Forgiveness

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Three things are of the noble qualities of this world and of the next world: to forgive those who do injustice to you, to establish relations with those who abandon you and to exercise forbearance when you are ignored.”’

“I heard him saying, “When the Day of Judgment comes, Allah, Blessed and Exalted, will gather the first and the last in a single plain. Then a caller will call out: 'Where are the people of virtue?' A group of people will rise, and the angels will meet them and say, 'What was your virtue?' They will reply, 'We used to maintain relations with those who cut us off, give to those who deprived us, and forgive those who wronged us.' It will be said to them, 'You have spoken the truth, enter Paradise.”

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘You must forgive. Forgiving increases one’s respect, therefore, forgive so Allah may respect you.’”

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘Regret for forgiving is better and easier than regret for being subjected to punishment.’”

“Abu al-Hassan Musa (a.s.) once was in his compound that had palm-trees. 1 looked at one of his slaves who had picked up a certain amount of dates. He threw it on the other side of the wall. I went and picked up what he had thrown and I brought it to the Imam. I said, ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, 1 found him and this amount of dates.’ The Imam called the slave, ‘O so and so.’ ‘Yes, sir,’ the slave replied. ‘Are you hungry?’ asked the Imam. ‘No, sir,’ replied the slave. ‘Do you need clothes?’ asked the Imam. ‘No, sir,’ replied the slave. ‘What for did then you take this many dates?’ inquired the Imam. ‘I just wanted,’ said the slave. ‘Take them. They are for you. Let him go,’ the Imam said to others.’”

“I heard abu al-Hassan (a.s.) saying, ‘Whenever two hostile parties face each other, the one who forgives to a greater degree comes out victorious.’”

“The Jewish woman who had poisoned the sheep to also poison the Holy Prophet was brought before him. He asked her, ‘What made you do this?’ She said, ‘I thought that if he is a prophet it will not harm him and if he is a king people will be relieved of his troubles.’ The Messenger of Allah forgave her.’”

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘There are three qualities with which Allah increases the respect of a Muslim: To be lenient to those who do injustice to him, to give to those who deprive him and to establish relations with those who neglect him.’”