kindness and the generosity of His forgiveness. I praise Him as acknowledgment to His favors and thank to His grants. And prayers and peace of Allah be upon the Messenger who had been sent as mercy to the worlds and had been declared as ‘the master of the messengers’, our prophet and model and guide and teacher, who taught us every good thing, and the man of guidance and piousness, Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him). There are kinds of Muslims their Lord loves them and bestows His satisfaction upon them. Therefore, how great the joy of those beloved is and how much pleasure they will receive when meeting Him! I wrote on this subject in order that the readers may follow them to be among those who gain Allah’s satisfaction and be granted with His love. Indeed, this love and this satisfaction are the ultimate goal of every believer and the aim of every Muslim and the purpose of every worshipper. If we look into the Book of Allah (the Exalted the Glorious) and pondered over His verses and the Sunnah of His Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him), we would know who deserves His love and are loved by Him and by His angels along with having granted the pleasure of the people on the earth. It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If Allah loves a person, He calls upon Jibreel saying, ‘Allah loves so and-so; O Jibreel! Love him.’ Jibreel would love him and make an announcement amongst the inhabitants of the Heaven. ‘Allah loves so-and-so, therefore you should love him also,’ and so all the inhabitants of the Heaven would love him, and then he is granted the acceptance of the people on the earth.” [Reported by Al-Bukhari] «إذا أحب الله العبد نادى جبريل إن الله يحب فلاناً فأحببه فيحبه جبريل فينادي جبريل في أهل السماء إن الله يحب فلاناً فأحبوه فيحبه أهل السماء ثم يوضع له القبول في الأرض» رواه البخاري Actually, the characteristics of those whom Allah loves and those who are closer to Him are numerous in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him). These characteristics include, and not limited to, the following: 1- Turning to Allah in repentance: Allah Almighty said: {But whosoever repents after his crime and does righteous good deeds (by obeying Allâh), then verily, Allâh will pardon him (accept his repentance). Verily, Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful} [Surat Al-Ma`idah 5:39], {فَمَن تَابَ مِن بَعْدِ ظُلْمِهِ وَأَصْلَحَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَتُوبُ عَلَيْهِ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ} المائدة: 39 Transliteration: Faman taba min baAAdi thulmihi waaslaha fainna Allaha yatoobu AAalayhi inna Allaha ghafoorun raheemun And He Almighty said: {When those who believe in Our Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) come to you, say: “Salâmun ‘Alaikum” (peace be on you); your Lord has written (prescribed) Mercy for Himself, so that if any of you does evil in ignorance, and thereafter repents and does righteous good deeds (by obeying Allâh), then surely, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful} [Surat Al-An’âm 6:54], {كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ الرَّحْمَةَ ۖ أَنَّهُ مَنْ عَمِلَ مِنكُمْ سُوءًا بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ تَابَ مِن بَعْدِهِ وَأَصْلَحَ فَأَنَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ} الأنعام: 54 Transliteration: kataba rabbukum AAala nafsihi alrrahmata annahu man AAamila minkum sooan bijahalatin thumma taba min baAAdihi waaslaha faannahu ghafoorun raheemun And He Almighty said: {Except those who repent and believe (in Islâmic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds; for those, Allâh will change their sins into good deeds, and Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful} [Surat Al-Furqan 25:70] {إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُولَٰئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا} الفرقان: 70 Transliteration: Illa man taba waamana waAAamila salihan faolaika yubaddilu Allahu sayyiatihim hasanatin wakana Allahu ghafooran raheeman And it is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “He who seeks repentance (from the Lord) before the rising of the sun from the west (before the Day of Resurrection), Allah will accept his repentance.” [Reported by Muslim] «من تاب قبل أن تطلع الشمس من مغربها تاب الله عليه» رواه مسلم And the evidence which proves that Allah Almighty loves those who repent is the saying of Him Almighty: {Truly, Allâh loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves (by taking a bath and cleaning and washing thoroughly their private parts, bodies, for their prayers)} [Surat Al-Baqarah 2:222] {إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ وَيُحِبُّ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ} البقرة: 222 Transliteration: inna Allaha yuhibbu alttawwabeena wayuhibbu almutatahhireena The people of knowledge have mentioned the following as conditions for the soundness of repentance: A. To do it sincerely for the sake of Allah (the Exalted the Glorious). B. To feel regret for the past sins. C. To immediately abstain from doing the sin, repentance would never be accepted if it is accompanied with the continuation of doing the sin. D. To intend not to do the sin again in the future. E. To repent before it is too late (i.e. before the rising of the sun from the west and before death). F. If the evil doing was a violation to the rights of people (e.g. wrongly taking people’s properties), the rights should be returned back. On the other hand; if the evil doing was backbiting or defamation or its like, it should be renounced and the sinful person should pray for those whom he wronged and he should defend their reputation in the gatherings in which he defamed them. 2- Following the Sunnah of the Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him): The righteous people follow the Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) by taking him as model in all the affairs of their life; whether it is food, drink, clothes, appearance, worship, social relationships or family affairs. Actually, he who contemplates over the biography of the Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) would find instructions of properly facing this life along with its pleasure, sadness and happiness and sorrow. It is narrated on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that some of the companions of the Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) asked his (the Prophet’s) wives about the acts that he performed in private. Someone among them (among his companions) said: I will not marry women; someone among them said: I will not eat meat; and someone among them said: I will not lie down in bed. He (the Holy Prophet) praised Allah and glorified Him, and said: “What has happened to these people that they say so and so, whereas I observe prayer and sleep too; I observe fast and suspend observing it; I marry women also! And he who turns away from my Sunnah, he has no relation with me.” [Reported by Muslim] «ما بال أقوام قالوا كذا وكذا لكني أصلي وأنام وأصوم وأفطر وأتزوج النساء فمن رغب عن سنتي فليس مني» رواه مسلم The evidence of having Allah’s love because of following the Sunnah of His Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) is the saying of Him Almighty: {Say (O Muhammad, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him, to mankind): “If you (really) love Allâh then follow me (i.e. accept Islâmic Monotheism, follow the Qur’ân and the Sunnah), Allâh will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”} [Surat Al-Imran 3:31] {قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ} آل عمران: 31 Transliteration: Qul in kuntum tuhibboona Allaha faittabiAAoonee yuhbibkumu Allahu wayaghfir lakum thunoobakum waAllahu ghafoorun raheemun 3- Being just: The righteous people are just in all their affairs; they are just with themselves and just with the others. The evidence of having Allah’s love because of that is the saying of Him Almighty: {Allâh does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion nor drove you out of your homes. Verily, Allâh loves those who deal with equity} [Surat Al-Mumtahinah 60:8] {لَّا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوا إِلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ} الممتحنة: 8 Transliteration: La yanhakumu Allahu AAani allatheena lam yuqatilookum fee alddeeni walam yukhrijookum min diyarikum an tabarroohum watuqsitoo ilayhim inna Allaha yuhibbu almuqsiteena 4- Being beneficent: The righteous people are those who spend over themselves and others in order to gain the reward from Allah. Moreover, they never follow up their spending with reminders of their generosity or with injury. The evidence of having Allah’s love because of that is the saying of Him Almighty: {And spend in the Cause of Allâh (i.e. Jihâd of all kinds) and do not throw yourselves into destruction (by not spending your wealth in the Cause of Allâh), and do good. Truly, Allâh loves Al-Muhsinûn (the good-doers)} [Surat Al-Baqarah 2:195] {وَأَنفِقُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلَا تُلْقُوا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ ۛ وَأَحْسِنُوا ۛ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ} البقرة: 195 Transliteration: Waanfiqoo fee sabeeli Allahi wala tulqoo biaydeekum ila alttahlukati waahsinoo inna Allaha yuhibbu almuhsineena 5- Loving meeting Allah Almighty: Whoever loves to meet Allah, Allah (too) loves to meet him. In fact, this does not mean wishing death; rather, when the time of the death of a believer approaches, he receives the glad tidings of Allah’s pleasure with him and His blessings upon him, and so at that time nothing is dearer to him than what is in front of him. He therefore loves meeting Allah, and Allah (too) loves meeting him. But when the time of the death of a disbeliever approaches, he receives the evil news of Allah’s torment and His requital, whereupon nothing is more hateful to him than what is before him. Therefore, he hates meeting Allah, and Allah too, hates meeting him. The evidence of this is the Hadith which is narrated on the authority of ‘Ubada ibn As-Samit which states that the Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever loves to meet Allah, Allah (too) loves to meet him and whoever hates to meet Allah, Allah (too) hates to meet him”. ‘A`ishah, or some of the wives of the Prophet, said, “But we dislike death.” He said: “It is not like this, but it is meant that when the time of the death of a believer approaches, he receives the glad tidings of Allah’s pleasure with him and His blessings upon him, and so at that time nothing is dearer to him than what is in front of him. He therefore loves meeting Allah, and Allah (too) loves meeting him. But when the time of the death of a disbeliever approaches, he receives the evil news of Allah’s torment and His requital, whereupon nothing is more hateful to him than what is before him. Therefore, he hates meeting Allah, and Allah too, hates meeting him.” [Reported by Al-Bukhari] «من أحب لقاء الله أحب الله لقاءه ومن كره لقاء الله كره الله لقاءه، قالت عائشة أو بعض أزواجه: إنا لنكره الموت، قال: ليس ذاك، ولكن المؤمن إذا حضره الموت بشر برضوان الله وكرامته، فليس شيء أحب إليه مما أمامه، فأحب لقاء الله وأحب الله لقاءه، وإن الكافر إذا حضر بشر بعذاب الله وعقوبته، فليس شيء أكره إليه مما أمامه، فكره لقاء الله وكره الله لقاءه» رواه البخاري 6- Seeking nearness with Allah by performing the supererogatory acts of worship and remembering Him much: The best thing that enriches the times and makes the hearts and limbs busy is remembering Allah (the Exalted the Glorious) in each time and at every position. In fact, those who remember Allah are remembered by Him. Allah Almighty says: {Therefore remember Me (by praying, glorifying), I will remember you, and be grateful to Me (for My countless Favours on you) and never be ungrateful to Me} [Surat Al-Baqarah 2:152] {فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ} البقرة: 152 Transliteration: Faothkuroonee athkurkum waoshkuroo lee wala takfurooni And it is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah says: ‘I am just as My slave thinks of Me, and I am with him if He remembers Me. If he mentions Me in himself, I too, mentions him in Myself; and if he mentions Me in a gathering of people, I remember him in a gathering that is better than them; and if he comes one span nearer to Me, I go one cubit nearer to him; and if he comes one cubit nearer to Me, I go a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running’.” [Reported by Al-Bukhari] «يقول الله تعالى: أنا عند ظن عبدي بي، وأنا معه إذا ذكرني، فإن ذكرني في نفسه ذكرته في نفسي، وإن ذكرني في ملأ ذكرته في ملأ خير منهم، وإن تقرب إلي شبرا تقربت إليه ذراعا، وإن تقرب إلي ذراعا تقربت إليه باعا، وإن أتاني يمشي أتيته هرولة» رواه البخاري Therefore, seeking nearness with Allah Almighty could be gained by the supererogatory acts of worship i.e. prayer, fast, charity and remembering Allah much by praise, glorification and seeking forgiveness. 7- Seeking the religious knowledge: When Allah Almighty is pleased with a slave and loves him, He makes the way of having knowledge easy for him, because it is narrated on the authority of Mu’âwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he heard the Messenger of Allah (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) says: “If Allah Means good to a person, He would give an understanding of the religion.” [Reported by Al-Bukhari] «من يرد الله به خيرا يفقهه في الدين» رواه البخاري Therefore, when Allah facilitates to the seeker of knowledge a way for having knowledge, He facilitates to him a way for Paradise; because it is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “He who alleviates the suffering of a brother out of the sufferings of the world, Allah would alleviate his suffering from the sufferings of the Day of Resurrection, and he who finds relief for one who is in hardship (dept), Allah would make things easy for him in this world and in the Hereafter, and he who conceals (the faults) of a Muslim, Allah would conceal his faults in this worldly life and in the Hereafter. Allah is in the aid of a servant as long as the servant is in the aid of his brother, and he who treads the path in search of knowledge, Allah would make that path easy leading to Paradise for him and those persons who assemble in a house among the houses of Allah (Masjids) and recite the Book of Allah and they learn and teach the Qur`an (among themselves) there would descend upon them the tranquility and mercy would cover them and the angels would surround them and Allah makes mentions them in the presence of those near Him, and he who is slow-paced in doing good deeds, his lineage does not hasten him.” [Reported by Muslim] «من نفس عن مؤمن كربة من كرب الدنيا، نفس الله عنه كربة من كرب يوم القيامة. ومن يسر على معسر، يسر الله عليه في الدنيا والآخرة. ومن ستر مسلما، ستره الله في الدنيا والآخرة. والله في عون العبد ما كان العبد في عون أخيه. ومن سلك طريقا يلتمس فيه علما سهل الله له به طريقا إلى الجنة. وما اجتمع قوم في بيت من بيوت الله، يتلون كتاب الله ويتدارسونه بينهم، إلا نزلت عليهم السكينة، وغشيتهم الرحمة، وحفتهم الملائكة، وذكرهم الله فيمن عنده. ومن بطأ به عمله، لم يسرع به نسبه» رواه مسلم Actually, having the slave loved by Allah Almighty leads to the easiness of having the knowledge and doing more and more good deeds. 8- Loving each other for the sake of Allah: Those who love each other for the sake of Allah will be called by their Lord (although He knows them best) and have His satisfaction, favors and generosity bestowed upon them. He will shade them by His shade when there is no shade but His. It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah will say on the Day of Judgment: ‘Where are those who love each other for My sake? Today, I will shade them in My shade when there is no shade but Mine’.” [Reported by Muslim] «إن الله يقول يقوم القيامة: أين المتحابون بجلالي اليوم أظلهم في ظلي يوم لا ظل إلا ظلي» رواه مسلم 9- Ones who increasingly care for purity and having beauty for the sake of Allah: Purity is removing the filth from the body, clothes and places of worship. Indeed, Allah Almighty loves those who love to be clean and purify themselves; He Almighty says: {In it are men who love to clean and to purify themselves. And Allâh loves those who make themselves clean and pure [i.e. who clean their private parts with dust (which has the properties of soap) and water from urine and stools, after answering the call of nature]} [Surat At-Tawbah 9:108] {فِيهِ رِجَالٌ يُحِبُّونَ أَن يَتَطَهَّرُوا ۚ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُطَّهِّرِينَ} التوبة: 108 Transliteration: feehi rijalun yuhibboona an yatatahharoowaAllahu yuhibbu almuttahhireena As for having beauty for the sake of Allah, it means beautifying the self with no pride or contempt to His slaves. It is narrated on the authority of Abdullah ibn Mas’ûd (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride shall not enter Paradise.” A person (amongst his hearers) said: “Verily a person loves that his dress should be fine, and his shoes should be fine.” He (the Prophet) remarked: “Verily, Allah is beautiful and He loves beauty. Pride is disdaining the truth (out of self-conceit) and contempt for the people.” [Reported by Muslim] «لا يدخل الجنة من كان في قلبه مثقال ذرة من كبر. قال رجل: إن الرجل يحب أن يكون ثوبه حسناً ونعله حسنة. قال: إن الله جميل يحب الجمال، الكبر بطر الحق وغمط الناس» رواه مسلم Moreover, Allah Almighty ordered us to take our adornment while praying and going to the Masjid for worship; He Almighty said: {O Children of Adam! Take your adornment (by wearing your clean clothes), while praying and going round (the Tawâf of) the Ka’bah, and eat and drink but waste not by extravagance, certainly He (Allâh) likes not Al-Musrifûn (those who waste by extravagance)} [Surat Al-Araf 7:31] {يَا بَنِي آدَمَ خُذُوا زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا وَلَا تُسْرِفُوا ۚ إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ} الأعراف: 31 Transliteration: Ya banee adama khuthoo zeenatakum AAinda kulli masjidin wakuloo waishraboo wala tusrifoo innahu layuhibbu almusrifeena 10- Using Siwak (toothbrush): Using Siwak is Sunnah from our Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him). Whenever he got up from sleep, he began by using Siwak; and whenever he got into the house, he began by using Siwak. It is narrated on the authority of ‘A`ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Siwak purification for the mouth and satisfaction of the Lord.” [Reported by An-Nasâ`i and declared authentic by Al-Albani] «السواك مطهرة للفم مرضاة للرب» رواه النسائي وصححه الألباني 11- Seeking nearness with Allah Almighty by observing the obligatory acts of worship: Among the grants of Allah Almighty, which He bestowed upon His servants who worship Him alone, is that He loves those who obey His orders and observe the duties which are enjoined upon them by Him. Furthermore, they like observing these duties with no laziness. It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah said, ‘I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper of Mine. And the most beloved things with which My slave comes seeks nearness (through) to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (praying or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him, and if I love him, I become his sense of hearing with which he hears with, and his sense of sight with which he sees with, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My protection (Refuge), I will protect him; (i.e. give him My Refuge) and I do not hesitate to do anything as I hesitate to take the soul of the believer, for he hates death, and I hate to disappoint him.” [Reported by Al-Bukhari] «إن الله قال: من عادى لي وليا فقد آذنته بالحرب، وما تقرب إلي عبدي بشيء أحب إلي مما افترضت عليه، وما يزال عبدي يتقرب إلي بالنوافل حتى أحبه، فإذا أحببته: كنت سمعه الذي يسمع به، وبصره الذي يبصر به، ويده التي يبطش بها، ورجله التي يمشي بها، وإن سألني لأعطينه، ولئن استعاذني لأعيذنه، وما ترددت عن شيء أنا فاعله ترددي عن نفس المؤمن، يكره الموت وأنا أكره مساءته» رواه البخاري 12- Piousness: The righteous people are those who fear Allah Almighty openly and privately; they make a curtain between themselves and their Lord’s torment by following His orders and abstaining from what He declared as prohibited. He the Exalted the Glorious says: {Yes, whoever fulfils his pledge and fears Allâh much; verily, then Allâh loves those who are Al-Muttaqûn (the pious)} [Surat Al-’Imrân 3:76] {بَلَىٰ مَنْ أَوْفَىٰ بِعَهْدِهِ وَاتَّقَىٰ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ} آل عمران: 76 Transliteration: Bala man awfa biAAahdihi waittaqafainna Allaha yuhibbu almuttaqeena 13- Patience: The patient people are the people of Paradise; indeed, Paradise is prepared for the patient people. Moreover, patience is mentioned in the Holy Qur`an more than once. Also; it is the Sunnah of our prophet, Muhammad (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him), who tolerated the sufferings which he faced during conveying the message of Allah (the Exalted the Glorious). Allah Almighty praised the patient in His cause and prepared for them His Paradise; Allah Almighty says: {And many a Prophet (i.e. many from amongst the Prophets) fought (in Allâh’s Cause) and along with him (fought) large bands of religious learned men. But they never lost heart for that which did befall them in Allâh’s Way, nor did they weaken nor degrade themselves. And Allâh loves As-Sâbirûn (the patient)} [Surat Al-’Imrân 3:146] {وَكَأَيِّن مِّن نَّبِيٍّ قَاتَلَ مَعَهُ رِبِّيُّونَ كَثِيرٌ فَمَا وَهَنُوا لِمَا أَصَابَهُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَمَا ضَعُفُوا وَمَا اسْتَكَانُوا ۗ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الصَّابِرِينَ} آل عمران: 146 Transliteration: Wakaayyin min nabiyyin qatala maAAahu ribbiyyoona katheerun fama wahanoo lima asabahum fee sabeeli Allahi wamadaAAufoo wama istakanoo waAllahu yuhibbu alssabireena 14- Putting trust on Allah Almighty: Putting trust in Allah is an evidence for faith’s increase and its being exalted in the self. The stronger putting your trust in Allah in all affairs the stronger faith and holding fast to the Lord is. That is why the reward of putting trust in Allah is having Allah’s love; Allah the Exalted the Glorious says: {And by the Mercy of Allâh, you dealt with them gently. And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about you; so pass over (their faults), and ask (Allâh’s) Forgiveness for them; and consult them in the affairs. Then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allâh, certainly, Allâh loves those who put their trust (in Him)} [Surat Al-’Imrân 3:159] {فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لَانفَضُّوا مِنْ حَوْلِكَ ۖ فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ ۖ فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ} آل عمران: 159 Transliteration: Fabima rahmatin mina Allahi linta lahum walaw kunta faththan ghaleetha alqalbi lainfaddoo min hawlika faoAAfu AAanhum waistaghfir lahum washawirhum fee alamri faithaAAazamta fatawakkal AAala Allahi inna Allaha yuhibbu almutawakkileena Dear beloved brothers, these are some of the characteristics which Allah likes in His slaves; whereupon would we count it much for ourselves to have one of these characteristics for the sake of Allah Almighty, in order that we may gain His satisfaction and be loved by Him. May Allah grant me and you with His love and bestow His satisfaction upon us and facilitate to us obeying Him and help us to sincerely devote our deeds to Him. Indeed, my Lord is All-Hearer Responsive. And much prayers and peace of Allah be upon our prophet Muhammad and his companions. Compiled by: Muhammad Mabrouk Al-Hajla Al-Qasem House
What are the signs of Allah's Love for His slave?
The love of Allah is "the status for which the righteous compete and strive, It is the nourishment of hearts and souls, the delight of the eyes, It is the life of which one who is denied it is dead, the light which the one who loses it is in deep darkness, the healing of which the one who is denied is sick, the joy which the one who is deprived of it lives in distress and pain. It is the spirit of faith and good deeds, by means of which one may draw closer to Allah, which, when it is absent, one is like a body in which there is no soul." O Allah, make us among those whom You love. The love of Allah has signs and causes which are like the key to the door. These causes include the following: 1. Following the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Allah says in His Holy Book: {قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ ٱللَّهَ فَٱتَّبِعُونِى يُحْبِبْكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ} 'Translation' {Say (O Muhammad to mankind): If you (really) love Allah, then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur’aan and the Sunnah/prophetic teachings), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful} [Aal 'Imraan:31]. 2. Being humble towards the believers and stern towards the kaafirs (disbelievers), waging jihad (a battle/struggle) for the sake of Allah, and not fearing anyone or anything but Him. Allah has mentioned these qualities in a single verse, in which He says: {يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَن يَرْتَدَّ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِۦ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِى ٱللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍۢ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُۥٓ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ يُجَـٰهِدُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَخَافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لَآئِمٍۢ} 'Translation' {O you who believe! Whoever from among you turns back from his religion (Islam), Allah will bring a people whom He will love and they will love Him; humble towards the believers, stern towards the disbelievers, fighting/striving in the way of Allah, and never fear of the blame of the blamers} [al-Maa'idah:54]. In this verse Allah describes the attributes of those whom He loves, the first of which is: humility and not being arrogant towards the Muslims, and being stern towards the kaafirs (disbelievers), and not humbling or humiliating oneself before them. They (the ones whom Allah loves) strive for the sake of Allah, against the Shaytaan, the kuffaar (disbelievers), the hypocrites and the evil doers, and they strive against their own selves (jihad al-nafs). They do not fear the blame of any blamer, because so long as they are following the commands of their religion, he will not care about anyone who mocks him or blames him. 3. Doing naafil (supererogatory) acts of worship. Allah says -according to a hadith qudsi (divinely inspired saying of the Prophet)- «My slave keeps drawing near to me by means of supererogatory acts of worship until I love Him». Supererogatory acts of worship include naafil prayers, charity, 'Umrah, Hajj (minor and major pilgrimage to Makkah) and fasting. 4. Loving, visiting one another, helping one another (financially) and offering sincere advice to one another for the sake of Allah. These attributes were mentioned in a single hadith (narration) in which the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) narrated that his Lord said: «My love is guaranteed for two who love one another for My sake; My love is guaranteed for two who visit one another for My sake; My love is guaranteed for two who help one another (financially) for My sake; My love is guaranteed to for two who uphold ties with one another for My sake» (Narrated by Ahmad [4/236] and [5/236], al-Tanaasuh by Ibn Hibbaan [3/338]; the two ahaadith were classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb wa'l-Tarheeb [3019], [3020], [3021]). What is meant by «two who visit one another for My sake» is that they only visit one another for the sake of Allah, seeking thereby His pleasure for their loving one another for His sake or cooperating in worshipping Him (From al-Muntaqa Sharh al-Muwatta', hadith [1779]). 5. Being tested. Calamities and disasters are a test for a person, and this is a sign that Allah loves him, because this is like medicine: even though it is bitter, but still you offer the medicine, despite its bitterness, to the one whom you love; and Allah's is the highest description. According to a saheeh hadith (authentic narration): «The greatest reward comes from the greatest trial. When Allah loves people, He tests them, and whoever accepts it gains the pleasure of Allah and whoever complains earns His wrath» (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi [2396];and Ibn Maajah [4031]; classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani). For calamities to befall the believer is better than punishments being stored up for him in the Hereafter. How can it be otherwise when he is raised in status and his bad deeds are erased thereby? The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: «When Allah wills good for His slave, He hastens his punishment in this world, and when He wills bad for His slave, He withholds his sins until he comes with them on the Day of Resurrection» (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi [2396]; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani). The scholars have explained that the one from whom calamities and trials are withheld is the hypocrite, for Allah withholds [his punishment] in this world, so as to bring him with all his sins on the Day of Resurrection. O Allah, make us among those whom You love. If Allah loves you, do not ask about the good that you will attain and the virtue that you will acquire, it is sufficient for you to know that you are the beloved of Allah. The great fruits of the love of Allah for His slave are as follows: 1. People will love him and he will be accepted on earth, as it says in the hadith narrated by al-Bukhaari [3209]: «When Allah loves a slave, He says to Jibreel, "I love so-and-so, so love him", so Jibreel loves him and then calls out to the people of heaven, "Allah loves so-and-so, so love him", and the people of heaven love him, and then acceptance is placed in the Earth for him». 2. What Allah has mentioned in the hadith qudsi of the great virtues of those whom He loves. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: «Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him» (Narrated by al-Bukhaari [6502]). This hadith qudsi includes a number of benefits of Allah's love for His slave: i. «I am his hearing with which he hears» i.e., he does not listen to anything but that which Allah loves. ii. «his seeing with which he sees» i.e., he does not see anything but that which Allah loves. iii. «his hand with which he strikes» i.e., he does not do anything with his hand but that which Allah loves. iv. «and his foot with which he walks» i.e., he does not go towards anything but that which Allah loves. v. «Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him» i.e., his du'aa's (supplications) are heard and his requests are granted. vi. «and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it» i.e., he is protected by Allah from all things. We ask Allah to help us to please Him. And Allah knows best.
Allah is Al Wadud
-In Islam, we acknowledge that God has 99 names – Asma’a Allah Al-Husna, which is defined as The Beautiful Names of Allah. Each name represents an attribute of God. Since it’s forbidden to depict God visually – we instead emphasize the traits that make Him distinguishable and superior.
Among the 99 names is one that I personally believe is overlooked or not understood fully. After learning more about the name (thanks to a wonderful gathering with friends), it quickly became one of my favorites. I fell in love with what it represents – and I hope you will, too!
That name is Al-Wadud. It translates to “the affectionate” or “the most loving” – but it holds a much deeper meaning than that. It goes beyond the basic idea of love. Which is why Al-Wadud comes from the word Al-wud– which means the act of love through giving, and not Al-hub, which translates to just “love.”
Al-Wadud emphasizes the active expression of love rather than it just being an emotion. To break it down even further and put it into context, Allah SWT is a Al-Wadud because He shows us that He loves us through different aspects such as blessings, trials, protection, etc. All of which are constant reminders of our Creator. This includes every single struggle you’ve endured because they’re only meant to bring us closer to Him. And Allah loves those that return to Him (i.e: repentance, etc.) and have faith in His plans.
Al-Wadud is mentioned twice in the Qur’an. Once in Surat Hud (11:90):
Exploring One of Allah's (SWT) 99 Names: Al-Wadud
Translation: “But ask forgiveness of your Lord, and turn unto Him (in repentance): For my Lord is indeed full of mercy and loving-kindness.”
And in Surat Al-Buruj (85:14):
Exploring One of Allah's (SWT) 99 Names: Al-Wadud
Translation: “And He is the Oft-Forgiving, Full of Loving-Kindness.”
Have you ever thought about how God loves you? Take the time to reflect on this question. Don’t just think about your blessings – which are obvious ways you might feel loved. Instead, think about how many times you’ve gone through something and didn’t understand why you were struggling — only to find out later that the outcome was much better than what you had hoped for. Your full trust and acceptance in God’s plans will not only grant you a guided path, but also bring you two steps closer to strengthening your faith. Even when absolutely nothing makes sense sometimes, one thing is for sure, Allah SWT is always on your side if you open your heart to Him.
Think about how many times you’ve repented for the same sin – only to find His door of forgiveness and mercy still open for you. At your lowest and your highest – you’re not alone. Allah is your constant.
When we talk about unconditional love, we usually think of our parents. Despite how big their love is for us, even they will eventually give up if we continue engaging in the same mistakes over and over. Without discrediting them, it’s important to note that they’re still human and not perfect. No human can truly unconditionally keep their door open for you 24/7. But Allah SWT can, and He continues to do so. That’s why He’s Al-Wadud.
If Allah SWT never fails to bestow all of that love upon us, then why don’t we make a genuine effort to understand Islam beyond just the five prayers? I guess for a while fear is important so you don’t miss salah – but when you fall in love with what you believe, you start participating because you want to. Not because you have to. This is where the importance of perspective comes into play.
It’s very easy to make practicing Islam just another habit in your life – but that’s a dangerous route. Habits start to lose significance over time and you engage in them without thinking much about the action. When you’re doing things like kneeling in prayer, picking up the Qura’n on Friday, or just being a good neighbor – remember to keep renewing your intentions. This is a great way to avoid making the above just habitual because you’re removing the passiveness from the action.
On a final note: I mentioned that Allah will continue to guide your path if you open your heart to Him. So if you want to receive affection, then you should first embody it and implement this expression in your daily life. Tie your camel, ya know?
Be kind and compassionate, even to those that wrong you (easier said than done, but that’s why the reward is great). Do your best to represent Islamic values justly. Love for others what you love for yourself. And remember that no matter how far you walk down the wrong path, you can always turn around. Allah SWT says in Hadith Qudsi:
“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 it. If he draws near to Me a hand’s length, I draw near to him an arm’s length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.”
he 99 Names of God: The Affectionate [Al-Wadud]
TThe Noble True Love Meanings
The Arabic root for the word “Al-Wadud” is “Wudd” وُدّ which means love. In fact, this word has a different connotation from another arabic word that also means love; “Hubb”.
“Hubb” حُب can be used for any kind of love. It has a romantic connotation. It is only in the heart. In contrast, the word “Wudd” means a special kind of love. It never has a romantic connotation; it is a noble one.
It means the shown actions of love. One of the Muslim scholars said:
It is not strange for the servant to love The Master. What is amazing is when The Creator who has no need for the creations chooses to love them even though He does not need us in any way.”
If we look deeply at the human beings love, we will find that they have love for good things that comes back; happiness, rest, money, prestige, etc. For the Creator, the matter is totally different, and this is nobility.
This Name means that God loves His creation, so He grants them his graces. Consequently, they love Him. On the other hand, some of His servants choose not to love Him, so they live in a sad status and go astray. God says in Quran:
“And if your Lord had willed, He could have made mankind one community; but they will not cease to differ (118). Except whom your Lord has given mercy, and for that He created them. But the word of your Lord is to be fulfilled that, “I will surely fill Hell with jinn and men all together” (119). [Quran.com/11]
“Al-Wadud” in The Quran
This Name is mentioned two times in The Holy Quran. The first one is:
And ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. Indeed, my Lord is Merciful and Affectionate.” [Quran.com/11/90].
The second verse is:
And He is the Forgiving, the Affectionate,” [Quran.com/85/14].
In those two verses, the Name “The Affectionate” is accompanied by another two Names” The Merciful” and “The Forgiving”. In fact, this delivered a very important meaning; if the servant does wrong acts, then he repents, God forgives him and loves him! Maybe there is a king in this life who forgive a servant, but can this king love him after that without any interest or benefit ?!!
It is God who gives us the chance till the last moment even if we do not deserve that.
Examples and influences of His love in our life
Firstly, He creates us “in the best of structure” as God says. He gives us the mind to think and reach the truth, and to use it to discover the earth and facilitate our life on it. Moreover, God says:
And He has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth – all from Him. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought. [Quran.com/45/13].
It is God love that provide us with different kinds of food to eat whatever we prefer. It is God love to create those beautiful animals, fish and birds to please our eyes.
Some of them we eat in different ways, and others we just look at them to contemplate, and be happy. Also, there is a special kind of love that He places in the hearts of the spouses towards each other. God says:
And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquillity in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.” [Quran.com/30/21]
It is of important also to say that there is another aspect of God love which he grants for the righteous servants. Prophet Muhammad says: “When Allah loves a slave, calls out Jibril and says: ‘I love so-and-so; so love him’. Then Jibril loves him. After that he (Jibril) announces to the inhabitants of heavens that Allah loves so- and-so; so love him; and the inhabitants of the heavens (the angels) also love him and then make people on earth love him”. [Reference]
How to apply?
If we realize all of that, we will love God for sure, and this is the first application. If we know more about God, we will love Him more, worship Him, and be ready to sacrifice for His sake more till we reach His paradise at the end. Throughout the history of muslims, we know a lot of examples for that concept. We know Abu-Bakr who gives all his money for charity one day. Also, we should love each other for no interests but for the sake of God. This love has a valuable rank in Islam. Prophet Muhammad says: “If anyone loves for Allah’s sake, hates for Allah’s sake, gives for Allah’s sake and withholds for Allah’s sake, he will have perfect faith. [Reference]
To conclude, Islam is the religion of love. He gives the true love special position. If we reach that, we will live happily in this life and in the Hereafter.
Allah is Al Ghafoor -
Allah’s name Al-Ghafoor— The Forgiving, The Exceedingly and Perfectly Forgiving— occurs 91 times in the Quran. He is the One whose forgiveness manifests both quality and quantity. Al-Ghafoor is the One Who forgives, regardless of how large the sin is, and He forgives over and over again!
The Perfect Forgiver and Pardoner, the One Who Covers and Protects
Ghafoor comes from the root ghayn-faa-raa, which points to three main meanings. The first meaning is to cover, veil, conceal, and hide. The second meaning is to pardon, to forgive, and to set aright. And the third meaning is to cover a thing to protect it (from dirt).
This root appears 234 times in the Quran in nine derived forms. Examples of these forms are yaghfiru (He forgives, will forgive), wa-is’taghfir (and ask forgiveness), and maghfiratun (forgiveness).
Linguistically, both ghafoor and ghaffaar refer to the concept of maghfirah. Al-Ghaffaar refers to the fact that Allah forgives repeatedly (the quantity) whereas the name Al-Ghafoor points to the extent of His forgiveness (the quality). Allah’s name Al-Ghafoor does not just mean that He forgives us; He also protects and shields us from the consequences of our own actions. He does maghfirah— He covers our sins while being fully aware of what they are. His perfect forgiveness is truly a sign of His ultimate mercy for us!
Al-Ghafoor Himself says: Inform My servants that it is I who am the Forgiving, the Merciful [Quran, 15:49] . . . He causes it to reach whom He wills of His servants. And He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. [Quran, 10:107] . . . He said, I will ask forgiveness for you from my Lord. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful. [Quran, 12:98]
A Beautiful Combination: Al-Ghafoor and Ar-Raheem
In the Arabic language, for example in the name Ar-Raheem, the yaa indicates the continuity of Allah’s mercy. The name ﺍﻟﻐﻔﻮﺭ (Al-Ghafoor) on the other hand does not mean that He is always or forever forgiving, because then there would be no Hellfire. The waw in Al-Ghafoor shows us that Allah is exceedingly forgiving; He forgives beyond what any of us can expect.
One of the most common pairs is Allah’s name Al-Ghafoor combined with Ar-Raheem, which is repeated 72 times in the Quran, demonstrating that He covers these sins because He is so merciful to us.
An example of this beautiful combination is in one of the most hope-giving, heart-comforting ayaat in the Quran. Al-Ghafoor Himself says: Say, O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful. [Quran 39:53] Instead of saying: O, you sinners! look at how gently Al-Ghafoor addresses us by saying yaa eebaadee, O my servants who have transgressed against themselves. Alhamdulillah; we have a Lord who is intensely forgiving and merciful to us.
How Can You Live by This Name?
1. Call upon Al-Ghafoor.
Call upon Al-Ghafoor when you do wrong to others or even to yourself, no matter how big or small the sin is. You can start your dua’ with this beautiful name. Always ask Him to do maghfirah on you (to cover up and forgive your bad deeds) and never give up asking. At the same time, never think of how big or little a sin is— think about the greatness of the One you are disobeying.
2. Never despair.
A characteristic of a true believer is that he or she never despairs. We don’t despair in the help of Allah ‘azza wa jall and we don’t despair in His mercy and forgiveness. This means that whenever we commit a bad deed– and because we are humans, we will sin– we don’t let it get us down but rather fight back by turning to Al-Ghafoor straight away and following up our sin with a good deed.
3. Train yourself to be forgiving.
Think of the forgiveness of Al-Ghafoor and be inspired to adopt a habit of being forgiving in your daily life. Always try to go to sleep with a heart clean of grudges. Hamdun al-Qassar, one of the great early Muslims, said: If a friend among your friends errs, make seventy excuses for them. If your hearts are unable to do this, then know that the shortcoming is in your own selves. [Bayhaqee] Always give others the benefit of the doubt, making excuses for them and never hunting for others’ mistakes.
4. Cover the faults of others.
Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: The Prophet sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, Allah will cover up on the Day of Resurrection the defects (faults) of the one who covers up the faults of the others in this world [Muslim]. You know what Allah Al-Ghafoor will give you for covering up the faults and shortcomings of others in this world? He loves this quality so much that He’ll forgive your sins and not call you to account for your sins. If at all He will do so, He will not do it publicly so that you’re not embarrassed before others.
5. Don’t expose yourself.
The Prophet sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam said: Every one of my followers will be forgiven except those who expose (openly) their wrongdoings. An example of this is that of a man who commits a sin at night which Allah has covered for him, and in the morning, he would say (to people): I committed such and such sin last night, while Allah had kept it a secret. During the night Allah has covered it up but in the morning he tears up the cover provided by Allah Himself. [Al-Bukharee and Muslim] When you commit a bad deed, do you feel ashamed? We should never like to express our sins and sin openly. You often see that people are even bragging about their sins, like being with women (or men), going out and dressing immodestly and gossiping about others. Imagine you tell others about your bad deeds, and they feel inspired to do it too. Never talk to others about your sins.
O Allah, Al-Ghafoor, we know that You are the most forgiving. No matter the size and amount of our sins, we call on You to forgive our sins, hide our faults from others, and protect us from the effects of our bad deeds in this life and the next, to support us in never despairing of Your mercy, and aid us in forgiving others, ameen!
And Allah knows best.
The Understand Quran Academy Team
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The meaning of the Names of Allah: Al-Ghafoor Al-Ghaffaar
-In this section we will study in depth the Name of Allah AL-GHAFOOR and all things related to ISTIGFAAR. We will gather many verses and ahadeeth relating to the topic.
Allah’s name Al-Ghafoor— The Forgiving, The Exceedingly and Perfectly Forgiver — occurs 91 times in the Quran, making it one of the most common names mentioned there. Usually translated as The Forgiver and Pardoner, the One Who Covers and Protects. He is the One Who forgives, regardless of how large the sin is, and He forgives over and over again!
Linguistic Meaning: The root verb of Al-Ghaffoor and Al-Ghaffaar is gha-fa-ra (غَفَرَ), which does NOT mean “to forgive”; rather, it means to shield, protect and cover. Like a helmet, which, in Arabic, is called a “Mighfaar.”
The root verb gha-fa-ra points to three main meanings.
⦁ The first meaning is to cover, veil, conceal, and hide.
⦁ The second meaning is to pardon, to forgive, and to set aright.
⦁ And the third meaning is to cover a thing to protect it (from dirt).
Allah’s name Al-Ghafoor does not JUST mean that He forgives us; He also protects and shields us from the evil consequences of our own evil actions. He does maghfirah— He covers our sins while being fully aware of what they are. His perfect forgiveness is truly a sign of His ultimate mercy for us!
Difference between AL-Ghafoor and Al-Gaffaar
From the same root comes the beautiful name Al-Ghaffaar, which refers to the fact that Allah forgives repeatedly (the quantity). Al-Ghaffaar is only mentioned about four times in the Qur’an. Al-Ghaffaar is the one who CONTINUES to forgive, again and again and again and again and again. Whereas the name Al-Ghafoor points to the extent of His forgiveness (the quality) i.e He forgives the big and the small, the first and the last and the apparent and hidden.
The conditions for your sins to be forgiven?
This point confuses some people. Is there a difference between Tawbah and Istighfaar? In the Quran it is clear that when Allah mentions separately (not together) these words TAWBAH or ISTIGFAAR they essentially do the SAME thing – they both have the SAME conditions, they both achieve that sin being forgiven.
They are obviously different words. Tawbah comes from the word meaning to ‘RETURN TO’ And Istigfaar comes from the word meaning to cover/protect. But the one who has made Tawbah (repented) has sort forgiveness and the one who seeks forgiveness has repented. So the conditions are the same 1.To stop the sin 2.Regret 3.Not to return to the sin. (We have explained these conditions in detail HERE) If you read the Quran this is point is CLEAR.
So you raise your hands to Allah and you think of a sin; you have remorse in your heart for doing it and you intend never to go back to that; whether you make Tawbah for that sin or Istigfaar, the sin is forgiven there is NO difference.
However SOMETIMES it is understood that Tawbah is done for specif sins that you are aware of and Istigfaar can be done for sins that you may not be aware of. The evidence? Our Nabi [PBUH] taught the Dua. O Allah I seek refuge with you that I ascribe a partner to you while I KNOW and I SEEK YOUR FORGIVENESS (Istigfaar) of that which I do UNKNOWINGLY.
In this light we can see that after the salah (or ebaadah in general) we say Istigfaar 3 times and NOT Tawbah. Have you ever wonderd why after the salah the 1st thing we do is make Istigfaar? What sin have you just committed? Rather its as if we are saying… O Allah forgive me/cover me from the errors I made in this ebaadah (that which I am not even aware of). O Allah forgive me for this lowly/deficient ebaadah that I have just offered. etc.
A Beautiful Combination: Al-Ghafoor and Ar-Raheem
Just as many of the names of Allah, when He mentions His name Al-Ghafoor He mentions it along side His name Ar-Raheem. This combination is repeated 72 times in the Quran. This demonstrating that He covers these sins because He is so RAHEEM Merciful to us! We have explained the name of Allaah Ar-Raheem HERE
Other names Al-Ghafoor is combined with are
⦁ Ar-Raheem: 72 times, Allah mentions Al-Ghafoor with Ar-Raheem, one of the most common sets of pairs of Allah’s names—signifying that he COVERS these sins because he’s merciful to us.
⦁ Al-Haleem: 6 times, Allah pairs Al-Ghafoor with Al-Haleem—and Al-Haleem means the one who is able to restrain his anger after being justifiably angry. He is capable of being angry with us, but he restrains and forgives us.
⦁ Al-’Afuww: 4 times, Allah pairs Al-Ghaffoor with Al-’Affuw, meaning he is the one who covers our sins, and also wipes them out, utterly obliterates them, with his forgiveness.
⦁ Ash-Shakuwr: 3 times, he pairs this with As-Shakuwr (الشكور), the one who appreciates what you’ve done and rewards you with more then you deserve. Pairing this with Al-Ghafoor, you get the one who forgives you, and gives you more then you deserve for your good deeds. And Surah-Shuraa, the people of Jannah say: “we made it because Allah is Ghafoor and Shakuwr—He forgave us, and gave us more then we deserve.”
⦁ Al-Aziz: 2 times, Allah pairs Al-Ghafoor with Al-Aziz (العزيز), and Al-Aziz is, the one who has honour and power, and the one who has power in himself so he cannot be harmed, and the all-powerful. These are the meanings of Aziz. By combining with Al-Ghafoor, Allah is saying, “I’m forgiving you DESPITE the fact that I’m all-powerful.” Because if a bully comes and hits you, you might forgive him, because there’s nothing you can do—you’re weak and incapable—but Allah says “no, I forgive even though I am Al-Aziz.” And that is the HEIGHT of forgiveness.
⦁ Al-Waduwd: 1 time, Allah pairs Al-Ghafoor with Al-Waduwd (الوَدُود)–the one who shows extra love, the caring type of love (Arabic has over 10 verbs to describe different types of love). And Al-Waduwd has connotations of caring and loving and protecting. Allah is saying “I forgive you because I love you with that type of love”–best described as a parent’s love (wudd) for her child.
A major sin requires Tawbah/Istigfaar
When one commits a major sin. This requires a specific Tawbah/Istigfaar. So Allah says And seek forgiveness of Allah . Indeed, Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful[4:106]
Such is the urgency of this Istigfaar when we sin that not only has Allah commanded us to seek His forgiveness but He told us rush towards it. Allah says And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous [3:133]
The vastness of Allah’s forgiveness
⦁ And whoever does a wrong or wrongs himself but then seeks forgiveness of Allah will find Allah Forgiving and Merciful [4:110]
⦁ Then Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Allah, the Exalted, has said: ‘O son of adam, I forgive you as long as you pray to Me and hope for My forgiveness, whatever sins you have committed. O son of ‘Adam, I do not care if your sins reach the height of the heaven, then you ask for my forgiveness, I would forgive you. O son of ‘Adam, if you come to Me with an earth load of sins, and meet Me associating nothing to Me, I would match it with an earth load of forgiveness.” [At-Tirmidhi].
⦁ The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Allah, the Exalted, and Glorious said: ‘A slave committed a sin and he said: O Allah, forgive my sin,’ and Allah said: ‘My slave committed a sin and then he realized that he has a Rubb Who forgives the sins and punishes for the sin.’ He then again committed a sin and said: ‘My Rubb, forgive my sin,’ and Allah (SWT) said: ‘My slave committed a sin and then realized that he has a Rubb Who forgives his sin and punishes for the sin.’ He again committed a sin and said: ‘My Rubb, forgive my sin,’ and Allah (SWT) said: ‘My slave has committed a sin and then realized that he has a Rubb Who forgives the sin or takes (him) to account for sin. I have granted forgiveness to my slave. Let him do whatever he likes”. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Forgiveness + Punishment
When man becomes aware of Allah’s forgiveness he becomes blinded by it and forgets that definitely Allah can forgive so we shouldn’t lose hope in Him but He also has the full right to punish man for each and every sin so we become balanced in our hope and fear of Him.
Know that Allah is severe in penalty and that Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.[5: 98]. The forgiver of sin, acceptor of repentance, severe in punishment, owner of abundance. There is no deity except Him; to Him is the destination. [40:3]. [O Muhammad], inform My servants that it is I who am the Forgiving, the Merciful And that it is My punishment which is the painful punishment. [15:49]
The end result of a true forgiveness from Allah is Jannah
And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins – and who can forgive sins except Allah? and [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know. Those – their reward is forgiveness from their Lord and gardens beneath which rivers flow [in Paradise], wherein they will abide eternally; and excellent is the reward of the [righteous] workers. [3:13-136]
The nature of Man
One must realize that man in his nature is extremely sinful. His worship to his creator is extremely deficient. He is quick to forget Allah and even quicker to give thanks to His blessings let alone remember them. How ungrateful man is where do we start and where do we end. In this respect we can never be perfect. Allah knows this but what he wants from us is to seek His forgiveness.
⦁ Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “By the One in Whose Hand my soul is, were you not to commit sins, Allah would replace you with a people who would commit sins and then seek forgiveness from Allah; and Allah would forgive them”. [Muslim]
⦁ Abu Ayyub Khalid bin Zaid (RA) reported: Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Were you not to commit sins, Allah would create people who would commit sins and ask for forgiveness and He would forgive them”. [Muslim]
The most blessed time to seek this forgiveness
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
يَنْزِلُ رَبُّنَا تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا حِينَ يَبْقَى ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ الآخِرُ فَيَقُولُ مَنْ يَدْعُونِي فَأَسْتَجِيبَ لَهُ وَمَنْ يَسْأَلُنِي فَأُعْطِيَهُ وَمَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُنِي فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ
Our Lord, the Blessed and the Exalted, descends every night to the lowest heaven when one-third of the latter part of the night is left, and says: Who supplicates Me so that I may answer him? Who asks Me so that I may give to him? Who asks Me forgiveness so that I may forgive him? [Muslim]
Supplication for forgiveness
⦁ Shaddad bin Aus (RAA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “The best manner of asking for forgiveness is to say:
اَللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي, لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ, خَلَقْتَنِي, وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ, وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اِسْتَطَعْتُ, أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ, أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ, وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي, فَاغْفِرْ لِي; فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ اَلذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
“O Allah! You are my Lord. None has the right to be worshiped except You. You created me and I am your servant and I abide by your covenant and promise as best I can. I seek refuge in you from the evil, which I have committed. I acknowledge your favor upon me and I knowledge my sins, so forgive me, for verily none can forgive sin except you.” [Al-Bukhari]
⦁ Bilal bin Yasar bin Zaid [the freed slave of the Prophet] narrated: “My father narrated to me, from my grandfather, that he heard the Prophet say: ‘Whoever says:
أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ الَّذِي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَىَّ الْقَيُّومَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ
“I seek forgiveness from Allah, the Magnificent, whom there is none worthy of worship but Him, the Living, Al-Qayyum, and I repent to him,” (Astaghfirullahal-Azimalladhi La Ilaha Illa Huwal-Hayyul-Qayyumu Wa Atubu Ilaih) then Allah will forgive him, even if he fled from battle.’” [Hasan]
⦁ Narrated Anas ibn Malik: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If anyone says in the morning:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَصْبَحْتُ أُشْهِدُكَ وَأُشْهِدُ حَمَلَةَ عَرْشِكَ وَمَلاَئِكَتَكَ وَجَمِيعَ خَلْقِكَ أَنَّكَ أَنْتَ اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ وَحْدَكَ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَكَ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُكَ وَرَسُولُكَ
“O Allah! in the morning we call Thee, the bearers of Thy Throne, Thy angels, and all Thy creatures to witness that Thou art Allah than Whom there is no god, Thou being alone and without a partner, and that Muhammad is Thy servant and Thy Apostle,” Allah will forgive him any sins that he commits that day; and if he repeats them in the evening. Allah will forgive him any sins he commits that night. [Daif]
An important point
Allah has put the means for forgiveness in many different types of ebaadah but this forgiveness (generally) is for SMALL sins. As for MAJOR sins require specific repentance/forgiveness.
When we come to know how many hadith there are in relation to Allah’s forgiveness it really does highlight two things 1) how much we are drowning in our sins such that Allah has to place forgiveness in so many different worships so that we would be saved from His punishment and 2) to demonstrate the great and immanence mercy & forgiveness of Allah upon us.
Examples of Allah’s MAGFIRAH (Forgiving/covering/protecting)
There are certain statements, actions and qualities which result in ones sins being expiated. The 1st and most important is the statement of Allah;
If you avoid the (major) sins which ye are forbidden, We will remove from you your (lesser) sins and admit you to a noble entrance [into Paradise]. [4:31]
⦁ Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: “When a man was walking on the road, he found a thorny branch and removed it. Allah appreciated his action by forgiving him.” [Saheeh]
⦁ It was narrated that Abu Dharr said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah say: ‘Everyone in the universe, in the heavens and on earth, prays for forgiveness for the scholar, even the fish in the sea.” [Daif]
⦁ Abu Hurayra said, “The dead person can be raised a degree after his death. He said, ‘My Lord, how is this?’ He was told, ‘Your child can ask for forgiveness for you.'” [Hasan]
⦁ Narrated ‘Ali: If a man visits a patient in the evening, seventy thousand angels come along with him seeking forgiveness from Allah for him till the morning, and he will have a garden in the Paradise. [Saheeh Mawqoof]
⦁ Abu Hurairah [may Allah be pleased with him] narrated that : the Prophet said: “No group gather in a sitting in which they do not remember Allah, nor sent Salat upon their Prophet, except it will be a source of remorse for them. If He wills, He will punish the, and if He wills, He will forgive them.” [Saheeh]
⦁ It was narrated that Sa’sa’ah bin Mu’awiyah said: “I met Abu Dharr and said: ‘Tell me a Hadith.’ He said: the Messenger of Allah said: There are no two Muslims, three of whose children die before reaching puberty, but Allah will forgive them by virtue of His mercy towards them.”‘ [Saheeh]
⦁ Yusuf bin Abi Burdah narrated: “I heard my father say: ‘I entered upon ‘Aishah, and I heard her say: “When the Messenger of Allah exited the toilet, he would say: غُفْرَانَكَGhufranaka (I seek Your forgiveness).’ [Saheeh]
⦁ And he said: “Charity extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire, but hasad (malicious envy) consumes good deeds as fire consumes wood.” [Saheeh]
Prayer – Jummah – Ramadan
⦁ Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “The five (daily) Salat (prayers), and from one Jumu’ah prayer to the (next) Jumu’ah prayer, and from Ramadan to Ramadan are expiations for the (sins) committed in between (their intervals); provided the major sins are not committed”. [Muslim]
Fasting
⦁ It was narrated from Abu Qatadah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Fasting the day of ‘Ashura’, I hope, will expiate for the sins of the previous year.” sahih
⦁ Abu Qatadah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about observing As-Saum (the fast) on the tenth day of Muharram, and he replied, “It is an expiation for the sins of the preceding year.” [Muslim]
Friday
⦁ It was narrated that Salman said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me: ‘There is no man who purifies himself on Friday as he is commanded, then comes out of his house to the Friday prayer, and listens attentively until he finishes his prayer, but it will be an expiation for what came before it the week before.” [Saheeh]
⦁ It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “From one Friday to the next is an expiation for whatever was committed in between, so long as one does not commit any major sin.” [Saheeh]
⦁ Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Five prayers and from one Friday prayer to (the next) Friday prayer is an expiation (of the sins committed in between their intervals) if major sins are not committed. [Muslim]
Ramadaan
⦁ The messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever fasts Ramadaan out of faith and the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 37; Muslim, 1268).
⦁ And he said: “Whoever spends the night of Laylat al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1768).
Umrah & Hajj
⦁ Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “(The performance of) `Umra is an expiation for the sins committed (between it and the previous one). And the reward of Hajj Mabrur (the one accepted by Allah) is nothing except Paradise.” [Bukhari]
Calamity
⦁ Abu Sa’id and Abu Hurairah (RA) reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:”Never a believer is stricken with a discomfort, an illness, an anxiety, a grief or mental worry or even the pricking of a thorn but Allah will expiate his sins on account of his patience”. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
⦁ Narrated Aisha: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “No calamity befalls a Muslim but that Allah expiates some of his sins because of it, even though it were the prick he receives from a thorn.” [Bukhari]
⦁ Abu Sa’id and abu Huraira reported that they heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Never a believer is stricken with discomfort, hardship or illness, grief or even with mental worry that his sins are not expiated for him. [Muslim]
⦁ Narrated Ibn `Abbas: The Prophet (ﷺ) went to visit a sick bedouin. Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) went to a patient, he used to say to him,
لاَ بَأْسَ طَهُورٌ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ
“Don’t worry, if Allah will, it will be expiation (for your sins):” [Bukhari]
Forgiveness that relates to the Salah
⦁ Narrated `Aisha: The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) has said:“ When a Muslim or a Believer washes his face (in the course of Wudu) every sin that he contemplated with his eyes is washed away from his face along with water, or with the last drop of water; when he washes his hands, every sin they wrought is effaced from his hands with the water, or with the last drop of water; and when he washes his feet, every sin toward which his feet have walked is washed away with the water, or with the last drop of water until he comes out pure from all sins. [Muslim]
⦁ The Prophet (ﷺ) said:“ Whoever purified (made Wudu) himself in his house, and then walked to one of the Houses of Allah (Masjid) to perform an obligatory Salat, his footsteps act as one lowering a sin and the other raising a reward” [Muslim].
⦁ Narrated Abu Hurayrah: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The mu’adhdhin will receive forgiveness to the extent to which his voice reaches, and every moist and dry place will testify on his behalf; and he who attends (the congregation of) prayer will have twenty-five prayers recorded for him and will have expiation for sins committed between every two times of prayer. [Saheeh]
⦁ Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “As long as any-one of you is waiting for the prayer, he is considered to be praying actually, and the angels say, ‘O Allah! Be merciful to him and forgive him’, (and go on saying so) unless he leaves his place of praying or passes wind (i.e. breaks his ablution). [Bukhari]
⦁ It was narrated from ‘Irbad bin Sariyah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to ask for forgiveness for the first row three times and for the second row twice. [Saheeh]
⦁ Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said:“ When Imam says Ameen, you also say Ameen. So whose Ameen coincides with that of the angels, all his preceding sins are forgiven” [Bukhari, Muslim]
⦁ The prophet (ﷺ) said :“When a slave stands and prays, all his sins are brought and placed on his head and shoulders. Every time he bows or prostrates, some of them fall from him.” [al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubraa, Saheeh al-Jaami’]
⦁ A’isha reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) often said while bowing and prostrating himself:” سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا وَبِحَمْدِكَ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي Glory be to You, O Allah, our Lord, and praise be to You, O Allah, forgive me,” thus complying with the (command in) the Qur’an (40:55). [Muslim]
⦁ The prophet (ﷺ) used to say when prostrating himself:
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذَنْبِي كُلَّهُ دِقَّهُ وَجِلَّهُ وَأَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ عَلاَنِيَتَهُ وَسِرَّهُ
“O Allah. Forgive me all my sins, small and great, first and last open and secret.” [Saheeh]
⦁ It was narrated from Hudhaifah that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to say between the two prostrations: “Rabbighfir li, Rabbighfir li (O Lord forgive me, O Lord forgive me).” [Saheeh]
⦁ Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “The angels keep on asking for Allah’s Blessing and Forgiveness for anyone of you as long as he is at his Musalla (praying place) and does not do Hadath (passes wind). The angels say, ‘O Allah! Forgive him and be Merciful to him.’ Each one of you is in the prayer as long as he is waiting for the prayer and nothing but the prayer detains him from going to his family.” [Bukhari]
⦁ Narrated Abdullah bin Amr: Abu Bakr As-Siddiq said to the Prophet ﷺ “O Allah’s Apostle! Teach me an invocation with which I may invoke Allah in my prayers.” The Prophet said, “Say:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي ظُلْمًا كَثِيرًا وَلاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَغْفِرَةً مِنْ عِنْدِكَ وَارْحَمْنِي إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
O Allah! I have wronged my soul very much (oppressed myself), and none forgives the sins but You; so please bestow Your forgiveness upon me. No doubt, You are the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Saheeh]
⦁ Narrated Mihjan ibn al-Adra’: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered the mosque and saw a man who had finished his prayer, and was reciting the tashahhud saying:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ يَا اللَّهُ الأَحَدُ الصَّمَدُ الَّذِي لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ أَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِي ذُنُوبِي إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
O Allah, I ask you, O Allah, the One, the eternally besought of all, He begetteth not, nor was He begotten, and there is none comparable unto Him, that you may forgive me my sins, you are Most Forgiving, Merciful.
He (the Prophet) said: He was forgiven (repeating three times.) [Saheeh]
⦁ Thauban reported: When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) finsihed his prayer. He begged forgiveness (Astagfirullah) three times and said: O Allah! You are Salaam, and Salaam comes from You; Blessed are You, O Possessor of Glory and Honour. [Muslim]
⦁ Ibn Umar narrated that one say, : The Messenger of Allah said to his Companions: “Say; ‘Glory is to Allah and with His Praise (Subhan Allah, Wa Bihamdih)’ a hundred times. Whoever says [it] one time, it is written for him ten, and whoever says it ten (times), it is written for him a hundred, and whoever says it a hundred (times), it is written for him a thousand, and whoever increases, Allah will increased for him, and whoever seeks Allah’s forgiveness, [Allah] will forgive him.” [Hasan]
⦁ It was narrated that ‘Uthman bin ‘Affan said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ‘Whoever does wudu’ properly, then walks to (attend) the prescribed prayer, and prays with the people or with the congregation or in the Masjid, Allah will forgive him his sins.” [Saheeh]
Reward for seeking forgiveness for others
⦁ From Ubadah bin as-Samit (RA) who said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ) saying: “Whoever sought forgiveness for believing men and believing women, Allaah writes a good deed for him for every believing man and woman.” [at-Tabrani and Shaykh al-Albaani declared it to be Hasan in Saheeh al-Jamia no. 6026]
This is an amazing Hadith. It teaches us that when you say for example, ‘O Allah forgive Us’ intending by that to include every single Muslim on this earth you will get a reward for every single Muslim on this earth.
The Covering on the Day of Resurrection
⦁ Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Allah will cover up on the Day of Resurrection the defects (faults) of the one who covers up the faults of the others in this world.” [Muslim].
What is the reward from Allah Al-Ghafoor for you covering up the faults and shortcomings of others in this world? He loves this quality so much that He’ll forgive your sins and not call you to account for your sins.
⦁ The messenger of Allahﷺ said: “A believer will be brought close to his Rubb on the Day of Resurrection and enveloping him in His Mercy, He (SWT) will make him confess his sins by saying: `Do you remember (doing) this sin and this sin?’ He will reply: `My Rubb, I remember.’ Then He (SWT) will say: `I covered it up for you in the life of world, and I forgive it for you today.’ Then the record of his good deeds will be handed to him.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Other…
Aishah said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah saying at his death:
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَارْحَمْنِي وَأَلْحِقْنِي بِالرَّفِيقِ الأَعْلَى
‘O Allah, forgive me and have mercy on me, and join me with the Highest Company.’”
Don’t leave istighfar:
A man once came to al-Hasan al-Basri and complained to him: “The sky does not shower us with rain.” He replied: “Seek Allah’s forgiveness (i.e. say أستغفر ألله).”
Then another person came to him and said, “I complain of poverty.” He replied: “Seek Allah’s forgiveness.”
Then another person came to him and complained, “My wife is barren; she cannot bear children.” He replied: “Seek Allah’s forgiveness.”
The people who were present, said to al-Hasan: “Everytime a person came to you complaining, you instructed them to seek Allah’s forgiveness?”
Al-Hasan al-Basri said, “Have you not read the statement of Allah? ‘I said “Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Truly He is Oft-Forgiving. He will send rain to you in abundance; increase you in wealth and children; grant you gardens and bestow on you rivers.”‘” [Nuh (71):10-12]
There are two things in the earth that give a person safety and security from the punishment of Allah. The first has been removed, whilst the second still remains. As for the first, it was the Messenger of Allah (صلي ألله عليه و سلم).
“Allah would not punish them while you were among them.” [al-Anfal (8):33]
As for the second, it is istighfar. “Allah would not punish them as long as they sought forgiveness.” [al-Anfal (8):33]
أستغفر ألله… أستغفر ألله… أستغفر ألله…
Do not ever leave istighfar!
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