Ramadan and Pardoning

https://www.khutbah.info/ramadan-and-pardoning/ Allah Almighty created human beings and made them dependent on one another. So they trade with each another. They visit each other. They mingle with each other most of their time. And since this is the case, it is inevitable that they will err and wrong one another whether through speech or action.  And the Divine ordainments came to establish justice, uphold the rights of the wronged and deter the oppressors. And it encourages grace and pardoning, forgiveness and acceptance of apologies. And meeting evil with goodness, and meeting severing ties with joining, and meeting ignorance with forbearance. And in doing so, there is great reward from the Lord of the worlds.  And our Lord, Glorified and Exalted, is Pardoning, Generous and loves pardoning. And loves those who pardon and He raises their ranks and gives them great reward.  And how much does He, the Gloried, overlook the misdeeds of His creation and pardon them!! He creates them and sustains them and they deny Him!! And He repels from them calamities and adversities and they are not grateful to Him!!  Except for a minority and how few they are.  The Prophet ﷺ :  

إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ ,نَحْمَدُهُ  ,وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ  وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ ,  وَنَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا  ,مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللهُ  فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ ,  وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ ,  وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ   وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ    

Verily, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, we seek His assistance and we ask for His forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Him from the evils of our selves. Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide. Whoever He misguides, none can guide. And I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.

 يَا أَيُّهَا الّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ – آل عمران:102 

Al Imran 102 : O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam.

Oh people:

Allah Almighty created human beings and made them dependent on one another. So they trade with each another. They visit each other. They mingle with each other most of their time. And since this is the case, it is inevitable that they will err and wrong one another whether through speech or action.  And the Divine ordainments came to establish justice, uphold the rights of the wronged and deter the oppressors. And it encourages grace and pardoning, forgiveness and acceptance of apologies. And meeting evil with goodness, and meeting severing ties with joining, and meeting ignorance with forbearance. And in doing so, there is great reward from the Lord of the worlds. 

And our Lord, Glorified and Exalted, is Pardoning, Generous and loves pardoning. And loves those who pardon and He raises their ranks and gives them great reward.  And how much does He, the Gloried, overlook the misdeeds of His creation and pardon them!! He creates them and sustains them and they deny Him!! And He repels from them calamities and adversities and they are not grateful to Him!!  Except for a minority and how few they are.  The Prophet ﷺ :  

ما أحدٌ أصبر على أذًى سمعه من الله؛ يدعون له الولد ثم يعافيهم ويرزقهم-رواه البخاري 7378

None is more patient over injury which is heard than Allah: They ascribe a son to Him, yet He bestows upon them health and provision. [Al Bukhari 7378]

And from His pardonning of His servants is that He accepts the repentance and pardons the sins. Allah says:

وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَعْفُو عَنِ السَّيِّئَاتِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ-الشُّورى:25

As-Shura (42) 25: And it is He who accepts repentance from His servants and pardons misdeeds, and He knows what you do.

Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: 

ألا أخبركم بأفضل آية في كتاب الله تعالى حدثنا بها رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم

وَمَا أَصَابَكُمْ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَيَعْفُو عَنْ كَثِيرٍ-الشُّورى:30

Shall I not inform you of the finest verse in the Book of Allah Almighty that the Messenger of Allah told us about? 

As-Shura (42) 30: And whatever strikes you of disaster – it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much.

 وسأفسرها لك يا عليّ: ما أصابكم من مرضٍ أو عقوبةٍ أو بلاء في الدنيا فبما كسبت أيديكم، والله تعالى أكرم من أن يثني عليهم العقوبة في الآخرة، وما عفا الله تعالى عنه في الدنيا فالله تعالى أحلم من أن يعود بعد عفوه-رواه الحاكم وصححه على شرط الشيخين ووافقه الذهبي: 2/445

And I will explain it to you, O Ali: Whatever sickness, punishment, or calamity befalls you in this world is because of what your hands have earned. And Allah Almighty is too generous to punish them again in the Hereafter. And Allah Almighty is too clement to account for something that He pardoned in this world.  [Ath Thahaby 445/2]

And Allah praised those who retrain their anger and pardon others. And Allah made their reward paradise the width of which is the heavens and the earth. And He commanded His messenger ﷺ to pardon people. Allah said: 

فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الأَمْرِ-آل عمران:159

Al Imran (3) 159: So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter. 

And in another verse:

فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاصْفَحْ إِنَّ اللهَ يُحِبُّ المُحْسِنِينَ-المائدة:13

Al Maedah (5) 13: But pardon them and overlook [their misdeeds]. Indeed, Allah loves the doers of good.

AbdAllah bin Al-Zubair (may Allah be pleased with them) said in explaining Allah’s words:

خُذِ العَفْوَ وَأْمُرْ بِالعُرْفِ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ الجَاهِلِينَ-الأعراف:199

Al Araf (7) 199: Take to pardonning, enjoin virtue, and turn away from the ignorant.

أمر الله نبيه -صلى الله عليه وسلم- أن يأخذ العفو من أخلاق الناس-أخرجه البخاري معلقًا: 4644

The Prophet of Allah  was commanded to take to pardoning the conduct of the people. [Al Bukhari 4644]

Some of the righteous predecessors said about this verse: It is the most comprehensive verse in the Quran in regards to noble character. 

And the Prophet’s character was that of the Quran. And he did not leave pardoning except when one of Allah’s prohibitions was violated. So he ﷺ used to get angry for the sake of Allah. And he did not reprise for himself. And from his ﷺattributes that came in the Torah: 

لا يدفع السيئة بالسيئة، ولكن يعفو ويغفر-أخرجه البخاري 2125

He does not repel evil with evil, but rather he pardons and forgives. [Al Bukhari 2125]

And how many times was he wronged by the polytheists and hypocrites and he was patient upon their harm. Then when he had the upper hand and was able to do as he pleased with them, he pardoned them and forgot about what they did.  He acted in accordance with the Book of Allah that commanded him with pardoning, and like the messengers before him. For Ibrahim (peace be upon him) said: 

فَمَنْ تَبِعَنِي فَإِنَّهُ مِنِّي وَمَنْ عَصَانِي فَإِنَّكَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ-إبراهيم:36

Ibrahim (14) 36: So whoever follows me – then he is of me; and whoever disobeys me – indeed, You are [yet] Forgiving and Merciful.

And Yusuf’s (peace be upon him) brothers envied him and threw him into the well. And from their action, he became a slave and was bought and sold. And he was harmed and afflicted. And when Allah Almighty gave him power and put him in a firm position to revenge for himself, he pardoned and forgave and said: 

لَا تَثْرِيبَ عَلَيْكُمُ اليَوْمَ يَغْفِرُ اللهُ لَكُمْ وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ-يوسف:92

Yusuf (12) 92: No blame will there be upon you today. May Allah forgive you; and He is the most merciful of the merciful.

And likewise the companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and those who followed (may Allah have mercy upon them) pardoned those who mistreated them. And they did good to those who wronged them.  And they absolved those who were ignorant towards them. Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I pardon all the people with regards to my rights.

And some money was stolen from Ibn Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) so the people supplicated against the thief. However, Ibn Masood said: Oh Allah if need led him to take it, then bless it for him, and if audacity in sinning led him to do it, then let it be his last sin. 

Indeed pardoning is a station befitting of those conscious of Allah. Those who prioritize the future over the present and hope for the reward of Allah in the hereafter. 

وَجَزَاءُ سَيِّئَةٍ سَيِّئَةٌ مِثْلُهَا فَمَنْ عَفَا وَأَصْلَحَ فَأَجْرُهُ عَلَى الله-الشُّورى:40

As Shurah (42) 40: And the retribution for an evil act is an evil one like it, but whoever pardons and makes reconciliation – his reward is [due] from Allah. 

This verse did not mention the nature or quantity of the reward. And it reffered that to Allah Almighty. And whoever’s reward is upon Allah Almighty does not fear getting an insignificant reward or any diminishing. For Allah is the Bountiful the Generous, the Pardoning Forgiving. He gives generously. And that is not limited to the hereafter. A person by the grace of Allah Almighty could attain a reward for his pardoning in this world in addition to reward in store for him in the hereafter. As Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: 

ما نقصت صدقة من مال، وما زاد الله عبداً بعفو إلا عزاً، وما تواضع أحد لله إلا رفعه الله-رواه مسلم: 2588

Charity does not diminish wealth, Allah does not increase a man in anything for his pardoning (others) but in honor, and none humbles himself for Allah but Allah raises him. [Muslim 2588]

And it is from the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ to plentifully request pardoning and wellbeing from Allah Almighty as related by Ibn Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: 

لم يكن رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يدع هؤلاء الدعوات حين يمسي وحين يصبح: اللهم إني أسألك العافية في الدنيا والآخرة، اللهم إني أسألك العفو والعافية في ديني ودنياي وأهلي ومالي-رواه أبو داود 5074 وصححه الشيخ أحمد شاكر

The Messenger of Allah  never abandoned these supplications, every morning and evening: O Allah, I ask You for forgiveness and well-being in this world and in the Hereafter. O Allah, I ask You for forgiveness and well-being in my religious and my worldly affairs and in my family and wealth. [Abu Dawood 5074]

And the Messenger of Allah  ﷺ  used to say at the end of his Witr prayer:

اللهم إني أعوذ برضاك من سخطك وبمعافاتك من عقوبتك-رواه أبو داود 1427

O Allah, I seek refuge in Your pleasure from Your wrath; I seek refuge in Your pardon from Your punishment. [Abu Dawood 1427]

So it behooves the Muslim to pardon and forgive, to overlook mistreatment and to turn away from the ignorant. Until he attains the station of those who pardon. And ask Allah assistance over his self that calls to evil and drives him to revenge and victory for himself. Just as he asks Allah for pardoning and wellbeing in his religious affairs, worldly affairs and the hereafter. 

أَقُولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ  لِي وَلَكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ  إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

I say what you have heard and I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and you from every sin. So seek forgives from Him, Verily He is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Second Khutbah

الحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ,  وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ  , وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَاْ إِلَهَ إِلَّاْ اَللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَاْشَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَاً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ

All praise is to Allah, and peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.

Oh Muslims:

Ramadan is the month of pardoning and forgiving, and mercy and beneficence, and liberation from the fire. For in Ramadan, the Lord abundantly pardons the sins of his servants, accepts the repentance, and overlooks misdeed and liberates many from the fire. 

And the most deserving of Allah’s pardoning are the people who pardon. The people who preserve their fast and perfected their night prayers. So if someone is ignorant towards them or wrongs them, their fasting restrains them from seeking victory for themselves. And they meet that with pardoning and forgiveness. And for this reason fasting is a shield, by means of which a person seeks protection from reprehensible words or actions. As Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: 

الصيام جنة فلا يرفث ولا يجهل، وإن امرؤ قاتله أو شاتمه فليقل: إني صائم، إني صائم-رواه البخاري 1904

Fasting is a shield so he shall neither behave obscenely nor foolishly. If a man fights or insults him, he shall say: I am fasting, I am fasting. [Al Bukhari 1904]

He should face someone who insults or injures him with: I am fasting, I am fasting. He should say it out loud whether it is an obligatory or voluntary fast to restrain himself from personal victory or revenge. And to explain what is withholding him from replying. And this is the sternest way of rebuking the aggressor. 

And in Ramadan, the Night of Decree is better than 1000 months. The Prophet ﷺinstructed those who attain it to ask Allah Almighty for forgiveness. The mother of the believers, Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: 

قلت: يا رسول الله، أرأيت إن وافقت ليلة القدر ما أقول فيها؟ قال: قولي: اللهم إنك عفو كريم تحب العفو فاعف عني-رواه أحمد والترمذي 3513   

O Messenger of Allah, what should I say if I come upon Laylatul-Qadr?” He said: Say: Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibbul-‘afwa, fa’fu ‘anni (O Allah, You are forgiving and love forgiveness, so forgive me). [Tirmithi 3513]

And this comprehensive supplication is among the most beneficial supplications. For the result of forgiveness in this world is wellbeing. And if Allah forgives someone he secures him from the afflictions, trials and hardships in this world. And forgiveness in the hereafter necessitates being saved from the fire and entering paradise. So whoever Allah forgives, Allah gives him wellbeing in this world and the hereafter. And whoever Allah gives wellbeing in this world and the hereafter will not know misfortunes and calamities. And happiness and joy will not depart from him.

We ask Allah Almighty to pardon and forgive us. O Allah, You are forgiving and love forgiveness, so forgive us. O Allah, we ask You for forgiveness and well-being in this world and in the Hereafter. Indeed Allah is All Hearing, Answering. 

هَذَا وَصَلُّوا وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى نَبِيِّكُم كَمَا أَمَرَكُمْ بِذلِكَ رَبُّكُمْ , فَقَالَ

I conclude with this and send prayers of blessings and peace upon your Prophet as your Lord commanded:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا

Al Ahzaab (33) 56: Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [ Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah to grant him] peace.

اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنا فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنا فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنا فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لنا فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنا شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ

O Allah, guide us with those whom You have guided, grant us well-being among those You have granted well-being, be an ally to us along with those whom You are an ally to, and bless what You have bestowed upon us, and save us from the evil of what You have decreed.  For verily You decree and none can decree over You. He whom You support can never be humiliated. Glory is to You, our Lord, You are Blessed and Exalted.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الشَّرِّ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا سَأَلَكَ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا عَاذَ بِهِ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ كُلَّ قَضَاءٍ قَضَيْتَهُ لَنا خَيْرًا

O Allah, We ask You for all that is good, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we seek refuge with You from all evil, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we ask You for the good that Your servant and Prophet has asked You for, and we seek refuge with You from the evil from which Your servant and Prophet sought refuge. O Allah, we ask You for Paradise and for that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed, and we seek refuge in You from Hell and from that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed. And we ask You to make every decree that You decree concerning us good

 عِبَادَ اللّهِ  إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ  يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ

Servants of Allah. Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded. 

اُذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ واشْكُرُوهُ يَزِدْكُمْ واسْتَغْفِرُوهُ يَغْفِرْ لكُمْ واتّقُوهُ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ مَخْرَجًا   وَأَقِمِ الصّلَاة

Remember Allah, the Great – He will remember you. Thank Him for His favors – He will increase you therein.  And seek forgiveness from Him – He will forgive you. And be conscious of Him – He will provide you a way out of difficult matters. And, establish the prayer.  

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