… Continued
All these forms and others come under the category of wronging one another. Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {The cause is only against the ones who wrong the people….} [Quran 42:42]
If you are tempted by your position or power to wrong people, remember the power of Allah The Almighty over you. Perpetrating this type of injustice requires repentance on your part. In addition, repentance should be accompanied by some practical behavior, such as the reconciliation of the slave with the one he has wronged or abused, so that he can go to Hajj chaste and pure from any grudge or impurity, only seeking the love and pleasure of Allah The Almighty.
All the three categories mentioned above constitute wronging oneself.
In any case, the whole issue is referred only to Allah The Almighty. His mercy and forgiveness are always associated with His will only. Thus, He guides whom He wills and forgives whom He wills. His mercy and knowledge encompasses everything. The angels pray to Him Saying (what means): {…."Our Lord, You have encompassed all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who have repented and followed Your way and protect them from the punishment of Hellfire."} [Quran 40:7]
Allah The Almighty Says about His Mercy (what means):
· {…My Mercy encompasses all things….} [Quran 7:156]
· {Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills…..} [Quran 4:48]
No sooner does a man start walking along the path of sincerity towards Allah The Almighty than the following verse becomes applicable to him, where Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 25:70]
A person's feelings of guilt result in a sense of inferiority and worry. The Noble Quran provides us with a unique and successful means for treating the feeling of guilt; namely repentance. Repentance to Allah The Almighty obliterates sins and strengthens the hope for gaining the pleasure of Allah The Almighty. Thus, worries are alleviated and repentance usually leads man to amend and rectify himself, in order to avoid committing errors and acts of disobedience again. This helps to increase one's self esteem and self-confidence, which enables a person to enjoy the feelings of security and reassurance.
Allah The Exalted Says (what means):
· {Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He Who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."} [Quran 39:53]
· {And whoever does a wrong or wrongs himself but then seeks forgiveness of Allah will find Allah Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 4:110]
· {The repentance accepted by Allah is only for those who do wrong in ignorance [or carelessness] and then repent soon after. It is those to whom Allah will turn in forgiveness, and Allah is Ever Knowing and Wise.} [Quran 4:17]
· {And when those come to you who believe in Our verses, say, "Peace be upon you. Your Lord has decreed upon Himself mercy: that any of you who does wrong out of ignorance and then repents after that and corrects himself - indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 6:54]
· {But those who committed misdeeds and then repented after them and believed - indeed your Lord, thereafter, Is Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 7:153]
· {But indeed, I am the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents and believes and does righteousness and then continues in guidance.} [Quran 20:82]
· {And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins - and who can forgive sins except Allah? And [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know. Those - their reward is forgiveness from their Lord and gardens beneath which rivers flow [in Paradise], wherein they will abide eternally; and excellent is the reward of the [righteous] workers.} [Quran 3:135-136]
· {…Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.} [Quran 2:222]
To be continued …