Forgiveness, mercy and the acceptance of repentance are all connected with God’s attribute of deeds and they have been described above. These six attributes have been mentioned in the Qura’n. Let us pay particular heed to them. Verse 3 of Surah Mumin (Ghafir): He who forgives sins and accepts repentances. (1) Verse 173 of Surah Baqarah: For God are oft-forgiving and most merciful. (2) Verse 5 of Surah Zumar: He is exalted in power; he who forgives again and again (3) Verse 60 of Surah Hajj: For God is the One who blots out the sins and forgives again and again. (4) Verse 37 of Surah Baqarah: For he is oft-returning; most merciful. (5) Verse 23 of Surah Hashr: The Guardian of faith, the ever prevalent, the supreme, the great absolute (6) 1. This attribute has been mentioned once in the Qura’n. 2.The word “Gaffoor” has come 91 times in the Qura’n and often the word “Raheem” has come with it. 3. The word “Ghaffaar” has come 4 times and 3times the word “Azeez” has come with it. (See Surahs Saad-66, Zumar 5, and Ghaafir 42) It has come alone twice (Ta-Ha 82 and Nooh 10) 4. This attribute has come 5 times in the Qura’n in which 4 times with the word Ghafoor. See Hajj 60, Mujadilah 2, Nisaa 43, and 99. It has come once with Qadeer in Nisaa 149 5. Tawwab has come 11 times in the Qura’n as an attribute of God. It is joined with “Raheem” in all but two places and once with “Hakeem” like in Noor 10 and singularly once in Nasr 3 6. The word “Mutakabbir” has been used 8 times in the Qura’n but only once as an attribute of God. The Explanation and the Message

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Shakoor- Shaakir- Shafee- Wakeel- KafiGhaafir- Ghafoor- Ghaffaar- Afw- Tawwab- Jabbaar

The origin of the words, Ghafir, Ghafoor, and Ghaffaar is “Gafr” which means to hide or cover especially deficiencies. Ghafeer means the long hair that covers the head. Mighfar means the shield used in battle to cover oneself. This word when used for God means forgiveness and the covering of sins. Ghafir is a verb name and Ghafoor and Ghaffaar are hyperboles.

Some feel that when Ghafoor is used for God it means to bring the subjects under God’s mercy. The word Ghaffaar is used for God as seen in the writings of the early commentators and means that God covers the sins of the sinners when they are truly repentant and ask for forgiveness.(1)

The origin of the Affaw is Afw. It means to eradicate or to erase as opined by Ibn Manzoor in lisan-ol-Arab and Ibn Athir in Nihaya but Raghib says this is not the true meaning which really means to try and achieve or get something.

This is why it used for severe winds that blow away things and destroy the areas and it is taken as eradication or erasing then it still means getting hold of something. The vegetation is also called Afw because it emerges after removing the earth to one side.

Maqayis-ol-Loghata gives two basic meanings for it and they are to give up something or to give up the yearning for something and the rest of the meaning revert to it. Afw here means erosion or destruction and Afaa’ means a deserted piece of earth. When the word is used for God then it means forgiveness of sins, the deferment of chastisement and the rubbing out of sins but since Afw is an hyperbole it will means one who is ever forgiving.(2)

We depend on this attribute in the sense that if there is no forgiveness from Him then there is no scope of being forgiven for the sins.

Amirul Mumineen has said:

“Lord hides my sins and forgives me rather than deal with justice.” (3)

He then advised Malik Ashtar. “You are never beyond the reach of God’s forgiveness and mercy.”(4)

There is a vastness in the term “God’s forgiveness” that cannot be imagined. Qura’n says that only polytheism is not covered by it. In one Hadith Imam Hasan Askari is reported to have said:

“God’s forgiveness will be so encompassing on the Day of Judgment that even the polytheists will say “By God we were no idolaters” (5)

This attribute teaches us to forgive others and we are being told that we should overlook the mistakes and sins of others in the hope that God too will over look their sins.

There is a strange theme in one Hadith of the Messenger which enhances the meaning of forgetting and forgiving. He said:

The crier will call out on the Day of Judgment that if anybody has any reward due from God should stand up. None will stand accepting for those who forgive. Have you not heard God’s command that he who forgives and makes peace will be rewarded by God?’

Forgiveness is not just a social phenomenon but a collective issue because if the society is based on revenge and wars and there is blood shed every where then there will be no peace and respect (for others). This is why the Messenger is reported to have said, “Make it a habit to forgive because there is respect in forgiving and hiding the sins of others.” (6)

Tawwab is a hyperbole which originates from “Taubah” According to Maqayis-ol-Lughata Taubah means to revert or return. Normally return from sins is called “Taubah” and this is seconded by Lisan-ol-Arab. But Raghib has said something different. He says that the best form of Taubah is to give up sins and then he has made three parts of it:

A person may say that actually I have not sinned or that he does not accept his sins.(7)

He accepts his sins but makes lame excuses for it.

A person accepts that he has sinned and has done something wrong but admits that he is repentant about and swears not to repeat it. This is Taubah.

When this attribute is used for God then it means the acceptance of the sins of His subjects or to instill remorse that leads to sin and Kafa’mi of Misbah has the same opinion.

A notable point is that the term “Ila’ has always been used when the Qura’n spoke about the repentance of people but when it is used for then the word “A’la” is used. Verse 8 of Surah Tahreem says, “I turn to God with sincere repentance.”

What this subtle point tells us is that Taubah means the return from sins. The return of people from sins means they have discarded a sinful life and pray for mercy. The return to God means that the mercy that was withheld because of the nature of the sins is now released because it is connected with the Being who is the Greatest and so the word “A’la” is used for Taubah.

There is a point in referring to the use of the hyperbole Tawwab and that is that if a person sins repeatedly then even he should not be hopeless about it because God is Tawwab or the one who is oft-forgiving.

The good and educating effect is not hidden because if the doors of repentance are closed then a person will be dejected after just a single sin and he will fall into the trap of greater sins. But when the doors of repentance are open and God is oft-forgiving and the people witness the mercies of God then he should try to correct himself and return to God. This self correction and development is the best way for a person. We learn something else from this and that is doing not be severe on the mistakes of your subordinates. Leave the doors for correction open to them. When you hope that God will hide and forgive your sins then you should do the same with others.

There are such beautiful interpretations about repentance that a person is visibly attracted to it and the love for God is ignited in his heart. There is this Hadith wherein Imam Mohammad Baqir is reported to have said:

“God is happier when a sinner returns than the person who is happy for the return of the camel lost in the darkness of the night.” (8)

In another Hadith repentance has been declared to be the most pleasant thing to God. The Messenger has said:

There is nothing so pleasing to God than the repenting men and women who believe” (9)

“Jabr” is the origin of the word “Jabbar”. According to Raghib its actual meaning is the correction by a power that is the all powerful authority. This is why this word is sometimes used to denote amendment like the joining of broken bones. We sometimes use the terms, “the great corrector” or “O you who men all broken bones.”

Sometimes it is used for forceful promulgation of authority. According to Maqayis-ol-Lughata it means, greatness, elevation and full of adroitness. A Date palm taller than man is also called Jabbarah.

Jabr means to force someone for something.

According to Shaykh Suduq in Tawhid if Jabbar is used for God then it will mean “A lofty ruler that none can reach His greatness.” Or the entity that can remove poverty from a person. Kafa’mi has confirmed this meaning in Misbah.

It also may mean the removal and amendment of paucity, weakness and shame.

According to Allama Tabrisi in Majmaul Bayan when this word is used for God it means praise and when used for people it means criticism (because it will be understood that the person is full of vanity).

What we learn from this attribute is that God is the most revered and great and His mercy and tolerance removes the spiritual maladies of men.

 


 

1. Misbahol Kafa’mi Page 320, Tawhid by Suduq page 208, Mafuradat Raghib, Lisan-ol-Arab, and Maqayis-ol-Loghat for the origin of the word “Ghafar”
2. Afw is composed of two “Vaws”
3. Nahjul Balagha Sermon 227
4. Nahjul Balagha Sermon 53
5. Behar-ol-Anwar vol.6 page 6 Hadith 12
6. Safinatol Behar vol.2 page 208
7. Usul Kafi vol.2 page 108
8. Usul Kafi vol. 2 page 435 Hadith 8
9. Mustadrak Al Kalimatol Behar vol.6 page 21
10. Tawhid Page 206
11. Misbah of Kafa’mi page 319

 

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