Forgiveness

Forgiveness is the intentional and voluntary process by which a victim undergoes a change in feelings and attitude regarding an offense, lets go of negative emotions such as vengefulness, forswears recompense from or punishment of the offender, however legally or morally justified it might be, and with an increased ability to wish the offender well. Forgiveness is different from condoning (failing to see the action as wrong and in need of forgiveness), excusing (not holding the offender as responsible for the action), forgetting (removing awareness of the offense from consciousness), pardoning (granted for an acknowledged offense by a representative of society, such as a judge), and reconciliation (restoration of a relationship).

202331

Brother . Anger . Forgiveness

After being physically assaulted by my brother, am I Islamically obligated to maintain contact with him or apologize for what I said to him in anger?

Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 4 months ago

Tolerating the assault and harm from your relatives for the sake of Allah (SWT) is a type of Jihad in the way of Allah. The Holy Ahlul Bayt (AS) have tolerated great pain from some of their own relatives and taught Muslims how to deal with the relatives in all the circumstances. You should maintain good contact with your brother despite his assault on you and avoid any word or behavior which harms your relationship with him. You should also apologize for any wrong you said to him in anger.

Wassalam.

Brother . Anger . Forgiveness

After being physically assaulted by my brother, am I Islamically obligated to maintain contact with him or apologize for what I said to him in anger?

Zaid Alsalami, Shaykh Dr Zaid Alsalami is an Iraqi born scholar, raised in Australia. He obtained a BA from Al-Mustafa University, Qom, and an MA from the Islamic College in London. He also obtained a PhD from... Answered 4 months ago

Bismihi ta'āla

Being violent to siblings is unacceptable, haram and very damaging for sibling relationships. Try to make mends with him, and apologise if you wronged him.

Hopefully, things will get back to normal between him and you, but he must know that what he did is wrong and must not be repeated.

And Allah knows best

200396

Forgiveness . Exams . Guilt

I borrowed someone’s pen during an exam without permission for a quick correction, and now I feel guilty. I do not know who it belonged to, so I cannot ask for forgiveness. What should I do in this situation?

If you have no way at all to know the owner, you give the item or its value in Sadaqa on behalf of the owner and pray for him.

Wassalam.

199485

Forgiveness . Salah (Prayers)

In the case of the night prayer, is it permissible to include 40 individuals whose names I do not know, and what is the best way to ask for forgiveness on their behalf?

Praying for forty believers during the Qunoot of Witr which is the last and single Rak'at in Night Prayer, is recommended but not obligatory. You can include any one whom you want even if you don't know their names as far as you remember them e,g, my teachers, my class mates, those who did good to me etc. You pray for their forgiveness ALLAHUMMA EGHFIR (O Allah, forgive).

Wassalam.

197943

Sin . Repentance (Tawbah) . Forgiveness

My friend committed a sin with the intention to repent later but now feels genuine remorse and fears he won't be forgiven. If his current repentance is sincere, is it still possible for it to be accepted?

Allah Says in Quran ( O My servants who transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds) Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: verily Allah Forgives all sins) Sura 39, verse 53).

When the repentance is really sincere, the forgiveness is possible.

Wassalam.

195457

Pornography . Masturbation . Ramadan . Forgiveness

As a 23-year-old single Muslim dealing with self-control issues related to pornography and masturbation, I regularly pray but marriage is not possible due to financial constraints. How can I seek Allah’s forgiveness and overcome this habit?

The Prophetic advice for those young persons who are unable to get married is to keep fast صوم as fasting helps in controlling decreasing the sexual desire. Repeating fasting helps a lot. It is recommended to fast on Mondays and Thursdays or at least on three days in every month.

Wassalam.

193412

Forgiveness . God (Allah)

Is seeking forgiveness from Allah sufficient for disobeying my teacher, whom I thought was wrong, or should I also ask for forgiveness directly from my teacher?

If you disrespected or caused any harm to any one, you definitely need to seek from him to pardon you. If disobeyed your teacher because you thought that he was wrong, and you not cause him and harm or insult, then you don't need to seek forgiveness from him if you were not obliged to obey him.

Wassalam

192316

Guilt . Forgiveness . Repentance (Tawbah) . Sin

Is it allowed for a person to perform Tawbah whenever they feel guilt over their sins, such as wasting time or not seeking forgiveness, on a weekly basis, or would this not be viewed as sincere repentance?

Seeking forgiveness is required always especially after committing a sinful act or remembering it. It can be a daily process especially before and after obligatory Prayers and in the night especially on the last part of the night (Sahar time). It can be also every week on the Eve of Friday (Lailatul Jumu'ah) or on every Friday.

Wassalam.

192058

Fornication . Forgiveness . Sin . God (Allah)

If someone engages in fornication, sincerely repents to Allah, and resolves not to repeat the act, is the sin forgiven, or does the partner also need to seek forgiveness from the other involved?

Fornication is a major sin. If the person who committed sin sincerely repents and firmly decides not to do it again and seek forgiveness, Allah is The Best Forgiver and The Most Merciful. The partner is responsible for his/her own sin.

Wassalam.

192100

Heart . Forgiveness . Repentance (Tawbah)

Can a heart be completely blackened and sealed such that they cannot repent, seek forgiveness or do good deeds?

Amina Inloes, Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the... Answered 1 year ago

This is what is referred to in the Qur'an as Allah sealing people's hearts (e.g. 2:7); i.e. they have gone so far towards evil that they have lost the capability to change.

However, this does not happen if we just make a mistake or do something wrong; rather, it is for people like Yazid.

A person with their heart sealed might do something that, on the surface, appears to be a good act, but would lack the inner intention for it to genuinely be classified as one in the hereafter.

150698

Addiction . Pornography . God (Allah) . Forgiveness

How can I overcome a shameful addiction to pornography that fills me with guilt, yet I keep returning to it? I seek guidance on how to stop and earn Allah's forgiveness. I truly want to break free from this addiction.

Sometimes, the best way to stop doing something is just to stop, and ask Allah for help.

However, it could also be useful to look into support for overcoming addictions (ranging from support groups online for this topic, to natural supplements that can help break addictive behaviour in the brain), and to use whatever is beneficial for you.

With duas!

188728

Forgiveness . Punishment . Sexual

If an individual commits incest and sincerely seeks forgiveness, is it possible for them to be forgiven without facing any punishment?

Bismihi ta'ala

Any sinful act can be forgiven by Allah ta'ala, as long as the tawbah is sincere, the act is abandoned, and it is between them and Allah ta'ala. This last condition means that there is no due right to be returned back to an individual.

What the individual did must repent, and work towards purifying themselves, and surely gain God's forgiveness in this world and the Hereafter.

And Allah knows best