Forgiveness is a characteristic which should be at the core of ones life, both to seek forgiveness and to forgive others.


Allah (swt) gives man numerous opportunities to ask for His Forgiveness.
Volume 2, Book 21, Number 246:
Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) said, "Our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, comes every night down on the nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying: "Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?"


Volume 8, Book 75, Number 318:
Narrated Shaddad bin Aus:

The Prophet said "The most superior way of asking for forgiveness from Allah is: 'Allahumma anta Rabbi la ilaha illa anta, 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 Laka bidhanbi faghfirli innahu la yaghfiru adhdhunuba illa anta." The Prophet 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.


Allah (swt) forgives man for his/her sins, so long as he/she sincerely repents and ask for His forgiveness.


Volume 9, Book 93, Number 485:
Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr:

Abu Bakr As-Siddiq said to the Prophet "O Allah's Apostle! Teach me an invocation with which I may invoke Allah in my prayers." The Prophet said, "Say: O Allah! I have wronged my soul very much (oppressed myself), and none forgives the sins but You; so please bestow Your Forgiveness upon me. No doubt, You are the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.


We are encouraged by ALLAH(Swt) to forgive others, so that He may forgive our mistakes. Therefore implementing the characterisitc of forgiveness has its own rewards, because ALLAH(swt) says in the Quran:


" Let them pardon and forgive. Do you not love that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." [24:22]

"Say, `O you servants of Mine who have transgressed against your own selves! Despair not of God's Mercy: behold, God forgives all sins - for verily, He alone is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.'" [39:53]


Prophet Muhammed (saws) commented onAllah (swt)'s forgiveness on many occasions as in the following case;

"God has said, `O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it [i.e. the earth]'".


Why do us mere humans, made from the earth we walk upon and eventually return to, hold grudges refusing to forgive others, when Allah (swt), our Creator forgives man time and time again? Years, time, effort and energy are wasted holding grudges against those who have hurt us. The one who through seeking the pleasure (and forgiveness) of Allah (swt) forgives fellow man is indeed the better person.

Insh'Allah may we all learn to forgive one another and ultimately seek Allah (swt) to forgive us for our sins.