How should a believer supplicate for forgiveness

Man is prone to be enticed by the Evil and commit acts that are prohibited and not desired at all. But the lust for sinful acts is so lucrative that sometimes even the most pious find themselves wavering as to which way they go: The way of truth or the way of Allah or the path lucratively laced for them by the Satan. And when one stumbles or is about to stumble, the inner-self pinches them to seek forgiveness for having even thought of being tempted to commit a sin.

The 16th verse of Surah 3. Al-i'Imran gives out a format for the believers as how to supplicate to Allah no sooner an evil and wicked thought comes to their mind or a step further by falling into the trap of Evil, given herein under:

اَلَّذِيۡنَ يَقُوۡلُوۡنَ رَبَّنَاۤ اِنَّنَاۤ اٰمَنَّا فَاغۡفِرۡ لَنَا ذُنُوۡبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ​ۚ‏ 

(3:16) These are the ones who pray: 'Our Lord! We do indeed believe, so forgive us our sins and keep us safe from the chastisement of the Fire';

This verse describes the sincere believers who turn to Allah with a humble and repentant heart. In this three stepped verse, They:

• Affirm their belief: They declare their faith in Allah and acknowledge Him as their Lord.
• Seek forgiveness: They ask Allah to forgive their sins, showing their awareness of their shortcomings and need for divine mercy.
• Pray for protection from Hellfire: Their plea indicates their fear of Allah’s punishment and their hope in His protection.

The verse reflects the mindset of a true believer who combines faith with humility, repentance, and fear of Allah. Such a person recognizes their imperfections and constantly seeks Allah’s mercy and forgiveness.

It has been attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ who once said: “The one who repents from sin is like one who did not sin.” (Sunan Ibn Majah)

This hadith highlights the power of sincere repentance and supplication in erasing sins, mirroring the believers' plea for forgiveness in the verse.

Lessons Derived from the aforementioned Supplication:

• Importance of Repentance: The verse, along with the hadiths, emphasizes the need for sincere repentance and seeking Allah’s forgiveness.
• Humility and Supplication: Approaching Allah with humility and making heartfelt supplications is a sign of a true believer.
• Belief and Action: The verse demonstrates that true faith is not just a declaration; it is coupled with actions, such as seeking forgiveness and fearing the consequences of sins.

The verse and these hadith collectively remind believers of the importance of maintaining a humble, repentant attitude and constantly seeking Allah’s mercy. It should thus be borne in mind that whenever making a supplication, one must use this divine three-stepped format to making a supplication. We should not straightaway seek forgiveness. Rather, first we should affirm our faith and belief in Allah, for whiteout firm faith we can never be sure of acceptance of our supplication. Having done so, we should then seek forgiveness for the wrongs we have committed and reiterate our firm resolve not to repeat the same. Sine sins lead to the hell fire, we must seek Allah's mercy to save us for the torturous life of hell and earnestly invoke mercy of Allah to be forgiven and granted an abode in Jannatul firdous.

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.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Invocations / Dua " دُعا " from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

| Photo | 

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A Supplication for forgiveness repeated 100 times by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

Whenever we need to make a request to our company head or a superior, we rehearsed chosen words several times so that what ever we speak, every words is expressive of our earnest desire for request be accepted. In fact, it is the words that always matter. Carefully chosen words can eve melt a stubborn and least responsive boss.

Likewise, we should carefully select words when making a supplication to our Creator, the Lord of the universe. Some may ask why? The answer is that no one likes a ill worded request which really cannot be understood. Therefore, when we ask forgiveness from Allah, we should phrase our supplication in a way that not only we we put across our request for pardoning, but also we appreciate our Lord that He alone is the pardoner and no one else. 

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would often make supplications in the presence of others so that they should remember the well worded supplications for nothing could be better phrased by the revered Prophet of Allah.

This supplication is mentioned in Sunan Abi Dawud (Book # 8  Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Detailed Injunctions about Witr / كتاب  الاستسقاء / Chapter # 512 About Seeking Forgiveness / باب فِي الاِسْتِغْفَارِ

as Hadith number # 1515, quoted herein under:

Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar:

We counted that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would say a hundred times during a meeting: "My Lord, forgive me and pardon me; Thou art the Pardoning and forgiving One".

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ مِغْوَلٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سُوقَةَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ إِنْ كُنَّا لَنَعُدُّ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي الْمَجْلِسِ الْوَاحِدِ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ ‏ "‏ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَتُبْ عَلَىَّ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Grade:  Sahih (Al-Albani)

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.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

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.

Please refer to our reference page: Supplications attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for more prophetic Supplications attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

You may also  refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about Hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet of Allah, and our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. 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.

Photo | Source of Supplication

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Responding to lies / Misinformation about Islam: There is no concept of sin in Islam and therefore no need for forgiveness

When I came across this misconception about Islam, I just wondered how naïve is that someone who phrased this lie about Islam. It seems that this lie has been coined without reading Qur'an and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which are replete with the concept of repentance and forgiveness.

Not going by an Muslim reference, but quoting straight from Wikipedia the concept of sin, repentance and forgiveness:

The Islamic concept of repentance for any sins and misdeeds is called tawba. It is a direct matter between a person and God, so there is no intercession or formal, ecclesiastical confession to a religious leader.

However, There is also no concept of original sin in Islam, thus the need for atonement, or ecclesiastical confession.

Unlike the concept of original sin and Jesus dying on the cross for the forgiveness of original sin of his followers, the concept of sin and asking forgiveness in Islam is a matter exclusively between the sinner and Allah, no one else in between. The concept of original sin in Christianity stems from the sin committed by Adam, and Eve, and thus  each child that is born carries that sin. 

The biblical basis for the belief is generally found in Genesis 3 (the story of the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden), in a line in Psalm 51:5 ("I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me"), and in Paul's Epistle to the Romans, 5:12-21 ("Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned").

This belief began to emerge in the 3rd century, but only became fully formed with the writings of Augustine of Hippo (354–430 AD), who was the first author to use the phrase "original sin" (Latin: peccatum originale). Influenced by Augustine, the councils of Carthage (411–418 AD) and Orange (529 AD) brought theological speculation about original sin into the official lexicon of the Church.

Here we would like to share the verses from Surah 2. Al Baqarah (The Cow), wherein it is clearly stated that upon seeking forgiveness from Allah, Adam was forgiven, these no question arises about that sin carried forward by every newly born:

(2:36) But Satan caused both of them to deflect from obeying Our command by tempting them to the tree and brought them out of the state they were in, and We said: “Get down all of you; henceforth, each of you is an enemy of the other, and on earth you shall have your abode and your livelihood for an appointed time.”

(2:37) Thereupon Adam learned from his Lord some words and repented and his Lord accepted his repentance for He is Much-Relenting, Most Compassionate.

(2:38) We said: “Get you down from here, all of you, and guidance shall come to you from Me: then, whoever will follow My guidance need have no fear, nor shall they grieve.

(2:39) But those who refuse to accept this (guidance) and reject Our Signs as false are destined for the Fire where they shall abide for ever.” 

Read the explanation of these verses from our earlier post: Surah Al Baqarah - The Cow: 2nd Chapter of Qur'an (Exegesis - Introduction) 

Thus in Islam, there is no such concept of original sin and each child is born pure without of any sins. It is that child's later part of life when he falls prey to evil and commits sins. And for that Allah has kept the door of acceptance of the repentance of the sinner and forgiving him, if the sinner so prayeth. 

Yet, man is always exposed to machination of the Satan and liable to fall prey to sins. and it is here, the Divine mercy comes in which assures a sinner not to despair for Allah is there to make amends for him and the harm done to him by falling prey to the evil forces.

If a man commits a sin, he is directed to repent immediately and then seek forgiveness from Allah. And Allah promises umpteen number of times that if His servant asks for forgiveness after sincere repentance, He would certainly forgive him.

This concept of forgiveness and repentance is spread all over the Qur'an and is given due importance in Hadith and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad so that one should advantage of fathomless mercy of Allah to start afresh after repenting and seeking forgiveness of Allah. In fact, the word(s) "forgiveness" appears 76 time(s) in 74 verse(s) in Quran (in Abdullah Yusuf Ali translation). 

"And those who having done something to be ashamed of or wronged their own souls earnestly bring Allah to mind and ask for forgiveness for their sins and who can forgive sins except Allah? And are never obstinate in persisting knowingly in (the wrong) they have done." (3:135) 

We have already shared a number of posts on the concept of repentance and forgiveness, the links to which are given below. Instead of repeating these, those wanting to know more and clear their misconception that there is no concept of forgiveness in Islam should clear their doubts, rather than listening to lies about Islam from others and falling prey to disinformation about Islam:

• And hasten to the forgiveness of your Lord, and paradise (Surah 3. Al-i'Imran:133)
• Remember Allah Instantly if you sin and implore forgiveness (Surah 3. Al-i'Imran:135)
• And whoever does evil, but seeks Allah's forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (Surah 4. An-Nisaa:110)
• Allah's acceptance of repentance is only for those who commit evil and then soon repent (Surah 4. An-Nisaa:17-18)
• Seek forgiveness of Allah and turn to Him in repentance - Surely Allah is Ever Merciful, Most Loving (Surah 11 Hud verse 90)
• Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents and the believers on the Day of Reckoning  (Surah 14. Ibrahim:41)
• Allah will forgive those who guard their chastity and remember Him much (Surah 33. Al-Ahzab:35)
• The Verse of Mercy: Those who have committed excesses should not despair of Allah's Mercy - Surely Allah forgives all sins (Surah 39. Az-Zumar:53)
• Our Lord! Forgive those who repent and follow Your Path (Surah 40. Al-Mu'min:7)
• Surely your Lord is abounding in forgiveness (Surah 53. An-Najm:32)
• Believers, turn to Allah in sincere repentance; for He may expunge your evil deeds (Surah 66. At-Tahrim:8)

The Prophet of Islam Muhammad once said: "He who seeks repentance (from the Lord) before the rising of the sun from the west (before the Day of Resurrection), Allah turns to him with Mercy."

So let no one deceive about Islam by lies, misinformation and disinformation. Islam provides the easiest access to Allah without any intermediary to speak to Him, repent one's sins and seek forgiveness.

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 countering / responding to lies / misinformation and disinformation about Islam: The Rebuttal: Countering disinformation being spread about Islam (Reference Page)

You may also refer to our reference page on Repentance and Forgiveness for more on the subject.

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.

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.

Resource References: | Original Sin | Islamic views on Sin |

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Four Conditions of Forgiveness (Selected verses from Qur'an)

Al Ghaffar (الغفار) - The Repeatedly Forgiving is one of the many attributes of Allah. That is no matter how many times a believer sins and repents, Allah is repeatedly forgiving. In the 82nd verse of Surah 20. Ta Ha, Allah Himself proclaims that He is the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents. However, He lays down four conditions for forgiveness as mentioned in the selected verse below:

وَاِنِّىۡ لَـغَفَّارٌ لِّمَنۡ تَابَ وَاٰمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًـا ثُمَّ اهۡتَدٰى‏  

(20:82) But indeed, I am the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents and believes and does righteousness and then continues in guidance.

The above quoted verse in fact is the follow up of the Divine address to the children of Israel which takes place in previous two verses:

(20:80) Children of Israel! We saved you from your enemy and made a covenant with you on the right side of the Mount and sent down on you manna and quails,

(20:81) saying: "Partake of the good things that We have provided for you, but do not transgress lest My wrath fall upon you; for he upon whom My wrath falls is ruined.

Now connect verse 82 with the last sentence of verse 81, which says that if you transgress, then do not blame the Divine wrath. However, if you repent, then your Lord if repeatedly forgiving. 

According to this (verse 82), there are four conditions for forgiveness: (1) Repentance: to refrain from rebellion, disobedience, shirk or disbelief. (2) Faith: sincere belief in Allah and the Messenger and the Book and the Hereafter. (3) Righteous works: to do good deeds according to the instructions of Allah and His Messenger. (4) Guidance: to follow the right way steadfastly and to refrain from straying into any wrong path.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(وَإِنِّى لَغَفَّارٌ لِّمَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَـلِحَاً And verily, I am indeed forgiving to him who repents, believes and does righteous good deeds,) meaning, "Whoever turns to Me in repentance, then I will accept his repentance regardless of whatever sin he did.'' Allah, the Exalted, even accepts the repentance of the Children of Israel who worshipped the calf. 

Concerning Allah's statement:

• (تَابَ who repents,) This means to turn away from what one was involved in of disbelief, associating partners with Allah, disobedience of Allah or hypocrisy. 
• (وَآمَنَ and believes) This means the person's belief in his heart.
• (وَعَمِلَ صَـلِحَاً and does righteous deeds,) his action with his bodily limbs.
• (ثُمَّ اهْتَدَى and then Ihtada.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah related that Ibn `Abbas said, "This means that he then does not doubt.' 

Qatadah said, (ثُمَّ اهْتَدَى and then Ihtada.) "This means he adheres to Islam until he dies.'' We see here that there is a specific order in which these things are presented. 

This is similar to Allah's saying: (ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَوَاصَوْاْ بِالصَّبْرِ وَتَوَاصَوْاْ بِالْمَرْحَمَةِ Then he became one of those who believed and recommended one another to perseverance and patience and recommended one another to pity and compassion.) [90:17]

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki: 

With this warning against indulgence in easy pleasures and neglect of the task assigned for them, the door for repentance is left open for anyone who slips so that he may return to the proper path. “But I certainly forgive all sins for anyone who repents, believes and does righteous deeds, and thereafter keeps to the right path.” (Verse 82)

Repentance is not merely a word we say with our mouths. It is a resolve in one’s mind that manifests itself in strong faith and good deeds, as well as practical behaviour. So, when faith is settled in a person’s heart, faith is purged of all alien traces, and confirmed by good deeds. In this way, man sets himself on the right path, guided by faith and benefiting by the guarantee provided by good action. Achieving guidance is shown here as the result of strong faith and determined action. Thus ends the scene of victory and the comments the sūrah has to make on it. The curtains fall and lift again to show us the second scene of an address made directly to God by the side of Mount Sinai.

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.

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.

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs 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 order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from the following sources: 

• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Yusuf Ali Translation
• Translation Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Qur'an Wiki
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
• Towards Understanding the Quran

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.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, Whats App or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - In sha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Important DOs/DONTs from Qur'an: Hold to Forgiveness

Man is always prone to making mistakes, committing sins and hurting others. And for that he more often than not feels guilty and asks for Divine forgiveness. But if someone does something wrong to us, intentionally or unintentionally, do we forgive them if they ask for it?  In many cases a big NO, while some do forgive.

Forgiveness in fact is the basic trait of a believer. Unless he softens up his heart even if having been wronged and has the sagacity of forgiving, no one could be better than him in the eyes of Allah. Ever imagined the torture, rebukes, mocking and even physical harm that came to the prophets of Allah and yet theybremained steadfast and never prayed for the bad of those who brought them harm. For had they done so, they would have never taught the ir people the miracle of forgiveness and its everlasting effects. 

Even life of most revered and the last prophet of Allah, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, was full of grievances he suffered at the hands of the non-believers / Mushrakeen of Makkah, yet he forgave them when he finally entered Makkah. This every noble act moved hearts of many tyrants who were expecting a revenge from Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. But he forgave.

The following verse from Sūrah 7. Al-A’raf (The Heights): 199 is a Divine Commandment addressed to Prophet of Allah to forgive and avoid the ignorant for they never listen to logic and always turn down what is right and the truth:

خُذِ الۡعَفۡوَ وَاۡمُرۡ بِالۡعُرۡفِ وَاَعۡرِضۡ عَنِ الۡجٰهِلِيۡنَ‏ 

[O Prophet!] Hold to forgiveness, enjoin equity, and avoid the ignorant.

While the concept of forgiveness is deliberated upon by the scholars as mentioned below, let us understand the term Equity. Islam always emphasizes on equity rather than equality:

While the terms equity and equality may sound similar, the implementation of one versus the other can lead to dramatically different outcomes for marginalized people. 

Equality means each individual or group of people is given the same resources or opportunities. Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome.

“The route to achieving equity will not be accomplished through treating everyone equally. It will be achieved by treating everyone justly according to their circumstances.” —Paula Dressel, Race Matters Institute

Tafsir Ibn e Kathir:

`Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam commented on Allah's statement,

(خُذِ الْعَفْوَ Show forgiveness) "Allah commanded ﴿Prophet Muhammad ﴾ to show forgiveness and turn away from the idolators for ten years. Afterwards Allah ordered him to be harsh with them.' And more than one narration from Mujahid says, "From the ﴿bad﴾ behavior and actions of the people, of those who have not committed espionage.'' And Hashim bin `Urwah said that his father said, "Allah ordered Allah's Messenger to pardon the people for their behavior.'' And in one narration, "pardon what I have allowed you of their behavior. 

In Sahih Al-Bukhari it is recorded that Hisham reported from his father `Urwah from his brother `Abdullah bin Az-Zubayr who said; (Show forgiveness) was only revealed about the peoples ﴿bad﴾ character.'' There is a narration from Mughirah from Hisham from his father from Ibn `Umar; and another from Hisham from his father from `A'ishah, both of whom said similarly. And Allah knows best. Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Yunus said that Sufyan bin `Uyaynah narrated that Umay said, "When Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, revealed this Ayah,

(Show forgiveness, enjoin Al-`Urf (what is good), and turn away from the foolish) to His Prophet, the Messenger of Allah asked: «مَا هَذَا يَا جِبْرِيل» (`What does it mean, O Jibril) Jibril said, `Allah commands you to forgive those who wronged you, give to those who deprived you, and keep relations with those who cut theirs with you.''' Al-Bukhari said, "Allah said,

(Show forgiveness, enjoin Al-`Urf and turn away from the ignorant). `Al-`Urf', means, righteousness.' Al-Bukhari next recorded from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "`Uyaynah bin Hisn bin Hudhayfah stayed with his nephew Al-Hur bin Qays, who was among the people whom `Umar used to have near him, for `Umar used to like to have the reciters of the Qur'an (who memorized it) near him and would listen to their opinion, regardless of whether they were old or young men. `Uyaynah said to his nephew, `O my nephew! You are close to this chief (`Umar), so ask for permission for me to see him.' Al-Hur said `I will ask him for you,' and he asked `Umar for permission for `Uyaynah to meet him, and `Umar gave him permission. When `Uyaynah entered Umar, he said, `O Ibn Al-Khattab! You neither give to us sufficiently nor rule with justice between us.' `Umar became so angry that he almost punished `Uyaynah. However, Al-Hur said, `O Chief of the Faithful! Allah, the Exalted, said to His Prophet,

(Show forgiveness, enjoin Al-`Urf, and turn away from the foolish) Verily this man (`Uyaynah) is one of the fools!' By Allah, `Umar did not do anything after he heard that Ayah being recited, and indeed, he was one who adhered to the Book of Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored.'' Al-Bukhari recorded this Hadith. Some scholars said that people are of two kinds, good-doer, so accept his good doing and neither ask him more than he can bear nor what causes him hardship. The other kind is the one who falls in shortcomings, so enjoin righteousness on him. If he still insists on evil, becomes difficult and continues in his ignorance, then turn away from him, so that you're ignoring him might avert his evilness. Allah said in other instances,

ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ السَّيِّئَةَ نَحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَصِفُونَ - وَقُلْ رَّبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيـطِينِ - وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَن يَحْضُرُونِ 

(Repel evil with that which is better. We are best acquainted with the things they utter. And say: "My Lord! I seek refuge with You from the whisperings (suggestions) of the Shayatin (devils). And I seek refuge with You, My Lord! lest they should come near me.') [23:96-98] and,

وَلاَ تَسْتَوِى الْحَسَنَةُ وَلاَ السَّيِّئَةُ ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا الَّذِى بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِىٌّ حَمِيمٌ - وَمَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ وَمَا يُلَقَّاهَآ إِلاَّ ذُو حَظِّ عَظِيمٍ 

(The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal. Repel (the evil) with one which is better, then verily he, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend. But none is granted it (the above quality) except those who are patient -- and none is granted it except the owner of the great portion in this world.) [41:34-35] in reference to the advice contained in these Ayat,

Yusuf Ali explains the above quoted verse in the following words:

Allah comforts the Prophet and directs his mind to three precepts: (1) to forgive injuries, insults, and persecution; (2) to continue to declare the faith that was in him, and not only to declare it, but to act up to it in all his dealings with friends and foes; (3) to pay no attention to ignorant fools, who raised doubts or difficulties, hurled taunts or reproaches, or devised plots to defeat the truth: they were to be ignored and passed by, not to be engaged in fights and fruitless controversies, or conciliated by compromises.

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

Lit., "accept what is easily forthcoming [from man's nature]". According to Zamakhshari, khudh al-'afw means: "Accept what comes easily to thee [or "what is willingly accorded to thee"] of the doings and the nature of men, and make things easy [for them], without causing them undue hardship (kulfah); and do not demand of them efforts that may be too difficult for them." This interpretation - which has been adopted by many other classical commentators as well - is based on the identical explanation of the phrase khudh al 'afw by 'Abd Allah ibn az-Zubayr and his brother 'Urwah (Bukhari), as well as by 'A'ishah and, in the next generation, by Hisham ibn 'Urwah and Mujahid (see Tabari, Baghawi and Ibn Kathir). Thus, in accordance with the Qur'anic statements that "man has been created weak" (4:28) and that "God does not burden any human being with more than he is well able to bear" (2:286, 6:152, 7:42, 23:62), the believer is admonished to make due allowance for human nature and not to be too harsh with those who err. This admonition is the more remarkable as it follows immediately upon a discourse on the most unforgivable of all sins - the ascribing of divine powers or qualities to anyone or anything but God.

"The ignorant ones" - i.e., those who willfully remain deaf to moral truths, and not those who are simply unaware of them.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

The first directive given in this passage is to make allowances for the weaknesses of human beings and accept what is decent and easy from them. The Prophet is instructed not to require perfection or expect a very high standard of morality. He should overlook their shortfalls and weaknesses. But all that applies in personal matters, not in questions of faith or religious duties.

There can be no overlooking of the essentials of faith or Islamic law. Forbearance can apply in business and personal dealings. Such forbearance is the appropriate attitude to be shown by those who are strong towards people who are weak. God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) is a guide and a teacher. Hence, forbearance and forgiveness are appropriate qualities for him.

Indeed, these were distinctive qualities of the Prophet Muhammad. He never showed anger over personal matters. But if something related to the faith made him angry, then his anger was feared by all. All advocates of the divine faith are required to follow the Prophet’s suit. An advocate of the divine message, who inevitably deals with human beings, must be kind and easy, but without being negligent.

“Enjoin the doing of what is right.” This order applies to everything that is clearly good and generally accepted as such by honest people with a sound, uncorrupted nature. When people get used to doing what is good, they become ready to do it voluntarily, feeling that it is no burden. Nothing stops people from doing what is good, like rigidity and complication, particularly in the early days of being aware of their religious duties. In the early stages, they should be given duties that are easy and common to all so that they get used to responding properly. This enables people to get ready for what requires more effort and approach it without difficulty.

“And turn away from those who choose to remain ignorant.” As used here, ignorance may be understood as the opposite of wisdom, or the opposite of knowledge. Both meanings are closely related. Turning away from them is just to ignore them and show how petty all their ignorant actions are. One must not enter into any argument with them because that is a waste of time. Ignoring them altogether may get them to revise their attitude and soften their hearts. Argument, on the other hand, may lead to polarization and stubbornness. Even if it does not soften their hearts, they remain isolated from anyone who is good at heart. The latter will realize that the advocates of the divine message are forbearing, unwilling to enter into a slanging match while ignorant people continue with their stupid attitude. Every advocate of faith should realize the importance of this divine directive, because God knows what influences people and what may get through to them.

Having explained the above said verse in detail, you may now listen to explanation of the Ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

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.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Important DOs and DON'Ts from Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages: Understanding Al Qur'an and  Selected Verses from the Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs 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 order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition the 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.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Prophetic Supplication for Forgiveness ( Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ )

No matter how good or pious a believer may be, one is bound to commit mistakes, wrongdoings or hurting someone besides committing sins, knowing or unknowingly. And thereafter he is repentant and in a state of remorse. But Allah has left the door of HIs infinite mercy always open for such believers and encourages them to admit their wrongdoing, repent and seek His forgiveness. 

We have shared many verses from Qur'an wherein Allah shows His mercy and asks His servants not to feel left out of His mercy. These verses can be viewed under the heading of Forgiveness / Repentance in our series of posts on Selected Verses from Qur'an.

Today we share a Hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 6405) in which a supplication from Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has been quoted on the subject of forgiveness and if recited as in the Hadith given below, it will be enough to invoke the mercy of Allah for total forgiveness:

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ سُمَىٍّ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَنْ قَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ‏.‏ فِي يَوْمٍ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ حُطَّتْ خَطَايَاهُ، وَإِنْ كَانَتْ مِثْلَ زَبَدِ الْبَحْرِ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Whoever says, 'Subhan Allah wa bihamdihi,' one hundred times a day, will be forgiven all his sins even if they were as much as the foam of the sea.

Let us recite this easy to remember supplication and try to continue reading it throughout the day, or at least 100 times as directed by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

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 life 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 to make 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.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

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.

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.

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If any one 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.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 |

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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The Most Superior Way of Asking Forgiveness from Allah (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

We have been sharing invocations and supplications attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for the benefit of our readers. But today we share a Prophetic Supplication which Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself attributed to it as the Most Superior Way of asking forgiveness from Allah.

The Hadith appears in Sahih al-Bukhari- Book:80;Hadith:3. HADITH No. 6306 wherein Shaddad bin Aus is said to have quoted the Prophet Allah as saying:

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مَعْمَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحُسَيْنُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ بُرَيْدَةَ، عَنْ بُشَيْرِ بْنِ كَعْبٍ الْعَدَوِيِّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي شَدَّادُ بْنُ أَوْسٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ سَيِّدُ الاِسْتِغْفَارِ أَنْ تَقُولَ اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَىَّ وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي، فَاغْفِرْ لِي، فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ وَمَنْ قَالَهَا مِنَ النَّهَارِ مُوقِنًا بِهَا، فَمَاتَ مِنْ يَوْمِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُمْسِيَ، فَهُوَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ، وَمَنْ قَالَهَا مِنَ اللَّيْلِ وَهْوَ مُوقِنٌ بِهَا، فَمَاتَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُصْبِحَ، فَهْوَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ ‏"‏‏.‏

The Prophet (ﷺ) said "The most superior way of asking for forgiveness from Allah is: 'Allahumma anta Rabbi la ilaha illa anta, Khalaqtani wa ana `Abduka, wa ana `ala `ahdika wa wa`dika mastata`tu, A`udhu bika min Sharri ma sana`tu, abu'u Laka bini`matika `alaiya, wa abu'u laka bidhanbi faghfir lee fa innahu la yaghfiru adhdhunuba illa anta." 

The Prophet (ﷺ) added. "If somebody recites it during the day with firm faith in it, and dies on the same day before the evening, he will be from the people of Paradise; and if somebody recites it at night with firm faith in it, and dies before the morning, he will be from the people of Paradise."

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah and Hadith 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 life 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 to make 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.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

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.

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.

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If any one 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.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Divine Forgiveness - For Whom?

No matter how strong faith one may have, in some point in time of his life, one is likely to fall pray to the Evil and commit sins that places one's conciousness in extreme stress. And at that time except God, no one can offer solace and satisfaction to a lamenting heart. Mindful of such condition of His servants, God has at many places in the Qur'an asked His servants to return to Him for He is most Merciful and Forgiving.

Likewise, the servants of God are promised forgiveness if they are resentful and oft seeking forgiveness. The following 9th verse from Surah 5. Al Maida is based on a similar theme to give glad tidings to Allah's servants:

وَعَدَ اللّٰهُ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَعَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ​ ۙ لَهُمۡ مَّغۡفِرَةٌ وَّاَجۡرٌ عَظِيۡمٌ‏ 

(5:9) Allah has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds forgiveness from sins and a great reward.

Eminent 14th century Muslim scholar Ibn-Kathir explains this verse in following words:

(Allah has promised those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, that for them there is forgiveness) for their sins,

(and a great reward.) which is Paradise, that is part of Allah's mercy for His servants. They will not earn Paradise on account of their good actions, but rather on account of His mercy and favor, even though they will qualify to earn this mercy on account of their good actions. Allah has made these actions the cause and path that lead to His mercy, favor, pardon and acceptance. Therefore, all this is from Allah Alone and all thanks are due to Him.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

There must be a reward given by God to the believers, who deal with Him alone. This reward is needed to give encouragement to people to fulfil their obligations and to discharge their trust. The end of those who disbelieve and deny God’s revelations must be different from that of those who believe and do well. The 'great reward' is a reward to compensate good believers for what they miss of the luxuries and riches of this life when they fulfil their trust. It is a reward that reduces to insignificance all the hardship faced by the believers as they face up to human obstinacy and determined denial of the truth. It is only fair that Divine justice will not deliver to the good and the bad the same treatment.

Believers need to look up to this Divine system of justice and reward, so that they are able to overcome all temptations and impediments when they deal with God. Certain people only need to feel that God is pleased with them to appreciate its value, as well as the value of discharging their trust. But the Divine system deals with all people and with human nature itself. God knows that by nature man needs this promise of forgiveness and rich reward and needs to know the end of the disbelievers and their punishment. This reassures the believers and enables them to face up to the schemes of the evil ones, especially since they are commanded to deal justly with those whom they hate because of all the hardship they may have suffered at their hands.

Please listen to explanation of the ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

Just a simple worse but have very far fetched meaning, for those fear Allah and surely Allah is well aware of what you do. Here we just been asked to have do righteous deeds and always be seeking forgiveness of Allah by repenting even for the slightest of sin lest these become too heavy on the Day of Resurrection.

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 life 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 to make 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.

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.

Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs 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 order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Yusuf Ali Translation
• Translation Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition the 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.

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