(20/10/17) - The Names العفو، الغفور، الغفار، التواب

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

العفو الغفور الغفار التواب

Al-'Afuw, Al-Ghaffoor, Al-Ghaffar, At-Tawwab

-> We have to first understand where the name of Allah is found in the Quran and Sunnah,

Then study the explanation of the name from it,

Then apply it in our lives - The information should have a practical implementation in our lives. And not having it being so is closer to the torment of Allah than His blessings. 

-> A large percentage of the Quran talks about Allah, so it is one of the most fundamental pieces of knowledge Allah sent His Prophet with.

-> من كان لله أعرف كان لله أخوف (Whoever knows Allah more, fears Him more)

Where the Names are found in the Qur'an and Sunnah + Explanation of the Meanings of the Names

 - Surah Al-Hajj [22:60]:

"That is so. And whoever has retaliated with the like of that which he was made to suffer, and then has again been wronged, Allah will surely help him. Verily! Allah indeed is Oft-Pardoning, Oft-Forgiving."

Each individual name is perfect, and when put together, it adds perfection upon perfection. 

- Surah an-Nisa [4:99]: 

"For these there is hope that Allah will forgive them, and Allah is Ever Oft Pardoning, Oft-Forgiving."

"فأولآئك عسى الله أن يعفو عنهم" - For these there is hope that Allah will forgive them

When the word "عسى" is mentioned in the Quran, it means that it will definitely happen.

"و كان الله عفوا غفورا" - and Allah is Ever Oft Pardoning, Oft-Forgiving.

The word كان indicates always. The meaning of these names never leave Allah. It is not like sometimes He is forgiving and other times He is not. He is always and forever عفوا غفورا (Oft-Pardoning, Oft-Forgiving).

- Surah Al-Ahzab [33:73]:

"So that Allah will punish the hypocrites, men and women, and the men and women who are AlMushrikun (the polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah, and in His Messenger Muhammad). And Allah will pardon (accept the repentance of) the true believers of the Islamic Monotheism, men and women. And Allah is Ever OftForgiving, Most Merciful."

- Surah Al-Fat'h [48:14]:

"And to Allah belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, He forgives whom He wills, and punishes whom He wills. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

- Surah Ta-Ha [20:82]:

"And verily, I am indeed Forgiving to him who repents, believes (in My Oneness, and associates none in worship with Me) and does righteous good deeds, and then remains constant in doing them, (till his death)."

العفو (Al-'Affuw) comes from عفو (Pardon)

الغفور (Al-Ghafoor) and الغفار (Al-Ghaffar) both come from غفران (Forgiveness)

التواب (At-Tawwab) comes from التوبة (Repentance) 

The Difference between العفو and الغفور

العفو (Al-'Affuw) is the one who erases sins and pardons bad deeds, and this is close to the meaning of الغفور (Al-Ghafoor) but more emphatic than it, because the core meaning of غفران (forgiveness) is to cover up, whilst the core meaning of عفو (pardoning) is to erase.

غفران (Forgiveness) is to not let anyone know about the sin and not let any bad effects come because of it. But the sin is still there in essence.

عفو (Pardoning) is erasing the sin so it is as if it never existed. Erasing is more emphatic than covering.

This is when the two names come together. But when they are mentioned separately, they each share the meaning of the other.

The Difference between الغفور and الغفار

Both contain emphasis, but الغفار (Al-Ghaffar) is extra emphasis that Allah is constantly and always forgiving sins. Even if the person sins again and again, Allah continues to forgive again and again.

The Meaning of the Name التواب

التواب is the One who gives the slave the Tawfeeq to make التوبة (Repentance) and then accepts it from him.

In Arabic: تاب محمد فتاب الله عليه
Some might ask why Iblees doesn't just ask for forgiveness. Because part of the meaning of the name التواب (At-Tawwab) is that you cannot repent unless Allah guides you to it.  Allah didn't put the inspiration to repent in him because of what He knew of his sins. This shows us the desperate need we have of Allah.

In Surah at-Tawbah [9:118]:

"And (He did forgive also) the three [who did not join the Tabuk expedition (whom the Prophet)] left (i.e. he did not give his judgement in their case, and their case was suspended for Allah's Decision) till for them the earth, vast as it is, was straitened and their ownselves were straitened to them, and they perceived that there is no fleeing from Allah, and no refuge but with Him. Then, He accepted their repentance, that they might repent (unto Him). Verily, Allah is the One Who accepts repentance, Most Merciful."

"ثم تاب عليهم ليتوبوا"
Allah accepted their repentance so that they could repent. The ability to repent came from Allah, who is at-Tawwab.

In [42:25] Allah informs us three things about himself:

"And He it is Who accepts repentance from His slaves, and forgives sins, and He knows what you do"

1) Allah accepts repentance when we make it
2) He wipes out bad deeds
3) And He knows what you do

The Impacts of these Names

العفو and المغفرة are from the lawazim. Allah is always like that; there is never a time when He isn't like that. The effects of it constantly encompass the creation in the day and night. Allah will always be known and described as that.

-> The shortcomings that are present in the creation deserve multiple forms of punishment, but Allah's pardoning and forgiveness repel those things that should really happen. Allah said in Surah Fatir [35:45]:

"And if Allah were to punish men for that which they earned, He would not leave a moving (living) creature on the surface of the earth, but He gives them respite to an appointed term, and when their term comes, then verily, Allah is Ever AllSeer of His slaves."

This is from the perfection of His forgiveness and mercy. 

In [16:61]:

"And if Allah were to seize mankind for their wrong-doing, He would not leave on it (the earth) a single moving (living) creature, but He postpones them for an appointed term and when their term comes, neither can they delay nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment)."

The عفو of Allah is of two types:

1) General Pardoning (عفوه العام)

Allah pardons the polytheists and disbelievers. The people of Thamud, for example, killed the she-camel and Allah gave them three days before punishment.They did what made them deserve immediate punishment, but Allah, out of His عفو, have them time. 

Allah keeps on giving the sinners blessings, those apparent and those hidden, although they are sinning. All these people will have is this world, but they don't even deserve that Allah gives them water to drink after what they have said and done. But because of His pardoning, He gave it to them.

Some of them will have an opportunity to be guided and repent.

2) Specific Pardoning (عفوه الخاص)

This is for the people who repent (توبة), seek forgiveness, make dua, worship Him, and who when they are hit with calamities seek forgiveness from Allah. In Surah at-Tahrim [66:8]:

O you who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance! It may be that your Lord will remit from you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise) the Day that Allah will not disgrace the Prophet (Muhammad) and those who believe with him, their Light will run forward before them and with (their Records Books of deeds) in their right hands they will say: "Our Lord! Keep perfect our Light for us [and do not put it off till we cross over the Sirat (a slippery bridge over the Hell) safely] and grant us forgiveness. Verily, You are Able to do all things."

"توبة نصوحا" - Sincere Repentance
This means it should be purely for Allah, covers all sins, with no reluctance or doubt, and no persistence on the sin. If you do that, Allah will forgive you no matter what the sin is.

All of this falls under the statement of Allah in Surah az-Zumar [39:53]:

"Say: "O 'Ibadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

If you die on the state of Shirk without having repented it is unforgivable. However, as long as you are alive, there is no sin you cannot repent from.

The texts from the Quran and Sunnah that mention Allah accepting the repentance of His slaves are many.

The Difference between توبة and استغفار
Tawbah is repentance and has requirements: to regret the sin, to have a firm resolution to stop committing it, etc.
Istighfar is merely asking Allah to cover your sin and to prevent the bad consequences of the sin from occurring.
A person who makes Tawbah makes Istighfar but a person who makes Istighfar hadn't necessarily fulfilled all the conditions of Tawbah.
However, even the person who doesn't fulfill all the conditions of Tawbah can have their sins forgiven, which shows us the mercy of Allah. The Prophet ﷺ said:

قال الله تعالى‏:‏ يا ابن آدم، إنك ما دعوتني ورجوتني غفرت لك على ما كان منك ولا أبالي، يا أبن آدم، لو بلغت ذنوبك عنان السماء، ثم استغفرتني غفرت لك ، يا ابن آدم، إنك لو أتيتنى بقراب الأرض خطايا، ثم لقيتني لا تشرك به شيئاً، لأتيتك بقرابها مغفرة‏"‏

Allah, the Exalted, has said: 'O son of Adam, I forgive you as long as you pray to Me and hope for My forgiveness, whatever sins you have committed. O son of 'Adam, I do not care if your sins reach the height of the heaven, then you ask for my forgiveness, I would forgive you. O son of 'Adam, if you come to Me with an earth load of sins, and meet Me associating nothing to Me, I would match it with an earthload of forgiveness." [At-Tirmithi]

According to some Scholars, this is أرجى حديث (The Hadith which gives the most hope). This Hadith does not mention التوبة (Repentance), it is about mere استغفار (Seeking repentance), so how about استغفار along with fulfilling the conditions of التوبة?

-> Also, from Allahs forgiveness and pardon He made good deeds wipe out bad deeds. Allah said in Surah Hud [11:114]:

"And perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), at the two ends of the day and in some hours of the night [i.e. the five compulsory Salat (prayers)]. Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (i.e. small sins). That is a reminder (an advice) for the mindful (those who accept advice)."

And the Prophet ﷺ said:

 اتبع السيئة الحسنة تمحها 

"...Do good deeds after doing bad ones, the former will wipe out the latter..." [At-Tirmithi]

-> From Allah's pardon is that He decrees calamities which wipe out your bad deeds. Some people think it is a punishment, but if it was a punishment you would not live to be able to say that Allah is punishing you. Rather, Allah makes you taste minor punishment in order to make you repent. 

Two people can be afflicted by a calamity. How do we know which is being punished and which is being shown mercy?  By the action the person takes.  If he shows patience and contentment, it's mercy. If he becomes angry with Allah and becomes like the one Allah mentioned in Surah al-Fajr he is closer to the punishment. But there is mercy in this punishment.  There is an overlap.  Allah sends calamities because of our sins and to make us repent. The person who turns back to Allah has acheived the desired result of the calamity. In Surah ar-Rum [30:41]:

"Evil (sins and disobedience of Allah, etc.) has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned (by oppression and evil deeds, etc.), that Allah may make them taste a part of that which they have done, in order that they may return (by repenting to Allah, and begging His Pardon)."

-> From the huge forgiveness of Allah is that the servant does the worst sins and most criminal things and Allah keeps being Lateef with him. Allah keeps on with His gentleness and subtlety even if they do the worst of sins and then Allah opens the servants heart to repentance and He accepts it, rather He gets happy in a way befitting His majesty when his servant repents, even though He is الغني الحميد (The All-Rich; The Praiseworthy)

The person committed a sin in front of Allah and in the end Allah rejoices at his repentance. This is immense forgiveness and pardoning of Allah.

Knowing these great names opens up opportunities to reach high levels with Allah especially if a person struggles against himself to fulfill the meanings of these names in his life. It will take him to the highest stations in Paradise.

The Application of the Names in our Lives:

1) لزوم الإستغفار - Seek forgiveness over and over again.
2) طلب العفو - Seek Allah's pardon
3) دوام التوبة - Be constant on Repentance
4) رجاء المغفرة - Hope for the forgiveness of Allah
5) البعد عن القنوط - Be far away from despairing in the Mercy of Allah
6) تعاظم غفران الذنوب - Feel the greatness of Allah's forgiveness of sins  

There is no sin that is too great for Allah no matter how high it reaches.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

عن ربه، تبارك وتعالى، قال‏:‏ “أذنب عبدي ذنباً، فقال‏:‏ اللهم اغفر لى ذنبي، فقال الله تبارك وتعالى‏:‏ أذنب عبدى ذنبا، فعلم أن له رباً يغفر الذنب، ويأخذ بالذنب، ثم عاد فأذنب، فقال‏:‏ أي رب اغفر لي ذنبي، فقال تبارك وتعالى‏:‏ أذنب عبدي ذنباً، فعلم أن له رباً يغفر الذنب، ويأخذ بالذنب، ثم عاد فأذنب، فقال‏:‏ أي رب اغفر لى ذنبي، فقال، تبارك وتعالى‏:‏ أذنب عبدي ذنباً، فعلم أن له رباً يغفر الذنب، ويأخذ بالذنب، قد غفرت لعبدى فليفعل ما شاء” 

Allah, the Exalted, and Glorious said: 'A slave committed a sin and he said: O Allah, forgive my sin,' and Allah said: 'My slave committed a sin and then he realized that he has a Rabb Who forgives the sins and punishes for the sin.' He then again committed a sin and said: 'My Rabb, forgive my sin,' and Allah said: 'My slave committed a sin and then realized that he has a Rabb Who forgives his sin and punishes for the sin.' He again committed a sin and said: 'My Rabb, forgive my sin,' and Allah said: 'My slave has committed a sin and then realized that he has a Rabb Who forgives the sin or takes (him) to account for sin. I have granted forgiveness to my slave. Let him do whatever he likes".

"Let him do whatever he likes" means that so long as he remains on the state he is in - which is returning in repentance to Allah - Allah will forgive whatever he does.

Source: - Points from Tim Humbles Names of Allah Lecture based on the Book "Fiqh Al-Asma" by Shaikh Abdur-Razzaq Al-Badr