God’s unlimited mercy in Islamic Hadith

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Ghaafir- Ghafoor- Ghaffaar- Afw- Tawwab- Jabbaar The Explanation and the Message

God’s generous and unlimited mercy has been mentioned in the Islamic traditions umpteen of times in very strange ways. We present a few of them as examples.

There is a Hadith from Amirul-Mumineen that says,

“God is kind upon His servants. The sign of his mercy is that He made 100 branches out of it and showered them on His subjects and this is why men are found kind to each other.

A mother is kind and loving on her child and this is why she will be showered with mercy that is 99 times more and then this mercy will be bestowed upon the Ummah of Hazrat Mohammad.” (1)

We read the saying of Imam Jafar Sadiq in another that says, “God will spread His generous mercy in such a way that even Satan will yearn for it.” (2)

Another tradition says that once Imam Ali bin Hussein was told, “ Hasan Al Basri says” It is not surprising that one group will be damned but what surprises me is ( when the society has decayed so much) how will someone get salvation ?” The Imam said, “I say something different: “It is not surprising how those who were given reprieve got the salvation but it is surprising is about the one who was damned when God’s mercy is so vast and unlimited? Lord! It is not impossible that you spread your great mercy upon us and your beneficence covers us all.”

The origin of the word “Wadood” is “Wodda’ and it means to love something and desire it. So the word is used for love and desire. This explanation is also there in Mafuradat and Maqayis-ol-Lughata but Lisan-ol-Arab says the word means only love but in Qura’n it I used for love and yearning and desire.

This is an hyperbole and denotes “he who loves too much” and has come in the Qura’n together with Ghafoor (He who forgives a lot) and with Raheem (He who forgives the most); both these attributes are collateral to Wadood.

The Late Kafa’mi says in Misbah, “When Wadood is used as an attribute of God then it will mean, “God befriends His subjects” and is agreeable with them and accepts their deeds or it may mean that he instills in one heart the friendship of another as in verse 96 of Surah Maryam that says, “Verily the Beneficent (God) will bestow love on those who believe and do good deeds.” (4)

Some linguists have opined that Wadood is an attribute of deed and it means the love of God in the hearts of His subjects. (5) The second and third meanings seem far fetched and even from its use we know that it means to befriend and to desire.(6)

Even if we do not say it is evident that the meaning of love in God and in humans is different. Humans love out of a yearning in the heart and its attraction but God does not have a heart or a soul and so it will mean the deeds that He does to give well fare and peace to His subjects. Those who have taken the word as a passive attribute have do so seemingly because the active attribute is not fit for God because it is an attribute of the contingent.

But as we have already hinted the love of God means His manifest deeds and it is not only for this but for other attributes and deeds also. E.g. we say that the sinners will face God’s chastisement so does it mean that God will be angry as a person? No, because anger and displeasure which result from unease or dislike cannot be attributed to God.

Like the other attributes this one also nurtures and develops human beings for when God will love His subjects then it will be expected that they love Him back because love can never be one-sided. When you love God you will totally obey his commands. They will try to model themselves in the way God likes and which is acceptable to Him because the lover always tries to adopt the way of the loved.

The origin of Rauf is “Ra’afat” and its meaning is mercy. It should be noted that this word has been used 11 times in the Qura’n and 9 times with the attribute “Raheem” (7). It is as if the words “Rauf and Raheem’ compliment each other.

There is a great discussion among the linguists and the commentators regarding the difference between them. To some their meanings are the same, and this is why they are often spoken or written together. While some like Ibn Athir (in Nihaya) believe in a difference between the two. They say that Ra’afat is something more than “Rahma”. This word is not used for things that create unpleasantness but the word “Rahma” is used .e.g. it is a mercy to amputate a finger with gangrene to stop the spread of poison in the body and the word Ra’afat will not be used here. (8)

The late Kafa’mi explains this in Misbah and says, “Some people feel that Ra’afat is something higher than Rahma but for some it is limited compared to the latter. The renowned commentator Allama Tabrisi explains verse 128 of Surah Taubah as, “To some the meaning of Rauf and Raheem is the same but Ra’afat is something stronger than them. Some feel that the word Rauf is used for the obedient people while Raheem is used for the sinners.”

Some ancient thinkers have opined that God has not given any apostle two attributes but only for the Last Messenger. It is said in the same verse, “He is merciful on the believers” and for himself, “God is affectionate and merciful to mankind.” (9) (Verse 143 of Surah Baqarah.)

Tabrisi discussed the verse 128 of Surah Taubah and explained; “It is said they both (forgiving and merciful”) are singular and “Rauf” is the extraordinary mercy;   IT IS SAID: He is kind on those who believe and merciful on the sinners; it is said: He is kind to everyone but is “Raheem” to his chosen saints,  therefore the believers and the lovers of God should also be kind and merciful amongst them or in other words instill the general and special mercy within them?

The word “Lateef” has been used 7 times in the Qura’n and at each place has come with an attribute of God and most often it has come with the word “Khabeer” (10) Only at two places has it been mentioned alone.(11)

It originates from the word “Lutf” which means profound and minute work as well as love. It is used for fine beings and subtle or profound work and also for things that cannot be ascertained through senses. When this attribute is used for God it means the mercy God bestows upon His subjects and it is used to enjoin them and save them from perils (12)

Ibn Athir explains it as ““Lateef” is that which contains kindness, profound wisdom and purpose to be taken to those who deserve it.

The late Kafa’mi says:

“When you invoke God through it then there is the scope of the hardship being solved.” (13)

The Late Suduq explains this attribute of God as, “He bestows His kindness on His subjects by helping them, and giving them sustenance. His mercy is this showering of goodness and respect. He then quotes the famous Hadith that says, “Lateef means that God creates even the finest and minutest creatures. Considering the vastness of the meaning of this word all these interpretations can be included in it.

The word ‘khabeer” has often been used with the word “Lateef” (as opined by some scholars) so that it is known that his entity encompasses everything and is always totally aware. This meaning is closest to the word “Lateef” and seems compatible too. (Reflect)

We learn about its nurturing nature and its message once we pay attention to this word because one side man is being made hopeful of his mercy and on the other it is telling us to be kind in treating each other. Thirdly it is telling man to study the minutest and the most beautiful creations. All the three have a great impact on man’s development.

The origin of Hafee is Hafa’. The dictionaries mention many meanings for it, ‘to walk barefoot”, “to be persistent in asking’, the “Knowledge and information about something” and “the constant doing of good deeds.” Some say it is the erosion of the skin of the foot, the sole of the shoes, or the hooves by continuous walking.” (14)

It may be that all these interpretations are because of walking that renders the skin of the feet and the sole of shoes to weaken or erode. Then it began to be used as hyperbole for insistence. Insistence in asking means trying to achieve the complete knowledge about something, being persistent in doing goodness or being adamant in stopping someone from evil.

This word has been used thrice in the Qura’n. The insistence in question as in verse 37 of Surah Mohammad that says, “You will be niggardly should he ask them of you.”

Persistence in achieving knowledge as in Verse 187 of Surah A’raf says, “They ask you about the Hour (of resurrection).”

Insistence on goodness like in verse 47 of Surah Maryam (Abraham says to his uncle Aazar) “Peace be on you. I shall pray to my Lord to forgive you; verily He is most kind to me.”

When this word is used for God it may mean one who knows and is aware. Then it will be an attribute of being and not attribute of deed. But when the meaning is immense goodness then it may be an attribute of deeds. Incidentally this word has been used only once as an attribute and that too for goodness and kindness, as described about Abraham and his uncle.

The nurturing nature of this verse is as clear as its qualities because on the one side the attribute of God will invite the human beings and the light of hope will be lit in their hearts and on the other side it will teach them about goodness and love.

 


 

1. Mustadrak Safinatol Behar of Allama Shahrudi vol.4 page 135
2. Behar-ol-Anwar vol.7 page 287 Hadith 1
3. Safinatol Behar vol,1 page 517
4. Misbah Kafa’mi page 325
5. Tawhid of Shaykh Suduq page 214
6. Majmaul Bahrain origin of Wadood and Tawhid page 214
7. Baqarah -143, Taubah 117 and 128, Nahl 7 and 47, Hajj 65, Noor 20, Hadeed 9, and Hashr 10.
8. Nihaya for origin of Rauf; lisan-ol-Arab and Majmaul Bahrain.
9. Majmaul Bayan vol. 5 page 86
1.) Al Anam 103, Hajj 63, Loqman 16, Mulk 14, and Ahzab 34
11. Yusuf 100, Shura 19
12. Mafuradat, Lisan-ol-Arab for origin of Lutf
13. Misbah of Kafa’mi page 322
14. Mafuradat, lisan-ol-Arab, Maqayis-ol-Loghata, Nihaya of Ibn Athir, Tajol Uroos, and Kitabol Aiyn.
Ghaafir- Ghafoor- Ghaffaar- Afw- Tawwab- Jabbaar The Explanation and the Message
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