I read a beautiful narration a few days ago. it was about how Allaah shows mercy on us just because we've shown mercy to others.
We've read in the Qur'an that Allaah loves those who pardon others. But i want to share three points here;
First point is that Allah is just. He will judge us all and give us all what is due to us. This means for anyone who has been wronged even in the slightest bit, There will be a compensation for it.
This justice also establishes that when we wrong others we have to go and seek their forgiveness in order for it to be wiped off of our slate.
He would forgive you, after you disobey Him if you seek forgiveness, when you repent to Him after transgressing His limits, when you realize and turn back to Him after being unjust to your own self,...But...when it has to do with someone else's rights...you have to go sort it out with them first...seek their forgiveness first...
Which is why backbiting and slander are really really big deals, & so dangerous.
The Second point, is that Allaah actually enjoins us to forgive one another. He says in the Qur'an "Let them forgive and overlook..." & He links it to earning His own forgiveness "Do they not wish for Allah to forgive them?"
In another Ayaat He tells us that Jannah has been prepared for those who "Swallow their anger and pardon men..."
And now we understand from the first two points that Allah is just. That if you are wronged by someone you are entitled to compensation. A very juicy one at that; for you can imagine, coming on the day of judgement, when everyone is in need of what little Ajr (reward/good deed) they can lay their hands on or somewhere to offload some of their truckload of sins, only to find that so & so wronged you and so you're going to have some of their Ajr or they can take some of your sins away as compensation. Interesting bargain isn't it?
But we also understand that Allah is encouraging us also to forgive, so much so that He tells us, dont we want His forgiveness? As though forgiving others is tied to His own forgiveness & literally the more we forgive others, the more He forgives us! And on top of that He tells us that He loves & has prepared for those amongst us who take to this virtue of forgiveness, His Gardens of Paradise beneath which rivers flow...Now you may agree that This is by far a better bargain, for no amount of the good deeds you will get from others on that day can measure up to this...
And the Third point is; As Muslims Our faith is infact incomplete until we love for one another what we love for ourselves. We're not considered true believers, until we possess this quality.
None of us would want to go in front of Allah having to give away our good deeds because we wronged someone who never forgave.
None of us would want to be dragged into the pits of Hell with faces ripped apart and skins torn and melted by the intense heat which is way more severe than any form of heat or fire we've come in contact with on this earth.
The mere sight of the blazing fire is horrific and Petrifying. Perhaps you cannot think of a single person right now that you would wish to be thrown into it, no matter what they must have done to you...or can you? Especially if all they needed was your forgiveness of that one deed lift their scale a little higher (May Allah protect us all from the fire).
So if not, why not? Why not forgive whole-heartedly because you would love to be forgiven and too. Why not forgive to save your heart from the disease of hatred and vengeance, to complete your faith and to unshackle from all the things you would or wouldn’t do because you haven’t let go/forgiven? Why not forgive them more and more so that Allah will keep forgiving you? Why not make this beautiful bargain to earn the Love and acceptance of Allah?
So this is the reality of forgiveness.
And i put it to you that it's not the easiest thing on earth for us humans. Infact, forgiveness they say, is not actually when you pardon those who deserve it, those who had sought for it, acknowledged their mistakes with remorse and apologies. Nope, for them you almost feel obliged to let go.
But its when the person(s) are not sorry, when they hurt or wronged you on purpose, when they do not even acknowledge what they have done, when you're tempted to say "I leave you to Allah", or "Let Allah show him/her the consequence of his/her action", when at this critical moment you choose to let go. You have practised forgiveness.
You have earned yourself the mercy and love of Allah as He has promised.
Because leaving it to Allah, you know what that means. It means they'll have to pay for it. That's the Justice of Allah. But He loves you more and appreciates it if you don't make them pay for it. Just like He would love it when someone else doesn't make You pay for all the things you've done to them. And that's the All-encompassing mercy of Allah.
So think about it :)
May Allah grant us the beautiful virtue of forgiveness and may He forgive us all and grant us the ability to love for one another what we love for ourselves♡ Allahumma Aameen.
