Allah Forgives, Even At Your Darkest.

A reflection on the name Al-Ghaffar.

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"Where does the light of hope shine?" they ask.

I find it in the quiet corners of the night, when them smell of regret lingers heavier than air.

In the spaces between sobs where you don't have words but a heart breaking open to the One who alone can mend it.

Each Name of Allah has a unique story to tell. To show us a glimpse into how Allah wants us to know Him.

Today's name is Al-Ghaffar, (The Great Forgiver). The One who never gets weary of forgiving you and me over and over again. For those who come knocking at His door no matter how many times, He is always standing there to warmly welcome them into His forgiveness.

Have you ever wondered how many times is it too much to ask Allah for forgiveness? For me , I used to think there's a limit when Allah would stop listening. That He'll get tired of my never ending cycles and the promises I fail to keep up.

But I was wrong. Not once did I turn back to Him and not found Him embracing me with all my flaws, raw and open. As though, He knew my pain better than I could ever word out with my own mouth.

Allah is the Oft-Forgiving. He doesn't just forgive but also replaces your sins with good deeds as long as you sincerely repent and stay away from all sorts of haram.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

"There was a man among those who came before you who had killed ninety-nine people. Then he set out to ask whether his repentance could be accepted. He came upon a monk and asked him. The monk said: 'You have killed ninety-nine people! Your repentance cannot be accepted.' So the man killed him as well, completing one hundred.

Then he continued asking and came upon a scholar. He said, 'I have killed one hundred people. Is there any repentance for me?' The scholar said, 'Yes. Who can stand between you and repentance? But go to such-and-such town. In it are people who worship Allah. Go and worship with them and do not return to your land, for it is an evil place.'

So the man set off, but while he was on his way, death overtook him.

Then the angels of mercy and the angels of punishment began to argue over him.

The angels of mercy said: 'He came repenting, turning his heart toward Allah.' The angels of punishment said: 'He never did a good thing in his life.'

So Allah sent an angel to arbitrate between them. He said, 'Measure the distance between the two lands. Whichever he is closer to, that is where he belongs.'

They measured and found he was closer to the town of the righteous. So the angels of mercy took his soul."

This story teaches us a profound lesson that no one but only Al Ghaffar can forgive like this. For He doesn't just look at where or what you've been through but where exactly is your heart heading towards now.

It shows that no one can truly love you with such patience, and no human on this earth can forgive so freely and wholeheartedly like the Lord of the Heavens does.

But apart from the overwhelming amount of mercy Allah has for us let's not forget that it is not a free license to keep on sinning freely.

The story above and the attribute of how Allah forgives is not meant for us to take forgiveness for granted or think light of our wrongdoings. Rather, it reminds us of hope during those dark times, that no matter how far we've strayed, sincere repentance is always welcomed.

Because Allah looks at the intentions of your heart, not just your actions.

And true repentance isn't just about feeling guilty - it's about sincerely striving not to return to the same mistake again.

For He is Al-Ghaffar, the One who welcomes even the most shattered souls - not with judgement, but with love.

And in the end, it's His forgiveness that lifts us back.

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