The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم stated: ‘مَا زَادَ اللهُ عَبْدًا بِعَفْوٍ اِلَّا عِزًّا’, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ increases the honour of the person who forgives.’ (Muslim, p. 1071, Hadees 6592) A Rise In Honour.
This Hadees may relate to honour in this world, whereby the individual who forgives others is held in greater esteem by people, or it can relate to the honour that forgiving people will receive in the hereafter. (Daleel-ul-Faliheen, vol. 4, p. 538, summarised)
The Hades produces an unequivocal distinction between true honor in the sight of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and also the type of honour that community encourages. Honor, as per wrong social standards, is actually acquired through exacting revenge versus others for the least misdemeanor or by bullying and scolding those who are less lucky or weak than us. These truly unconformable understandings of honour and appreciation have actually triggered just a community ingrained along with disharmony, riddled with disputes, brutality, and homicide. A critical appeal exposes that artificial apologies and pretentious shows of guilt go to the heart of the conditions that beleaguer our communities. Many apologies have actually been actually minimized to empty phrases, where expressions like, ‘Forgive me,’ and ‘Sorry,’ are actually uttered by the tongue, but the marks of enmity continue to be deeply engraved in the center and the burning passion for retribution proceeds to roar within. Unless our team change the really spirit of our method, not either can easily our experts genuinely regard others neither can our company be really respected. A Rise In Honour.
With this heart-wrenching reality before us, we can feel the dire need for solution. So, let us reflect on an incident from the life of our Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, the mercy for mankind:
When Sayyidatuna Umm-e-Hakeem Bint-e-Haaris Makhzumiyyah رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا visited the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم to accept Islam, she رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا remarked: ‘Messenger of Allah! ‘Ikrimah is fleeing to Yemen; he fears that you may execute him. Kindly, grant him refuge.’ Upon hearing this, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم granted him refuge. Umm-e-Hakeem رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا then began to search for her husband. She رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا found him in the coastal area of Tihamah and cried out: ‘I have come to you on behalf of the most virtuous and pious person, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم; so do not ruin yourself.’ After she رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا informed him about the refuge granted to him, ‘Ikrimah asked: ‘Did you actually do this?’ She رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا responded: ‘Yes, I implored him and he agreed to give you refuge.’ Having heard this, he returned with Umm-e-Hakeem رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا to the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, embraced Islam, and made everyone there a witness to this. He then sought pardon from the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم for his past errors, (Kitab-ul-Tawabeen, p. 123, summarised). The Beloved Prophet’s altruistic act of forgiveness was so impactful that it drove ‘Ikrimah to Islam; a person who had previously fought wars against the Muslims. And whose father was none other than Islam’s worst enemy, Abu Jahl. Not only did he become a Muslim, but a heroic companion who would eventually give his life for the cause of Islam and join the ranks of the martyrs. A Rise In Honour.
This sparkling, pythonic style continues to shine today, via pious Muslims who easily forgive and pardon others. Allah Almighty rewards all of them along with honour as well as respect among. His totality in this particular World. In a widely known happening, an exemplary guy. Who was collecting gifts for his theological seminary, checked out a huge store for this distinguished objective. After welcoming the owner, he described the factor for his browse through yet he was actually met with animosity and also the store owner altercation on his face. The righteous man cleaned his face as well as along with a smile said: ‘Sir, this was for me. Right now inform me, what will you give to my academy?‘ These unforeseen words as well as forbearing strategy startled the shopkeeper. Overcome with sheer humiliation and also rips, he begged to the visitor: ‘Your superiority, I devoted a gross blunder; feel free to forgive me. I will certainly give any type of volume you yearn for.’ A Rise In Honour.
Incidents like this deal us numerous gems of knowledge to amass, simply if our company reflect. If our company, as a society. Accelerate to seriously eliminate others instead of hurrying to react wrongly. Just then are going to our company have an odds of coping with shared appreciation as well as tranquility. To clarify this additionally, our team require to take a more detailed consider just how mercy begets regard:
- For someone to forgive others, despite having the ability to take revenge, causes acceptance. And love in the heart of the wrongdoer. Conversely, taking revenge incites a negative response. This is an inseparable aspect of the human psyche which we can see throughout history. It was this very relationship between forgiveness. And acceptance that drove the disbelievers of Mecca to embrace Islam en masse. And become loyal adherents when the Prophetصَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم pardoned them during the conquest of Mecca.
- There is a famous saying, ‘Do good, feel good.’ This is a reality. As one feels content after performing a good deed. Also, by forgiving, we feel motivated to perform further good acts. Moreover, the person who wronged you will acknowledge their mistake if your response is positive, gracious, and forgiving.
- Forgiving others severs the roots of enmity and hatred, creates a conducive environment for resolving conflicts, and promotes mutual respect. In this way, all factors that diminish one’s respect are mitigated through the act of forgiveness.