No one can absolve a sinner of sins so committed other than Allah. We should no live in a fallacy that anyone other than Allah can share the burden of others or has the power to write off someone's sins. Allah created everything that exists in the entire universe and He alone can alter the movement of celestial bodies or bring rain or let a child be born and a man to die as He alone wishes. And He alone exhibits His infinite mercy when a sinner earnestly repents his sins and seek Divine forgiveness. It is for such sinners that Allah reassures them of His boundless mercy and forgiveness.
With this premise in view, we share two verses from Qur'an that show us the Divine reassurance of mercy and forgiveness. The first verse is the 135th verse of Surah 3. Al-i'Imran and the second verse is from the Surah 4. An Nisa (verse 110), given herein under:
وَالَّذِيۡنَ اِذَا فَعَلُوۡا فَاحِشَةً اَوۡ ظَلَمُوۡۤا اَنۡفُسَهُمۡ ذَكَرُوا اللّٰهَ فَاسۡتَغۡفَرُوۡا لِذُنُوۡبِهِمۡ وَمَنۡ يَّغۡفِرُ الذُّنُوۡبَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَلَمۡ يُصِرُّوۡا عَلٰى مَا فَعَلُوۡا وَهُمۡ يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ
(3:135) These are the ones who, when they commit any indecency and wrong against themselves, instantly remember Allah and implore forgiveness for their sins - for who will forgive sins save Allah? - and who do not willfully persist in the wrong they did.
وَ مَنۡ يَّعۡمَلۡ سُوۡٓءًا اَوۡ يَظۡلِمۡ نَفۡسَهٗ ثُمَّ يَسۡتَغۡفِرِ اللّٰهَ يَجِدِ اللّٰهَ غَفُوۡرًا رَّحِيۡمًا
(4:110) He who does either evil or wrongs himself, and then asks for the forgiveness of Allah, will find Allah All-Forgiving, All-Compassionate.
These verses are reminder of Allah's boundless mercy and forgiveness. And acknowledges that human beings may make mistakes, sin, or wrong themselves. However, these also assures that if a person sincerely repents, seeks forgiveness from Allah, and turns to Him, Allah will forgive them, because He is "Oft-Forgiving" and "Most Merciful."
These verses acknowledges that people can make mistakes, whether by doing something wrong to others or by harming themselves through sinful behavior. These verses thus encourage believers to not despair from Allah's mercy, no matter the gravity of their actions, as long as they sincerely seek His forgiveness. These verses in fact reflect a broader theme in the Qur'an, which underscores Allah's mercy and compassion. It also teaches that repentance is not just a ritual but a heartfelt process of returning to Allah with sincerity.
Let’s break it down the Divine message of reassurance as given these two verses for a deeper understanding:
- Acknowledgment of sin: The verses addresses those who commit "immorality" or "wrong themselves" (i.e., they sin). The reference to "immorality" or "wrong" encompasses all kinds of sins, whether minor or major.
- Remembering Allah: After committing a sin, the believer remembers Allah, acknowledges the wrong they have done, and feels remorse. This is a key step in repentance. It's not just about seeking forgiveness, but recognizing one’s mistake and turning to Allah in humility.
- Seeking forgiveness: Herein it is stressed that a sinner must always seek Allah's forgiveness and have faith that his repentance will be accepted and forgiven. The act of seeking forgiveness is essential for anyone who sins. Allah’s forgiveness is always available for those who are sincere in their repentance.
- Who can forgive except Allah?: The verses remind the believer that no one but Allah has the ultimate authority to forgive sins. It emphasizes that forgiveness is in the hands of Allah alone, highlighting His mercy and power.
- Not willfully persisting in sin: Seeking repentance and forgiveness is just the first part. In fact it is emphasized that true repentance involves not persisting in sin. Those who sincerely repent will not continue to commit the same wrongs while they know better. This signifies a shift away from a sinful lifestyle toward righteousness.
The lessons we learn from these two verses are summed as under:
- Repentance is a process of returning to Allah with sincerity. It involves acknowledging one’s sin, seeking Allah’s forgiveness, and making a sincere commitment not to repeat the wrong.
- Allah’s mercy is boundless. Even if someone sins, as long as they genuinely seek forgiveness, Allah is always ready to forgive them.
- Avoidance of persistence in sin: True repentance requires a change in behavior. It's not just about asking for forgiveness but also striving not to fall into the same errors again.
Remember, Allah is always there, ready to forgive and bestow His abundant grace on anyone who turns to Him in repentance. Anyone who does evil wrongs himself and others. He may wrong only himself if his sinful action affects only his own person. In any case, Allah, the Merciful, the Beneficent, receives those who seek His forgiveness at all times, and extends to them His forgiveness and mercy. There is simply no condition, no intercession and no barrier between them and Him. Whenever they turn to Him in repentance, He turns to them in acceptance and bestows on them His grace.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
You may read more posts on similar theme in our series of posts related to: Forgiveness and Repentance
For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.
In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.
Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
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