Forgiveness in Ramadan

“صلى الله عليه و سلم قَالَ: “لَا يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى يُحِبَّ لِأَخِيهِ مَا يُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِه

The Prophet of Allah ﷺ said: “None of you [truly] believes until he loves for his brother that which he loves for himself.”

Nawawi

This begs the question, how do we love ourselves before we love others? We are often quick to forget our own faults, ignore our own transgressions against others and pay little attention to the effects of what we say to people.

However, when we are on the receiving end of the stick, we find it very difficult to pardon others. How do we overcome this?

Allah says in Surah Ash-Shuraa 

وَلَمَن صَبَرَ وَغَفَرَ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمِنْ عَزْمِ ٱلْأُمُورِ

“And whoever endures patiently and forgives—surely this is a resolve to aspire to.”

Qur’an

And in Surah Al-Imraan 

ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ فِى ٱلسَّرَّآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ وَٱلْكَـٰظِمِينَ ٱلْغَيْظَ وَٱلْعَافِينَ عَنِ ٱلنَّاسِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

“˹They are˺ those who donate in prosperity and adversity, control their anger, and pardon others. And Allah loves the good-doers.”

Qur’an

Should you forgive?

What does forgiveness mean to you? Where do you draw your lines of forgiveness? These are great questions to be explored in the month of Ramadan whereby Allah by his infinite mercy releases people from the hell fire.

صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ إِذَا كَانَ أَوَّلُ لَيْلَةٍ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ صُفِّدَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ وَمَرَدَةُ الْجِنِّ وَغُلِّقَتْ أَبْوَابُ النَّارِ فَلَمْ يُفْتَحْ مِنْهَا بَابٌ
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “On the first night of the month of Ramadan, the Shayatin are shackled, the jinns are restrained, the gates of the Fires are shut such that no gate among them would be opened. 

Tirmidhi

Forgiving isn’t easy, but it’s essential. There’s no better time than when the gates of Hell are closed and the gates of heaven are opened. Join us as Sheikh Ahmed Abdo explores the noble quality of forgiveness during Ramadan.

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