28th Ramadan 1429 – Day 28- Road Towards A Larger Future – Motivational story on Asking For Forgiveness from Others
I received an e-greeting card from a friend that day.
‘Eid Mubarak, "Kullu am wa antum bi-khair" (May you be well throughout the year) –‘And then, my friend wrote a personal note saying: ‘Please forgive me for all my wrongdoings, intentionally or unintentionally.’
SubhanAllaah…I smiled as I read her note. ‘Me too, my dearest… me too’ I whispered silently as I clicked on the ‘Reply This Card’ button.
Isn’t that the typical greetings and wishes we make for one another every single time this blessed month of Ramadan is ending and the glorious month of Syawal approaching?
So much so that I once wondered- when we seek for the forgiveness from others especially during Ramadan, do we really mean it from the bottom of our hearts or it is just cultural and a mere lip service?
It was then I remembered what Allah said about believers,In the Qur’an Allah has described the Believers as
“those who avoid major sins and acts of indecencies and when they are angry they forgive.” (ash-Shura 42: 37)
SubhanAllaah…. Look at how important it is to forgive others, huh? Not doing so would actually make us missing one of the characters of a believer!
Nauzubillaah…Not only that, in fact, Allaah has precisely told us to make amends with the people who might have done wrong to us when later in the same Surah Allah says,
“The reward of the evil is the evil thereof, but whosoever forgives and makes amends, his reward is upon Allah.” (al-Shura 42: 40)
Amazing, isn’t it? Allah knows our tendencies of wanting to lash-back, retaliate, get even, strike back and even the score- so, He, our Lord has said that yes, if anyone does wrong to you, it is your right to respond to that accordingly. But, with a big huge humungous B, Allah said that if we decide to forgive and make amend, then, we shall be rewarded by Him for that, inshaAllaah.
I got very excited just by thinking that I am being promised a reward by the Owner of the Universe, the Fulfiller of all needs and the Master of all creations. It doesn’t really matter what He promises us, right? I mean, if the Owner of Everything that existed in this world AND Who is Most Generous promises me a reward, do you think the reward is going to be a small, tiny, insignificant one?Just like when a bighearted wealthy man promised to reward us for helping him out? Do you think he is going to give us ten cents or a nickel for what we have done for him? Or do you think, logically, because of his status, capacity and character, he is going to give us a hundred dollars if not a thousand dollars?
Ka-ching!!So, yes, I truly know that I would want that reward as promised by my Lord for being a forgiving person and for making amend with the ones that has hurt me, inshaAllaah.I remembered an unfortunate incident that happened thousands of years ago about my beloved Lady A’isha who was slandered. One of the slanderers turned out to be Mistah, the cousin of ‘Aisha’s father, Abu Bakr (ra). Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, used to give financial help to this young man. After he slandered his daughter, Abu Bakr vowed not to help him any more. But Allah reminded Abu Bakr and through him all the Believers,
“Let not those among you who are endued with grace and amplitude of means resolve by oath against helping their kinsmen, those in want and those who migrated in the path of Allah. Let them forgive and overlook. Do you not wish that Allah should forgive you? Indeed Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Al-Nur 24:22)
Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, came out of his home and said,
“Yes, indeed, I want Allah’s forgiveness.”
He not only continued to help him but he gave him more.
SubhanAllaah! What a beautiful character…When I read the words … Do you not wish that Allah should forgive you?... my heart goes YES, YES, YES, Yes Ya Rabbi, I wish that you forgive me…
Don’t you wish for the same too?Absolutely, right?On top of that, our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw) once said:
Musa (as), the son of Imran once asked, "Oh my Lord! Who is the most honourable of Your servants? And He replied, the person who forgives even when he is in a position of power." (Baihaqi)
No wonder Caliph Abu Bakar was such an honorable man! He actually has forgiven someone when he (ra) was in the position of power, subhanAllaah…
Paul Boese Paul Boese once said,
Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.
So let us asked ourselves this particular question- Do we,too want to have a larger future?Think about it.
Sis Zabrina also known as Zabrina A. Bakar, is a Life Storyteller, motivational and inspirational writer and speaker; and author and creator of Islamic motivational book Life Open Secret book series
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