The Mercy of Almighty Allah
07/12/2011 08:31
The Beloved Messenger, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, said:
“When Allah completed the creation, He wrote in His Book, which is with Him on His Throne, 'My Mercy overpowers My Wrath.'”
[Sahih Bukhari - Book 54, Hadith no. 416]
Allah’s Mercy is beyond our human comprehension – He forgives to the extent where we are forbidden even to despair of His Mercy. Indeed, even to seek His Mercy is part of His Mercy in itself - because Allah guides those whom He wills, thus if a sinner realises his/her mistakes, truly this guidance has come from Allah so that they may attain salvation.
Apart from the act of Shirk (associating partners with Allah), all sins are forgiven if the sinner turns to Almighty Allah to repent sincerely for his actions.
“Say: ‘O My slaves who have transgressed against themselves (by sinning)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
[Holy Qur'an 39:53]
His Mercy reaches out to everything in His creation, yet His Wrath only touches those whom He wishes it upon. It is up to us to take from the Mercy He offers us, by way of Tawba or repentance.
“[Allah] said, ‘My punishment - I afflict with it whom I will, but My mercy encompasses all things. So I will decree it [especially] for those who fear Me and give charity and those who believe in Our verses.’”
[Holy Qur'an 7:156]
The extent of Almighty Allah’s Mercy is supreme; He is after all, the Most Merciful (ar-Rahman). Under the condition that a person’s repentance is truly sincere, our Lord forgives again and again.
This does not mean that we should take advantage of His Mercy by sinning constantly, but instead that we should be humbled and return to the Path which He calls us to. It also demonstrates Allah’s willingness to overlook mankind’s weakness and faults if we make Tawba (repentance).
Sayyidina Anas b. Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, reports that the Messenger of Allah said:
"Allah 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 and I would not mind.’"
[Tirmidhi, Hadith no. 3540]
One particular Hadith demonstrates Allah’s Mercy through a powerful example. The Beloved Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, states:
“There was a man who had heartlessly murdered ninety-nine people. Then, he felt remorse. He went to a learned man and told him about his past, explaining that he wished to repent, reform, and become a better person.
"I wonder if Allah will pardon me?" he asked.
For all his learning, the scholar was a man who had not been able to digest what he had learnt.
"You will not be pardoned", he said. "Then I may as well kill you too," said the other. And kill him, he did.
He then found another worthy individual and told him that he had killed a hundred people.
"I wonder," he said, "Whether Allah will pardon me if I repent?"
Being a truly wise man, he replied, "Of course you will be pardoned; repent at once. I have just one piece of advice for you: avoid the company of wicked people and mix with good people, for bad company leads one into sin."
The man expressed repentance and regret, weeping as he sincerely implored his Lord to pardon him. Then, turning his back on bad company, he set off to find a neighbourhood where righteous people lived.
On the way, his appointed hour arrived and he died. The Angels of Punishment and the Angels of Mercy both came to take away his soul.
The Angels of Punishment said that as a sinful person, he rightfully belonged to them, but the Angels of Mercy also claimed him, saying, "He repented and had resolved to become a good man. He was on his way to a place where righteous people live, but his appointed hour had come."
A great debate ensued, and Angel Jibra'il was sent as an arbitrator to settle this affair.
After hearing both sides he gave this verdict: "Measure the ground. If the spot where he died is closer to the good people, then he belongs to the Angels of Mercy, but if it is nearer to the wicked people, he will be given to the Angels of Punishment."
They measured the ground. Because the man had just set out, he was still closer to the wicked. But because he was sincere in his repentance, the Merciful Lord moved the spot where he lay and brought it just outside the city of the pious people.
That penitent servant was then handed over to the Angels of Mercy.”[Sahih Bukhari - Volume 4, Book 56, Number 676]
Almighty Allah forgives whom He wills and ultimately He knows the truth about what lies in the heart of each person. Sincerity and remorse is witnessed by Him, and He certainly shows kindness and Mercy to one bearing such qualities.
“For Allah knows well the secrets of your hearts.”
[Qur’an 3:154]
As Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi states in his Masnavi, the door of repentance is always open for us to seek forgiveness:
“By the Mercy of God, Paradise has eight doors. One of those is the door of repentance, child. All the others are sometimes open, sometimes shut; but the door of repentance is never closed. Come seize the opportunity: the door is open; carry your baggage there at once.” [Masnavi IV, 2506-2508]
“Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.”
[Qur’an 9:5]
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