Forgiveness 3

Salaam All 

 

In the Quran God has described the Believers as "those who avoid major sins and acts of indecencies and when they are angry they forgive." (al-Shura 42:37)

 

Forgiveness is the Breath of Life

One of the thorniest and most difficult things we humans are ever called upon to do is to respond to evil with kindness, and to forgive the unforgivable. We love to read stories about people who have responded to hatred with love, but when that very thing is demanded of us personally, our default seems to be anger, angst (dread or anguish), depression, hatred.

 

We Muslims know of the story of how Jesus (peace) forgave the prostitute with the words "Go and sin no more..." However almost all Christians do not know the AMAZING stories of forgiveness of Prophet Muhammad (peace) that colours our world and makes it brighter.

 

The mercy of the Prophet (p) extended to those who brutally killed and then mutilated the body of his uncle Hamzah, one of the most beloved of people to the Prophet (p).  Hamzah was one of the earliest to accept Islam and, through his power and position, diverted much harm from the Muslims. 

 

An Abyssinian slave of the wife of Abu Sufyan, Hind, sought out and killed Hamzah in the battle of Uhud.  The night before the victory of Mecca, Abu Sufyan accepted Islam, fearing the vengeance of the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.  The latter forgave him and sought no retribution for his years of enmity.

 

After Hind had killed Hamzah she mutilated his body by cutting his chest and tearing his liver and heart into pieces. When she quietly came to the Prophet and accepted Islam, he recognized her but did not say anything.  She was so impressed by his magnanimity and stature that she said, “O Messenger of God, all these years no tent was more deserted in my eyes than yours; but today no tent is more lovely in my eyes than yours.” For years she hated the Prophet (p) and the religion of Islam...now she is forgiven, became Muslim and lived the rest of her life in peace.

 

To understand that you have to question yourself...if someone murders one of your beloved relatives would you have he capacity to forgive...come on be honest...

 

Rarely in the annals of history can we read such an instance of forgiveness. Such a story allows us to tap the great reservoirs of moral power that lie dormant in all humans.

 

Just as it is important to believe in the mercy and forgiveness of God, it is also necessary to base human relations on forgiveness. We cannot expect God's forgiveness unless we also forgive those who do wrong to us. Forgiving each other, even forgiving one's enemies is one of the most important Islamic teaching.

 

Shamal: "To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you."