One of the many equivalents of the term ‘forgiveness’ is the word repeated about forty times, along with a host of other terms. The word a cognate of is used seven times to imply God’s forgiveness for those who have preferred this world to the hereafter, God forgiving the Prophet, and a general statement on the benefit of forgiveness over revenge: ‘whosoever forgives and seeks reconcilement shall be recompensed by God’ (42.40).
In its usage, the word is generally applicable to forgiveness for wrongdoing either to oneself or to others. From the perspective of the committing an injustice against others includes doing wrong to oneself. The distinction between haq-Allah, rights of God, and haq-an-nas, rights of people, is significant within Islamic law and culture. It is easier to receive forgiveness for a sin against oneself than a sin against others, for the latter requires the forgiveness of the victim as well as God’s forgiveness. In one instance the term within the is translated as superfluous: ‘And they ask thee what they ought to spend. Say that which is (superfluous)’ (2.219). Based on this usage, which suggests a donation of what exceeds one’s needs in material wealth to the poor, (to forgive) means in the spiritual sense to give not in wealth but in spirit to those in need.
In verses 35–38 of chapter 42 of the and across numerous other references, restraining one’s anger and offering forgiveness when one has the power to take revenge supersedes prayer and almsgiving. In addition to the countless references to forgiveness throughout the there are numerous examples of the practice of it in the life of the Prophet, who is celebrated within the tradition as al-insan al-kamil (the perfect human). The describes the Prophet with characteristics of magnanimity and nobility. It goes on to say that his gentleness, lightheartedness and kindness are the characteristics that attract people to him and therefore he should ‘pardon them and ask pardon, for them, and take counsel with them’ (3.159). To emulate the Prophet is a mission not only for his family and his Companions, but also for the common Muslim believers. There are several references within the hadith literature suggesting that disputes must be reconciled before the time of prayer. The time limit on seeking reconciliation is rather short. A specific hadith suggests that if one gets into a dispute with someone after the afternoon prayer, they must make peace and embrace each other by the time of the early evening prayer. Prayer is a pillar of Islam, and forgiveness and reconciliation of conflicts its prerequisite, thus to forgive and to seek forgiveness must be an essential Muslim practice.
Forgiveness is overcoming the sense of resentment towards those who have committed a moral injury. It is not a denial of moral injury, nor does it refute the sense of resentment it may have created. The act of forgiveness, as well as the recommendation to forgive, does recognize both, but suggests going beyond them. Forgiveness is therefore distinguishable from justification and excuse. In other words, an imperative to forgive does not deny wrongdoing, nor does it take away the responsibility of the wrongdoer, yet it involves a change of heart toward the wrongdoer, without necessarily excluding the retribution due.
Nevertheless, it is a virtue, for it implies a commitment to reconciliation and mercy. However, there is a distinction between forgiveness and mercy. While mercy has a direct bearing on the action taken, forgiveness need not. That is to say that forgiveness involves a change of heart that may advocate that the wrongdoer receives punishment or be considered accountable for redressing the wrong.
Most references to forgiveness in the are in regard to people begging forgiveness of God or God encouraging people to ask for forgiveness of God and of one another. Persian poetry, especially the collections of Rumi, Hafiz and is kindred to the in that it often offers interpretations of the sacred text. the seventh-century Persian poet, gives an interpretation of forgiveness in his Bustan, with the story of a drunkard who takes refuge in a mosque asking to be forgiven. As a pretext for his request for forgiveness, the drunken man quotes the story of Joseph and his brothers:
Joseph, who so much affliction saw and bondage— When his rule ran and his rank rose high, Did he not forgive the sins of Jacob’s house? For their evil doings he placed them not in chains.
The drunkard of story draws on a case of human/prophetic forgiveness in order to argue for God’s forgiveness for himself. If it is appropriate for a human to forgive, how much more fitting is it for God to forgive? In this case God is being modelled after humans; in most other cases, human action is modelled after God’s. (most forgiving) is among the names of God, and humans most seek to adorn themselves with the attributes of God.
There are two basic categories of forgiveness in the God’s forgiveness for humanity, and forgiveness of fellow humans for each other—that is, forgiveness as a human option. A category found neither in the nor anywhere in the Islamic texts is human forgiveness of God. For forgiveness follows a wrongdoing or a shortcoming and, in Islamic theology and ethics, God does not commit wrong and has no association with evil. Evil is merely the lack of good.
The first case of God’s forgiveness in history, according to the and the Abrahamic traditions, concerns the creation story. The story of creation points out one of the main theological distinctions between Christianity and Islam, as well as some similarities. Adam and Eve eating of the forbidden fruit and God’s forgiveness of them is one case in which the retribution (i.e. the exile from the Garden of Eden) stood in place. Islam views the fault of Adam as a mistake for which repentance was sought and forgiveness was offered. The account emphasizes forgiveness in a way that no pre-committed sin remains for descendants of Adam. Adam is not only forgiven but is also appointed vicegerent of God on earth. No sin is inherited, yet the propensity to repent and to ask forgiveness is. Adam and Eve are positive examples for all of humanity and not the contrary.
The counsels the Prophet with the following words: ‘Forgive them therefore and ask forgiveness for them, and take counsel with them in the affair’ (3.159). God did just this in the affair of Adam and Eve when, on repenting, they were forgiven and Adam was appointed as a prophet and an example to humanity. Human action is to be modelled after God’s action. According to the forgetfulness is what leads to sin. In fact, forgetfulness is one of the characteristics in describing humanity. Yet that is not the only human trait. The story of alast in the describes some other human characteristics, all of which are also divine characteristics.
The story of alast goes on to say that after the creation, when God asked the angels to prostrate themselves before Adam (here representing all of humanity), the angels objected and said they would not bow down to anyone other than God, certainly not to Adam who was created from adama (mud). God’s counter-argument was ‘I know something that you do not know’ and pointed out that Adam knows the (the names) of which the angels had no knowledge. The implications of the knowledge of the names, be it the names of God and/or of the creatures is ambiguous, but what most commentators seem to agree is that this quality, knowing of the names, is tantamount to, on the one hand, bearing the potential of attaining the highest merit and, on the other, of transgression. In other words, humanity has the potential to elevate itself to the highest of the high or to decline to the lowest of the low. Thus it is also human to be adorned with the qualities of God (be Allah). ‘Assume the character traits of God’ is a saying most repeated throughout the writings of the Sufis and is paralleled by a notable verse from the ‘[we take our] colour from God, and whose colour is better than God’s?’ (2.138). To ascribe to oneself the attributes of God, among them generosity, forbearance, clemency, mercy and forgiveness, is to stride on the path of perfection. For the believer, the first step on the path is Islam or submission to the will of God. Yet the greater step is the leap of faith (iman), which cannot be achieved without acquiring some of God’s attributes. Forgiveness is one of the many attributes of God and therefore worthy to be sought after; it is also a characteristic of the Prophet to be emulated. This is an undertaking, the value of which lies in the fact that it is not mandatory but rather it is striven for without having been obligated.
Forgiveness is a change of heart through which mercy replaces resentment or rage, in a case where it is morally justifiable to resent. Forgiving is a virtue, as is asking for forgiveness. Yet this virtue, like most others, is conditional; that is to say, a change of heart that brings about forgiveness, if accompanied with a sense of pride and selfaggrandizement, has little or no value. One of the ethical sayings of Ibn Abu-Talib, the first imam and the fourth caliph, is: ‘The sin that displeases you is better in the sight of God than the virtue which makes you proud.’
Forgiveness is indeed a virtue from the point of view of the Nevertheless, it is not associated with servility and lack of self-respect. It must come from the heart, especially if healing is to be expected. The woman saint of Basra, al-Adawiyya, one of the most eminent figures of Islamic mysticism who is known to have initiated a new phase in Sufism (that of mahabba, love), considers forgiveness effective only when accompanied by a change of heart and not as a matter of gain or loss. According to ‘seeking forgiveness with the tongue is the sin of lying’.
Within Islamic theology it is the balance between God’s wrath and mercy that has been the focal point of such discussions. That God’s mercy takes precedence over God’s wrath is often agreed on by theologians and Sufis alike. Ibn the twelfth-century Spanish philosopher, states that everyone will end up with mercy, simply because God is the root of all diversity of beliefs within the cosmos. Wrath, in his opinion, enters the picture only at the second level of sensory existence.
Even in strictly legal matters, leniency marks Islamic teachings. Repentance is highly encouraged throughout the and the promise of forgiveness is strongly stated. Making amends for major penal offences, even apostasy, has been considered within the Conflict resolution and the settling of mutual differences are considered more important than prayers and fasting. The Prophet is quoted as having said that the best deeds before God are to pardon a person who has wronged you, to show affection for relatives who have broken ties with you, and to act generously towards a person who has deprived you of something important. In the God describes himself as always ‘forgiving to those who turn back [to him]’ (a-innahu kanaghafura; 17.25).
Further reading
Abdel Haleem, M. (1999) Understanding the Themes and styles, New York: I.B.Tauris.
Ibn Abu Talib (1985) Nahjul balagha (Peak of Eloquence), New York: Tahrike Tarsile
Bawa Muhaiyaddeen, M.R. (1987) Islam and World Peace: Explanations of a Sufi, Philadelphia, PA: The Fellowship Press.
Esack, F. (1999) On Being a Muslim: Finding a religious path in the world today, Oxford: OneWorld.
Renard, J. (1998) Windows on the House of Islam: Muslim sources on spirituality and religious life, Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
equivalents of the term ‘forgiveness’ is the word 
repeated about forty times, along with a host of other terms. The word 
a cognate of 
is used seven times to imply God’s forgiveness for those who have preferred this world to the hereafter, God forgiving the Prophet, and a general statement on the benefit of forgiveness over revenge: ‘whosoever forgives and seeks reconcilement shall be recompensed by God’ (42.40).
usage, the word 
is generally applicable to forgiveness for wrongdoing either to oneself or to others. From the perspective of the 
committing an injustice against others includes doing wrong to oneself. The distinction between haq-Allah, rights of God, and haq-an-nas, rights of people, is significant within Islamic law and culture. It is easier to receive forgiveness for a sin against oneself than a sin against others, for the latter requires the forgiveness of the victim as well as God’s forgiveness. In one instance the term 
within the 
is translated as superfluous: ‘And they ask thee what they ought to spend. Say that which is 
(superfluous)’ (2.219). Based on this usage, which suggests a donation of what exceeds one’s needs in material wealth to the 
(to forgive) means in the spiritual sense to give not in wealth but in spirit to those in need.
and across numerous other references, restraining one’s anger and offering forgiveness when one has the power to take revenge supersedes prayer and almsgiving. In addition to the countless references to forgiveness throughout the 
there are numerous examples of the practice of it in the life of the Prophet, who is celebrated within the tradition as al-insan al-kamil (the perfect human). The 
describes the Prophet with characteristics of magnanimity and nobility. It goes on to say that his gentleness, lightheartedness and kindness are the characteristics that attract people to him and therefore he should ‘pardon them and ask pardon, for them, and take counsel with them’ (3.159). To emulate the Prophet is a mission not only for his family and his Companions, but also for the common Muslim believers. There are several references within the hadith literature suggesting that disputes must be reconciled before the time of prayer. The time limit on seeking reconciliation is rather short. A specific hadith suggests that if one gets into a dispute with someone after the afternoon prayer, they must make peace and embrace each other by the time of the early evening prayer. Prayer is a pillar of Islam, and forgiveness and reconciliation of conflicts its prerequisite, thus to forgive and to seek forgiveness must be an essential Muslim practice.
are in regard to people begging forgiveness of God or God encouraging people to ask for forgiveness of God and of one another. Persian poetry, especially the collections of Rumi, Hafiz and 
is kindred to the 
in that it often offers interpretations of the sacred text. 
the seventh-century Persian poet, gives an interpretation of forgiveness in his Bustan, with the story of a drunkard who takes refuge in a mosque asking to be forgiven. As a pretext for his request for forgiveness, the drunken man quotes the 
story of Joseph and his brothers:
of story draws on a case of human/prophetic forgiveness in order to argue for God’s forgiveness 
(most forgiving) is among the names of God, and humans most seek to adorn themselves with the attributes of God.
God’s forgiveness for humanity, and forgiveness of fellow humans for each other—that is, forgiveness as a human option. A category found neither in the 
nor anywhere in the Islamic texts is human forgiveness of God. For forgiveness follows a wrongdoing or a shortcoming and, in Islamic theology and ethics, God does not commit wrong and has no association with evil. Evil is merely the lack of good.
and the Abrahamic traditions, concerns the creation story. The story of creation points out one of the main theological distinctions between Christianity and Islam, as well as some similarities. Adam and Eve eating of the forbidden fruit and God’s forgiveness of them is one case in which the retribution (i.e. the exile from the Garden of Eden) stood in place. Islam views the fault of Adam as a mistake for which repentance was sought and forgiveness was offered. The 
account emphasizes forgiveness in a way that no pre-committed sin remains for descendants of Adam. Adam is not only forgiven but is also appointed vicegerent of God on earth. No sin is inherited, yet the propensity to repent and to ask forgiveness is. Adam and Eve are positive examples for all of humanity and not the contrary.
counsels the Prophet with the following words: ‘Forgive them therefore and ask forgiveness for them, and take counsel with them in the affair’ (3.159). God did just this in the affair of Adam and Eve when, on repenting, they were forgiven and Adam was appointed as a prophet and an example to humanity. Human action is to be modelled after God’s action. According to the 
forgetfulness is what leads to sin. In fact, forgetfulness is one of the 
characteristics in describing humanity. Yet that is not the only human trait. The story of alast in the 
describes some other human characteristics, all of which are also divine characteristics.
(the names) of which the angels had no knowledge. The implications of the knowledge of the names, be it the names of God and/or of the creatures is ambiguous, but what most commentators seem to agree is that this quality, knowing of the names, is tantamount to, on the one hand, bearing the potential of attaining the highest merit and, on the other, of transgression. In other words, humanity has the potential to elevate itself to the highest of the high or to decline to the lowest of the low. Thus it is also human to be adorned with the qualities of God (
be 
Allah). ‘Assume the character traits of God’ is a saying most repeated throughout the writings of the Sufis and is paralleled by a notable verse from the 
‘[we take our] colour from God, and whose colour is better than God’s?’ (2.138). To ascribe to oneself the attributes of God, among them generosity, forbearance, 
Ibn Abu-Talib, the first 
imam and the fourth caliph, is: ‘The sin that displeases you is better in the sight of God than the virtue which makes you proud.’
Nevertheless, it is not associated with servility and lack of self-respect. It must come from the heart, especially if healing is to be expected. The woman saint of Basra, 
al-Adawiyya, one of the most eminent figures of Islamic mysticism who is known to have initiated a new phase in Sufism (that of mahabba, love), considers forgiveness effective only when accompanied by a change of heart and not as a matter of gain or loss. According to 
‘seeking forgiveness with the tongue is the sin of lying’.
the twelfth-century Spanish philosopher, states that everyone will end up with mercy, simply because God is the root of all diversity of beliefs within the cosmos. Wrath, in his opinion, enters the picture only at the second level of sensory existence.
and the promise of forgiveness is strongly stated. Making amends for major penal offences, even apostasy, has been considered within the 
Conflict resolution and the settling of mutual differences are considered more important than prayers and fasting. The Prophet is quoted as having said that the best deeds before God are to pardon a person who has wronged you, to show affection for relatives who have broken ties with you, and to act generously towards a person who has deprived you of something important. In the 
God describes himself as always ‘forgiving to those who turn back [to him]’ (a-innahu kana 
ghafura; 17.25).
Themes and styles, New York: I.B.Tauris.
Ibn Abu Talib (1985) Nahjul balagha (Peak of Eloquence), New York: Tahrike Tarsile 
