14

 

 

Al-Gaffaar

 

Ġaffār

 

The Forgiver, The Forgiving

 

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Really as Bawa Muhaiyaddeen1 said, there is a universe behind each beautiful name of Allah. Ġaffār must be considered in relation to ġāfir, ġafūr, ġaffār. Of the three qualitative ġāfir, ġafūr and ġaffār, ġafūr is present 91 times in the Koran (72 times in association with rahīm). Ġaffār is present five times and ġāfir only once in the expression ġāfir ad-danb (Koran 40,3)2. It is usually accepted among commentators that these three terms only differ in intensity such as for Baġdādi3 and later on Qušayri3, for whom ġafūr is stronger than ġāfir, and ġaffār is stronger still.

 

For Abū Hātim3, ġāfir ad-danb (Koran 40,3), is used when a lone sin is forgiven. Ġafūr qualify the one who forgive sins usually. Ġaffār is for the one who does not stop from forgiving, one sin after another (danban ba‛d danbin), the gemination of the second letter meaning the repetition and multiplication.

 

For Ar-Râzî 4, The activity of Very-Forgiving (ghafűr) is larger than the one of forgiver (ghâfir), because the first name is built in an intensive form. In the same way, the function of the “One Who does not stop from forgiving” (ghaffâr) is stronger than that of the Very Forgiving because ghaffâr is a name, of frequentative form, that can be understood as “The One Who forgive sin after sin forever”

 

Her are some of the verses found in the Holy Koran2:

 

            20:82 “And surely I am Forgiving toward him who repents and believes and does good, then walks aright.”

 

38:66 “The Lord of the heavens and the earth and what is between them, the Mighty, the Forgiving.”

 

39:5 “Now surely He is the Mighty, the Forgiver.”

 

40:42 “You call me to disbelieve in Allah and to associate with Him that of which I have no knowledge, and I call you to the Mighty, the Forgiving.”

 

58:2 “And surely Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving.”

 

71:10 “So I have said: Ask forgiveness of your Lord; surely He is ever Forgiving:”

 

From a philologist perspective, the commentary is always the same. Ġafr, meant initially the fact of covering or concealing (satr, taġtiya). From that comes the name miġfar for the headgear armor (ġunnat ar-ra’s) because it ‘covers’ the head, or also, the one of ġafar by which the hair on a cloth such as made of wool or silk is designated because it ‘recovers’ and so hide and conceal the weft. Ar-Râzî 4 also mentioned that in the common usage ghafr means the action of covering (sitr). But Ar-Râzî 4 differs about the interpretation of the meaning of the word ġaffār  saying that: “Many are saying that the forgiveness (maġfira) of Allah towards his faithful means that He recovers their sins, that He hide them and does not allow them to show, does not point them out to them and furthermore does not show them to others”.

 

Ġafara would mean, to ‘keep hidden’, and not to ‘erase’ in the sense of ‘afā from which comes ‘afuww. In terms of sins, God would be qualified as ġafūr or ġaffār because He keeps them hidden, He does not reveal them to the creatures. Halīmī defines al-ġaffār: “ The one who is assiduous to keep hidden, and so, who does not reveal the sin (lā yašharu d-danb) in this world or in the hereafter”.

 

Ar-Râzî3 contested this way of looking at it.  If the maġfira consisted to hid sins, so that even their makers would not know, and so others, in that case it was not applied to Adam, Moďse, David, etc… Because God made public the fall of Adam, his disobedience in saying in Koran 2,36 :”fa-azallahumā š-šaytānu” and in Koran 20, 121:”wa ‘asā Ādaabbahu”. Adam and Eve confessed their fault (v 7,23: zalamnā anfusanā), that did not stop them to beg for the divine maġfira (the same verse says just after that wa in lam taġfir lanā), proof that there is contradiction between ġafara and azhara. The same apply for Moise v.28, 16 : rabbi innī zalamtu nafsī fa-ġfir lī.

 

Ar-Râzî 4 presents the following argument: “However, Allah did point out Adam’s fall (zalla, the slip) in this verse (Koran 2, 36): “But the devil made them slip from it, and caused them to depart from the state in which they were.” And (Koran 20, 121): “And Adam disobeyed his Lord, and was disappointed.” Allah mentioned such text in the Torah, the Scriptures, the Psalter and the Koran in numerous places. If forgiveness meant to recover or the occultation (sitr), the deviation (zalla) of Adam (Peace be upon him) could not have been forgiven. Or Adam, our father, said (Koran 7, 23) “Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves; and if Thou forgive us not, and have (not) mercy on us, we shall certainly be of the losers.” Even that he recognized this deviation, he asked for forgiveness. So forgiveness cannot be understood as recovering the sin. Another example with Moďse who recognized the sin and ask for forgiveness (Koran 28, 16): “My Lord, surely I have done harm to myself, so do Thou protect me; so He protected him. Surely He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.” Allah showed David’s sin and said (Koran 38, 25) “So We gave him this protection..” Also for Mohamed (Koran 49, 3) “Afin qu’Allah te pardonne ton péché passé et ŕ venir.”  (For Allah to forgive your past and future sins). So Allah mentioned the sin and added that He forgave him. It is obvious that the term forgiving (maġfira) cannot have the meaning of recovering or occultation (sitr). Allah forgiveness can be understood as to efface the excess (‘afw) or diversion (çafh) but only by metaphor because what is recovered and what disappear are both in need of the absence of manifestation. Or the participation at an imperfection is one of the reasons that determine the transgression (tajâwuz), and to erase the excess allude at the cessation of the punishment attached to it and implies the renunciation of it. For these reasons, we feel that the Name of Forgiver (ghâfir) is a divine Quality of action. This name express the renunciation of action and not its opposite.”

 

Ar-Râzî 4 mentions also that: “Those who say that the word “maġfira” is inclusive of the meaning of sitr, to conceal, use the following well known expression “O Celui qui manifeste la Beauté et qui recouvre la laideur (yâ man azhhara al-jamîl wa satara al-qabîh)”. They say that this concealment is inclusive of the life in the world and the hereafter.”

 

In the classic usage, šahara is used for a bad action. Elsewhere, Halīmī uses as opposite of ġafara or satara the word fadaha, that means to humiliate somebody in revealing his bad actions.

 

Ġazāli understand almost exclusively ġaffār (and ġafūr) in given them the meaning that God has kept the ugly hidden and manifested the beautiful. God keep hidden the bad thoughts of each one in the deepest part of the heart and He keeps our sins secret while He could rightfully reveal them to all.

 

In truth it is a bad argument3, all commentators understand that ġaffār means to forgive the sins, meaning to leave them unpunished. For ‘Abd al-Ğabbār, ġafūr and ġaffār mean that God does not execute the punishment while the sin that deserved it was perpetrated.

 

It might be useful to look at the point of view of the Sufis regarding forgiveness that is associated with the importance of repentance and the need to forget that is stronger even that to simply conceal or recover. Forgiveness will be considered under the different aspects of esoteric studies, mental purification, healing, wisdom and karma, and a study on forgiveness itself by Hazrat Inayat Khan.

 

  1. Esoteric studies

 

    1. The first aspect is the importance of tolerance and repentance (see Tawwāb, the acceptor of repentance or the action of turning from looking down towards the limited self to immersing oneself in the reality of the presence of God in each moment of one’s life with each breath). In a Bowl of Saki5, Hazrat Inayat Khan said: ”In order to learn forgiveness, one must first learn tolerance” The commentary by Samuel Lewis5 places much importance on repentance (see above) and less on forgiveness: ”This is true whether one offers forgiveness or begs forgiveness. To offer forgiveness without having understanding is no real forgiveness, for it does not absolve another from the sin, it does not free another from karma. The real forgiveness -- as exemplified in the lives of Christ and Mohammed -- is to give something to the one who has gone astray, to impart life and love and lesson so that one will not err again. The average so-called forgiveness which does not deter another from erring again has no value. Likewise, begging forgiveness is of no value unless there be repentance. If you are unwilling to repent, there is no gain and there may be a decided loss in begging pardon. Sufis have always placed considerable importance upon repentance, comparatively little upon forgiveness.” In the Koran (20, 82)2 we find the same idea of repentance and so to walk aright: ”And surely I am Forgiving toward him who repents and believes and does good, then walks aright.”

 

In the commentary on Sangatha SALUK: MORALS Series 2 of Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan by Murshid Samuel L. Lewis, Hazrat Inayat Khan emphasizes the importance of tolerance first (Tassawuf represents Samuel Lewis and Gatha represents Hazrat Inayat Khan13: “TASSAWUF: This is discussed in ‘Moral Culture” and elsewhere. One does not keep evil away by fighting it. This can make the lines of the evil still more intensely engraved in the mind. Then there are thought forms and they take nourishment from any attention paid to them, and lose vitality as they are deprived of psychic consideration. This is also taught in the lessons on “Forgiveness.”

 

GATHA: In order to learn forgiveness man must learn tolerance first. And there are people whom man cannot forgive. It is not that he must not forgive, and in that case the first thing he can do is to forget. The first step towards forgiveness is to forget.

 

TASSAWUF: This teaching is presented in the Gathas on Metaphysics. Gayan says: “Forgiveness belongs to God; it becomes the privilege of mortal man only when asked by another.” But many assume that they can and do forgive, and yet they do not always forget. A sore spot remains. This is not forgiveness.

 

If we were to study the Jewish Esotericism which is called Kabballah, it is not always verbal. In the higher stages it is not verbal at all. We have to learn the words, then the teachings implied by the words. Then we must absorb. It is not easy to absorb. Therefore there is the science of Ryazat, esotericism. Now we learn to use our bodies, minds and hearts in everything; not philosophically but actually. We learn the sciences of the psychic world and beyond. We practice them. We pray with the body, mind and heart and we do with the body, mind and heart. Therefore the disciple learns to move his body or a portion of it with the intent of absorbing psychic-currents and then heart currents. As he advances in this he makes the accommodation. And as the heart-circle widens, man consciously or unconsciously makes himself the Khalif of God on earth and the Sifat-i-Allah are reflected in him. Then forgiveness becomes natural.”

 

In the “Bowl of Saki14,” Feb. 18, we read: “He who expects to change the world will be disappointed, he must change his view. When this is done, then tolerance will come, forgiveness will come, and there will be nothing he cannot hear.” It also says (March 24) “The first sign of the realization of truth is tolerance.” And Sept. 11, “In order to learn forgiveness, man must first learn tolerance.”

 

In the Bestowal of Blessings, Samuel Lewis says: “For that and other reasons the wise do not retain harsh feeling and try to exhibit compassion. It is not man’s place to forgive until there is repentance and after that he should never fail to forgive. If one only knew the value of repentance, how important it is. Forgiveness is of God and man can only grant it, the Sufis say, when it is asked of him. Even the good people must pass the gate of Tauba (repentance) to enter the spiritual path, to travel the way of the heart.”

 

    1. The second aspect is the importance of love (see Wadud: Love, Lover and Beloved). In a Bowl of Saki6 : ”The quality of forgiveness that burns up all things except beauty is the quality of love” and Samuel Lewis comments: “This love is that which removes the boundaries between self and self. When there is no longer a this-self and that-self, there can no longer be pain of separation. This brings about pure forgiveness – not something mental, not a changed attitude of mind, but a changed attitude of heart.” We will see later on this allusion that there is something greater than law (Adl) and that is love (Wadud). In this Bowl of Saki8: “He who thinks against his own desire, he is his own enemy”, Samuel Lewis comments that the wisdom of God in His Mercy and Forgiveness allows one to *see* such as through the action of Tawwab and not to obtain blind relief from mistakes, so it is a transformation of consciousness, an evolution to another perspective. In that way, there is concealment or covering of the sins of duality, because one does not live in the sphere of duality but relative unity. Samuel Lewis says: “Once a thought or wish is released, its effect is influenced most by the original thinker, who is always attuned to it. If such a one says or thinks something against it, it immediately reaches the mental plane on the breath and destroys all the concentration that has been set up there. No accommodation being made on the mental plane, there can be any success on the physical plane. This is a wonderful law which makes man the master of his own destiny, and gives him what is erroneously called freedom of will, but which is strictly speaking, continuous opportunity to do good, no matter how many the shortcomings or how often the repetition of serious mistakes. That is to say, the Mercy and Forgiveness of God are characterized by the Wisdom which enables man to *see*, not by any blind relief from mistakes. But neither is man punished other than in his failure to succeed until he understands and practices the Law -- mental, moral or spiritual.”

 

The Sufi’s constant attitude towards others is that of love and forgiveness9. We read in the Bible, “God is love.” What does love mean? Love means forgiveness, love does not mean judging9. Hazrat Inayat Khan adds in the Gathekas for candidates9:

 

In the same way, forgiveness, where there is love, is not a very difficult thing. A child comes before his mother, having offended her a thousand times, and asks her forgiveness. There is no other to go to. It does not take a moment for the heart of the mother to forgive. Forgiveness was waiting there to be manifested. One cannot help being kind when there is feeling. A person whose feeling goes out to another strikes a note of sympathy in every person; the person finds the point of contact in every soul they meet, because they have love. There are people who say, “But is it not unwise to give oneself in outgoing tenderness to everyone, because people are not trustworthy?” I should say, “If a person is good and kind, this goodness ought to be manifested to everyone, the doors of the heart should not be closed.”

 

    1. The third aspect is the importance of forgetting. “The first step towards forgiveness is to forget.7” Samuel Lewis comments: “That is to say, remove all remembrance of the act from the mind. The one who has done wrong does this best by a complete change of attitude, so great a change that the mind will not again succumb to a similar temptation, will not permit the ego to sway it in the wrong direction. The one who has been wronged should steel himself against being wronged again. In the first stage, one completely erases all recollection from the mind or ceases to regard the deed as an evil one -- especially if one has learned a living lesson through the experience. This prepares one for the higher condition which is not to be insulted, not be wronged or hurt by another. This shows the real spiritual advancement on the part of a person, that he or she is not affected or harmed by the acts, thoughts or words of another.” In this comment, forgiveness is clearly understood as linked to forgetting, more strongly than even concealment or recovering.

 

  1. Mental purification

 

In this study on concentration in the Githas, Hazrat Inayat Khan said: “Prayer is a concentration and fear is a concentration, and as prayer brings things that are desired by the prayerful, so fear brings things that are feared, and in both cases mastery is absent.In the first case there is weakness owing to dependence upon another, and the other case, still greater weakness that makes one fear. Mastery lies in creative concentration of mind. The mind impressed by one’s faults and by one’s weaknesses becomes feeble and meets failures, and cannot hold a desired thought with hope and trust. In that case prayer alone comes to his rescue, when he thinks,” I am wicked and weak, but Thou art forgiving and almighty, my Lord. I have no power to accomplish my desire, but Thou are most powerful.” In this way one can keep alive the flame of trust and hope, in spite of one’s faults and weaknesses. Sometimes one can, and sometimes one cannot. One cannot when one ’s mind is too much impressed by one ’s weakness and faults, and when one thinks,” It is impossible that I shall be forgiven,” and when one thinks,” God is too far away to listen to my prayers. I, the sinner, am living in the wicked world, and God, the Holy of Holies, is in Heaven.”

 

Also in the commentary on Mental Purification17, Gatheka is Hazrat Inayat Khan and Tassawuf is Samuel Lewis:

 

GATHEKA: This also explains the attitude of Christ. When a criminal was taken to him he had no other attitude towards him than that of the forgiver. He saw no evil there. That is looking from a higher reason. And if we penetrate the thousand veils of reason we can touch the reason of all reasons, and we can come to an understanding that the other reasons can not give. And by that we understand all beings; those who are in the right and those who are in the wrong.

 

TASSAWUF: Many talk and even talk glibly about different stages of consciousness. Yes, there are many stages of consciousness, but they are certainly not variations of the same state of consciousness which each person may have. Transcendency involves change of outlook and increased dimensionality of vision. But when increased dimensionality becomes a mere thought form it has no value at all, it is just a noise. That is why many see no great changes in religious people who claim spiritual rebirth without a radical change in functions and outlook.

 

  1. Healing

 

In the commentary on Insight11, Samuel Lewis addresses the issue of health and healing through forgiveness and forgetting: “TASSAWUF11: There are several ways in which the heart tells of the past. One is the direct method of reconnaissance, or of what French calls raconteuring. Some people like to talk about their pasts and their habit sometimes helps them to recall more. But the mystic also believes that the way toward forgiveness and indeed toward hatred and all evil emotions is by forgetting. When one forgets lines are removed both from the physical body and the mind. As lines are removed, peacefulness may set in. As this sort of peacefulness comes in, it is like removing what the Hindus call samskaras. When samskaras are removed the mind becomes more easily purified. When mind becomes more easily purified one is protected or cured of the most vicious diseases.”

 

In the original Sangatha, Suras on Breath, Samuel Lewis says19 on God forgiving our short-comings:

 

In Genesis III, 8, the Voice of God is associated with the Ruach, the spiritual breath. This is the great mystery which becomes clear. When the Voice is heard in the Cosmic HU or in any of the nine subsidiary sounds of Saute Surmad, know that God is present and the Light is flowing through your being. This is the first step toward resurrection.

 

This light of God in you can pierce every nufs and perceive every thought. When it is said man is veiled, what veils man? It is his nufs. The etheric element makes everything indistinct, but this is true only so long as this veil of the nufs prevents Divine Omniscience from expressing itself. It is the nature of the soul to see, and it is the nufs which prevents it from seeing.

 

The nufs of another does not hinder our sight, only his sight. That is why it is much easier to overcome the opposition of another than to dominate one’s own evil thought. The law is this: the nufs of one person can dominate the soul of that person and can dominate the nufs of another person but can never dominate the soul of another person.

 

This is perceptible from two points of view. The law manifests in the average man in the analytical faculty. He can see the short-comings of another. Even when another justifies himself, the other’s heart can see that person’s faults. Among the sages, especially with the masters, the law presents another aspect, that is, to one who has overcome his own nufs, the nufs of another offers no real hindrance in life except where consciously or unconsciously he (not God) has given them that power.

 

The consequence of this law is that overcoming one’s own short-comings (which is really done by God, Who forgives our short-comings) we are also able to see more into another person’s nature.

 

This makes spiritual healing possible. Health is the normal state but weakness is the average condition. Fikar is the best preservative of health because thought of God restrains the nufs. All weakness has some mental correspondence, even when the cause is not mental, that is to say, even if the disease came for purely physical reasons. Mind really has power over matter, when the spiritual light flows therein health should be a normal state. Fikar restrains disease by purifying the breath and preventing the mind from recording all the earthly impressions. In that way, even the purely physical disabilities can be mastered.

 

  1. Wisdom

 

In the commentary on the Inner life15, Hazrat Inayat Khan as “Gatha” and Samuel Lewis as “Tassawuf” said: “Gatheka: When man pictures God as Forgiver, he finds that there is not only in this world a strict justice, but there is love developed also, there is mercy and compassion, there is that sense of forgiveness; that God is not the servant of law, as is the judge in this world, He is Master of law. He judges when He judges; when He forgives He forgives. He has both powers, He has the power to judge and He has the power to forgive.

 

Tassawuf: Sura CX reads: “Celebrate the praises of the Lord, and pray for His forgiveness for

He is oft-returning (in Grace and Mercy).” (v.3) The full sense of this comes when, after constant repetition, one feels the import of the words of prayer.

 

Gatheka: He is Judge because He does not close His eyes to anything man does; He knows, He weighs, and measures, and He returns what is due to man. And He is Forgiver, because beyond and above His power of justice there is His great power of love and compassion, which is His very Being, which is His one Nature, and therefore it is more, and in greater proportion, and working with a greater activity than His power of justice.

 

Tassawuf: This is not always seen by writers and philosophers. They judge from the externals. They are not wrong but also they do not always go deep. If everything were like in the physical law of cause and effect, action and reaction, then there would be no evolution, no progress. Whatever things were, however they were created, there could be no change. But there is change, there is advancement. And when we look more deeply we can find the Sifat-i-Allah pushing themselves, so to speak, through every facet of creation in some way or other.

 

Gatheka: We, the human beings in this world, if there is a spark of goodness or kindness in our hearts, avoid judging people. We prefer forgiving to judging. Forgiving gives us naturally a greater happiness than taking revenge, unless a man is on quite a different path.

                            

Tassawuf: Despite many injunctions from many prophets, man is prone to judge. Looking outwardly, each sees the injustices of others. But at the same time there is a protective quality. Man wants to protect his own. Some mothers will go far out of their way to protect or excuse or defend their children. This shows that in selfish and unselfish alike there are other factors working than evenly-laid-out justice. Inveighing against injustice is no good. The just man becomes strong. The forgiving man becomes stronger and thus becomes the example to be followed.

 

Gatheka: The fourth principle is to love unceasingly all those who deserve love, and to give to the undeserving their forgiveness; and this is continually practiced by them.

 

Tassawuf: This must be practice, not philosophy. One begins with those close at hand and radiates the love gradually to all mankind. As one begins to feel the Divine Presence this becomes easier. It cannot be otherwise.”

 

  1. Karma

 

In the “Gayaniat16” Samuel Lewis commented on the subject of forgiveness and karma:

 

“Forgiveness belongs to God; it becomes the privilege of mortal man only when asked by another.” For forgiveness means that one avoids the karma of his evil act and only God can void the karma of it. When there is repentance of heart, the Divine Grace is offered which purifies all sin. Nevertheless while man cannot avoid the effect of karma he can void the cause, he can refuse to accept the evil done him as evil or regard the insult as insult and then when the wrong-doer asks himself forgiveness, by refusing to recognize the wrong as wrong he exerts the privilege of forgiveness in that moment, which is the only time he has that opportunity. Otherwise if he accepts the evil as evil he adds to the storehouse of evil and aids in the force of Samsara even as the wrong-doer does.

 

“No one can be human and not make a mistake.” The human person is one who still has limitations which means that he may fail before man or fail before God. No man is perfect before man or need be, for to be perfect in this sense he would have to follow humanity and never lead; for to lead humanity one must perhaps do that which has not been done before, and there is no greater opportunity for making mistakes than starting in a new direction. But this starting in a new direction is also a characteristic of initiation, going toward God, and as God is All-Forgiving and All-Wise He recognizes that man seldom fulfills his purpose at one bound, so that man may err, but man may be forgiven and offered opportunities anew.

 

  1. Prayer for forgiveness

 

In this Commentary on Sangatha: “TAKUA TAHARAT: EVERYDAY LIFE10”, Hazrat Inayat Khan says: “GATHA: As a practice of purifying one’s heart is to repeat every morning and every evening: “My thoughtful self! Reproach no one, hold a grudge against no one, bear malice against no one; be wise, tolerant, considerate, polite and kind to all!” to which Samuel Lewis comments: “TASSAWUF10: This practice is called Dowa. In Islam there is a difference between Nimaz, or prayers in praise of God, and Dowa, beseeching God either for self-protection or for some attribute or gift, physical or non-physical. There is no doubt that Mohammed, under Divine impetus, was trying to make prayer something more than a beseeching for forgiveness of sins or accumulation of worldly possessions. These have put a limitation on prayer so great that there have been reactions to it. The ignorant and emotional people have taken away all the beauty of holiness. They have retained the words. Almost everyone can see there is a far cry from prayers and their answers and almost all the activities in man where answers come more or less naturally. This means either that prayer and praying are of little value, or we are not praying properly. Ignorant devotees do not conceive of “My thoughtful self.” All Prophets and Messengers of God have emphasized him, but institutional prayer and the wont of the generality has been in placing the ego-self first. When the ego-self is placed first it is rather difficult to become wise, and tolerant, and considerate, and polite. When God is placed first it is easy and natural. The aim here is to purify the heart. In the end one comes to Mujahida, the great Jihad, or the purification of the heart from every form of selfishness. The last period of the life of Mohammed was almost entirely directed so. And when it is properly perceived that after vanquishing all his external enemies his efforts were directed toward overcoming his own weakness, the world will have both an ideal and exemplary which will be of universal benefit.”

 

This commentary addresses the issue of true form of prayer and again of the importance of Tawwab, repentance, purification of the heart or turning away from the ego-self first, to be more than just asking for forgiveness of sins. The notion of the meaning of ġaffār, to recover or to conceal, happens naturally when there is repentance since there is transmutation to another state of consciousness. The devotee having entered the presence of God, through His love (Wadud) experiences His forgiveness (ġaffār).

 

On the Performance of Zikar by Murshid Samuel L. Lewis20 (Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti), he says that the prayer means: “O Lord Who is worshipped in the unseen worlds on high, may Thou also be worshipped in the world below. Grant us Thy sustenance and forgive us our shortcomings as the spirit of forgiveness and forbearance appears in us. May our love for Thee be so great that we shall be delivered from all the temptations and trials of this world.”

 

  1. Forgiveness

 

In the Commentary on Sangatha TASSAWUF: METAPHYSICS, Series 2 of Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan by Murshid Samuel L. Lewis12, on the subject of forgiveness:

 

“TOWARD THE ONE, THE PERFECTION OF LOVE, HARMONY AND BEAUTY, THE ONLY BEING; UNITED WITH ALL THE ILLUMINATED SOULS WHO FORM THE EMBODIMENT OF THE MASTER, THE SPIRIT OF GUIDANCE. FORGIVENESS

 

GATHA: They say “Forgive and forget”, which is very expressive of the process of forgiveness. It is impossible to forgive unless you can forget.

 

TASSAWUF: Forgiving by itself is an egocentric activity. The teachings are that one cannot offer forgiveness by oneself. He can do so only when asked by another. There are self-proud people who say that they forgive but if they remember the incident or the person they are not forgiving actually. Only when episodes are entirely removed from the mind can forgiveness be automatic and then no negative samskaras remain in the mind. The danger is not in receiving or not receiving a grievance; the danger is in the unconscious assumption of the ego-self. Every grievance either produces or assumes a duality, and separateness. We may repeat “Toward the One” and “United with All”, but until this reaches deep into our consciousness, separateness remains. When it is surmounted there is no longer scope for offenses, grievances, pains and so for forgiveness.

 

GATHA: What keeps man from forgiving his fellow-man is that he holds the fault of another constantly before his view. It is just like sticking a little thorn in one’s own heart and keeping it there and suffering the pain. It may also be pictured as putting a drop of poison in one’s own heart and keeping it there until the whole heart becomes poisoned.

 

TASSAWUF: The veil of nafs tends to hold the faults of others before the view. It throws a shadow on sight and Insight alike. Then the faults of others seem realities and whatever virtues they have may seem unimportant. This is exactly the opposite as with the wise. The wise may reach a state where differences and distinctions vanish; where faults and virtues are of no special accord. They see the unlimited possibilities of unity and brotherhood and the relative unimportance of short-comings, that these will inevitably pass away because all people have in them the seeds of perfection, of perfectibility. All ill-will, envy, jealousy and such negative emotions and attitudes are poisons and not only in the symbolical sense but actually. When we hold on to one of them we produce poisons in our body, in our system. That is the source of many virulent diseases. The free heart is the best prophylactic against discomfort and disease.

 

GATHA: Verily, blessed are the innocent, who do not notice anybody’s fault, and the greater credit is to the mature souls who, recognizing a fault, forget it and so forgive.

 

TASSAWUF: We can refer here to the life of Rabia, the great Sufi lady saint of Basra, in Iraq. She held to the view that those concerned with Allah would not notice pleasure or pain, good or ill in themselves or others. This is really the standpoint of the innocent, very far from that of the ignorant. Riza, satisfaction, Sufis claim, was with Allah, in Allah. Gayan teaches that one need not blame others but this does not mean overlooking faults, but overlooking blame for faults. Judgment is in the hands of God, not of mankind.

 

GATHA: How true are the words of Christ, “Let those throw a stone who have not sinned.” The limitations of human life make man subject to faults; some have more faults, some have less, but there is no soul without faults. As Christ says, “Call me not good.”

 

TASSAWUF: Call not the ego (me) good. Goodness and ego do not go together. Goodness belongs to God (Allah) along with all other attributes of perfection. To find goodness we must get away from ego. The Islamic prayer “Praise be to Allah” suggests that all praise belongs to Allah. Mankind has assumed not only the arrogance to judge and condemn others, but also to praise and both of these are contrary to holy writ and both accord with the habits of ego (nafs). The statement, “There is no soul without faults” really means there is no ego without faults. The soul itself is pure and unstained, a point on which many scriptures agree. And this is also the standpoint of the Prajna Paramita Sutras of the Mahayana Buddhists.

 

GATHA: Forgiveness is a stream of love which washes away all impurities wherever it flows.

 

TASSAWUF: The principle of the stream-of-love is basic to Sufism. It is fundamental to the principle of God as the Perfection of Love, Harmony and Beauty. It is the operation of Life in action. Life in action not only produces Love, it is love itself.

 

GATHA: By keeping this spring of love, which is in the heart of man running, man is able to forgive, however great the fault of his fellow-man may seem. One who cannot forgive closes his heart.

 

TASSAWUF: There is a concentration on Heart and it may be either in the form of looking at a picture or symbol of Heart or it may be by identifying oneself with the innermost recesses of one’s heart or by combining them. When this takes place there is outbreak of Light and Baraka. When there is this outbreak there is a transformation of personality and character. One feels full of RAHMAT, which is to say both Compassion and Mercy, Rahman and Rahim. We may say here that Ilm, the true knowledge, leads to Ishk, selfless love. But it is also true that Ishk leads to Ilm. As Rabia, the lady saint, said, “In the presence of Allah there is no sense of pleasure or pain, of rebuke or rejoicing.” And when the Heart-love streams forth, as is declared in the principles of Sufism, ancient and modern, one will naturally forgive, one will be unable to receive insults as insults.

 

GATHA: The sign of spirituality is that there is nothing you cannot forgive, there is no fault you cannot forget.

 

TASSAWUF: For when nafs is no longer dominant, there is no focus to receive praise or blame personally. There is no sense of being other than Allah and as Allah has created everyone, one cannot blame the creations of the creator. No doubt there are persons at many states and stages of evolution. But this very knowledge makes one feel compassion to all the race.

 

GATHA: Do not think that he who has committed a fault yesterday must do the same today, for life is constantly teaching and it is possible in one moment a sinner may turn into a saint.

 

TASSAWUF: Buddha taught incessant change and it is well to accept such a view. Indeed modern scientists are coming to the same view. For the soul is full of light and the heart of compassion. Every experience tends to unshackle the veils, although pain, distress and opposition do this much more quickly than pleasure and self-satisfaction. We are changed by every experience.

 

GATHA: At times it is hard to forgive, as it is hard to take away the thorn that has gone deep into one’s heart. But the pain that one feels in taking away the thorn deep-set in the heart is preferable to keeping the thorn in the heart constantly.

 

TASSAWUF: So long as one feels pleasure and pain, elation or depression, this shows the dominance of nafs. When one performs the Heart-concentration as above; or when one learns to live in the Heart-vibrations, the tendency toward elation or depression will weaken. One will achieve a kind of bravery (not bravado) to stand up against all vicissitudes of life and [ex-]/[accept?] them naturally, as belonging to life. Then one can hold no ill-will against anybody in particular. But suppose someone harms you, or makes it a point to harm others? That is the time to test one’s faith and even one’s own spirituality. For all such persons are subject to karma, they fall, at best, under the Law of Reciprocity. Evil never dominates for long; it is subject to time-processes and the wheel-of-the-law.

 

GATHA: The greater pain of a moment is better than the mild pricking going on constantly. Ask him who forgives what relief there is in forgiveness.

 

TASSAWUF: For this is a lightening of one’s own tensions and depressions. The lightening of tension and depression frees one from illness; the retention thereof is a cause of many sicknesses. Besides if one practices Akhlak Allah, the Presence of God; or learns to inhale and exhale the light breath (opposite of heavy), the whole personality will feel a freedom and relief.

 

GATHA: Words can never explain the feeling of the heart when one has cast out the bitter feeling from one’s heart by forgiving and when love spreads all over within oneself, circulating like warm blood through one’s whole being.

 

TASSAWUF: Thought of wrong keeps the heart spotted; even the attitude of the existence of “right” and “wrong” is not very helpful in promoting understanding. And feeling itself tends to keep alive the sense-of-self and to limit the feeling of the Divine Presence. There is a story of Mohammed purging himself or being purged of a drop of blood which is in “The Unity of Religious Ideals.” This was to give the example that all of us may go through a similar process; Mohammed never arrogated specialities for and to himself and constantly said he was like everyone else. So we can all purge ourselves of the poison in the heart. Then we have the warm blood circulating through our veins; then we have the Love (Ishk) penetrating our personality.

 

For members of the Inner Circle only.

 

He who repeats this Name ("YA-GHAFFAR") will be forgiven his sins. "Al-Ghaffar" is the One Who has manifested what is beautiful and veiled what is ugly in the life of this world and Who does not inflict penalty on him in the life hereafter. He is the One Who forgives sins, veils the shortcomings, wipes out the sins by accepting one's repentance. He is the One Who Forgives the sins though they may be great, and He veils them though they may be numerous. To emulate the name we are advised to try to see the good in people and to overlook their evil traits, and to be endowed with the spirit of forgiveness20.

Al-Ghazali21 refers to the importance of concealment pointing out how the outward body conceals the disgusting inner parts. How the thoughts of man so frequently wicked or mischievous are kept hidden within man's heart. How after death the believer has his sins changed into good deeds or covered by the merits of his good deeds. He tells the story of Lord Jesus who with his disciples was passing the carcass of a dead dog. The disciples commented on its foulness while Jesus merely said: “What beautiful white teeth he has”, thus implying that what should be mentioned about a thing is what is best in it.

( Koran 2, 235)2 ...Wa'-lamuuu 'annal-laaha ya' amu maa fiii 'anfusikum fah-zaruuh; wa'- lamuuu 'annallaaha Ghafuurun Haliim. “And know that Allah knows what is in your minds, so beware of Him; and know that Allah is Forgiving, Forbearing.”

Ar-Râzî 4 presents the expressions derived from the name forgive maġfira:

            A. Qualities of Allah expressing forgiveness:

1.        al-Ghâfir: the forgiver of sins (Koran 11:3) “And ask forgiveness of your Lord, then turn to Him.”

2.        al-Ghafűr: (Koran 18:58) “And thy Lord is Forgiving, Full of mercy.” And (Koran 4:110) “And whoever does evil or wrongs his soul, then asks forgiveness of Allah, will find Allah Forgiving, Merciful.”, and (Koran 39:53) “surely Allah forgives sins altogether. He is indeed the Forgiving, the Merciful.”

3.         al-Ghaffâr (Koran 71:10)  “So I have said: Ask forgiveness of your Lord; surely He is ever Forgiving:”

 

The above examples show that these three names come from maġfira, the forgiveness of Allah.

 

B.       Corresponding to these names are the qualities of sinfulness from the faithful.

a.        al-Zhâlim: the unjust (Koran 35:32) “Then We have given the Book as inheritance to those whom We have chosen from among Our servants: so of them is he who wrongs himself, and of them is he who takes a middle course, and of them is he who is foremost in deeds of goodness by Allah’s permission. That is the great grace.”

b.       al-Zhalűm: the very unjust (Koran 33:72) “Surely he is ever unjust, ignorant.”

c.        al-Zhallâm: the one who does not stop being unjust (Koran 39:53) “Say: O My servants who have been prodigal regarding their souls, despair not of the mercy of Allah; surely Allah forgives sins altogether. He is indeed the Forgiving, the Merciful.” (Dis! O mes serviteurs qui ont été excessifs envers leur âmes…). The one who has been prodigal or excessif (asrafa) in his disobedience is one who is always unjust.

 

C.      Correspondence of these three couple of names:

a.        If you are unjust (Zhâlim) , Allah is forgiving (Ghâfir)

b.       If you are very unjust (Zhalűm), Allah is very forgiving (Ghafűr)

c.        If you are always unjust (Zhallâm), Allah is always forgiving (Ghaffâr)

 

(Koran 15:56) Do not be of those who despair because: “He said: And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord but the erring ones?”

 

D.      Forms of forgiveness

 

a.        (Koran 38:24 & 25) This verses about the past shows that those who ask forgiveness and come back to Allah receive forgiveness. “so he asked his Lord for protection, and he fell down bowing and turned to God.” And “So We gave him this protection, …”

b.       This verse about the future (Koran 4, 116) “and He forgives all besides this to whom He pleases.” And (Koran 39:53) “Say: O My servants who have been prodigal regarding their souls, despair not of the mercy of Allah; surely Allah forgives sins altogether. He is indeed the Forgiving, the Merciful.”

c.        Some verses have an order to teach the faithful (Koran 2, 286): “And pardon us! And grant us protection! And have mercy on us!”

d.       Finally in other verses, the verbal name (maçdar): the act of forgiving, (ghufrân) the forgiveness that shows up (Koran 2, 285): “our Lord, Thy forgiveness (do we crave), and to Thee is the eventual course.” And (Koran 13, 6): “And surely thy Lord is full of forgiveness for mankind notwithstanding their iniquity.”

Ar-Râzî 4 discussed the subtleties contained in the Koran about forgiveness as follows:

(Koran 40, 1 to 3) “Beneficent God!, The revelation of the Book is from Allah, the Mighty, the Knowing. Forgiver of sin and Acceptor of repentance, Severe to punish, Lord of bounty. There is no God but He; to Him is the eventual coming.”

 

1.        The one who forgives the sin of the sinner and accept repentance of those who come back

2.        He forgives sin by compassion. He accepts repentance.

3.        The one who forgives the sin of the unjust and accept repentance of the one that come back towards the goal.

4.        Abű Bakr al-Wasitî said “the one who forgives the sin of those who say “lâ ilâha illâ-llâh” and who is intense in the punishment of those that refuse the reality of lâ ilâha illâ-llâh.

 

Allah mentioned four of His Qualities in this verse, three about the Faithful and one about the unfaithful. The forgiveness, the acceptance of repentance, the Lord of bounty are applied to the faithful, the severity of punish to the unfaithful. There is wisdom in enouncing three qualities for the faithful corresponding to (Koran 35, 32) “Then We have given the Book as inheritance to those whom We have chosen from among Our servants: so of them is he who wrongs himself, and of them is he who takes a middle course, and of them is he who is foremost in deeds of goodness by Allah’s permission. That is the great grace.” The unfaithful represents one kind (Koran 10, 32): “Such then is Allah, your true Lord. And what is there after the truth but error?”

 

Allah told his messenger to behave in the best manner towards the poor:

 

(Koran 6, 52) “And drive not away those who call upon their Lord, morning and evening, desiring only His pleasure.

(Koran 18, 28) :”And keep thyself with those who call on their Lord morning and evening desiring His goodwill, and let not thine eyes pass from them, desiring the beauties of this world’s life.”

 

(Koran 71, 10) “So I have said: Ask forgiveness of your Lord; surely He is ever Forgiving” (innahu kâna ghaffâran). But Allah does not say “is” ever Forgiving (innahu ghaffârun) but is (kâna) ever Forgiving from before eternity, the world of the soul, the beginning  (awwal) to the world of form, the world of creations, this world (dunyā) to the world of hereafter, the world of resplendent light, the world of complete perfection, the kingdom of God (ākhir)  qualified by the Fonction of the One Who does not stop from forgiving (ghaffâriyya). So do not be surprise that Allah forgives your sins.

(Koran 15, 49) “Inform My servants that I am the Forgiving, the Merciful.” (nabi ‘idâdî annî annâ-l-ghafűru-r-rahîmu)

Ar-Râzî 4  in his saying from the masters on this three divines names derived of forgiveness quoted this:

The Forgiver who possess the science of certitude (ilm al yaqin), the very Forgiver who has the eye of certitude (ain al yaqin) and the one who does not stop from forgiving who has the truth of certitude (haqq al yaqin).

 

In the Sangatha, Hazrat Inayat Khan clarified forgiveness as a practice18:

 

“The fifth characteristic of the Sufi is to practice forgiveness, showing thereby the Divine Spirit reflected in his heart. Forgiveness can be practiced in different ways. In all such things as tolerance, forgetting, overlooking, forgiveness acts in different forms. The Sufi need not speak about these five principles, but practice them. The Sufi does not profess to have these five characteristics, but he tries to practice these principles, which enables him to tread the path with less difficulty and with ease.

 

Does God not always forgive? (Note: The meaning of this question was affirmative and not negative: “Does God not always forgive?”)

 

A. Yes, but by asking consciously God’s forgiveness, God’s forgiveness comes in our consciousness. God has forgiven already, but by asking God’s forgiveness it reflects in our consciousness, also in the consciousness of the one whom we wish that would forgive us. In the East there is, the Prophet Mohammed told his followers that, “No matter how much good you have done, but if your parents remain dissatisfied with you, you are not forgiven.” And what is the meaning of this? The meaning is this, that God always forgives, and who does not forgive is man; and that parents, we owe to them, to the parents, a great deal, the most, I mean. And only by asking their forgiveness can that debt be paid. But not paying it back; because we can never pay them back. In the same light we can see this idea with every person. It is easy for us to forgive another, but it is difficult to get the forgiveness from another, because we can forgive another person if we want to. But another person will not forgive us if we want to. And therefore, to forgive is easy, and to get forgiveness of another is most difficult. And God’s forgiveness is always there, but man’s forgiveness must be obtained. That can be obtained by making our consciousness saturated with God’s forgiveness. That, reflecting in the person who has not forgiven, it will come to us.

 

And if a person is clear of vision he will feel it; just like one feels cold or heat he will feel the forgiveness of another person. And it is so easy to offend, and it is difficult to make up. In just a least little thing we can offend another without knowing it, and to make up it is so difficult. It is just like lifting a mountain. You can ask and ask and you can do and do what you like, what you can, and may not be forgiven. Because many people are unable to forgive. They cannot forgive. They are not capable of forgiving. They cannot forgive because they cannot forget. The first step in forgiving is to forget. And not everybody is capable of forgetting. It is an impression which can be deeply rooted in a person. They never can forget. Even if a person wanted to forget he cannot forget. And if one cannot forget, then one cannot forgive. If a person says, “Oh yes, I forgive you,” that is not enough. He must first forget. Then only, he can forgive. And the one who has got the key to get the forgiveness of another, that is the man who conquers the world.”

 

What is most wonderful in the study of the Arabic word ġaffār is the realization that the root of the word was built to indicate the association of forgiveness with the notion of concealment or forgetting, such as in the sayings of Hazrat Inayat Khan that was mentioned for the Bowl of Saki7 where he said that the first step in forgiveness is to forget. It is also wondrous to realize the relationship among the beautiful names of Allah such as in ġāfir, ġafūr and ġaffār, and also with waddud, tawwab, halim and ‘afuww and many others. It is said that when one knows the 99 beautiful names of God that he may enter paradise. In a way, the 99 beautiful names are like a roadmap for the initiate to follow in order to get closer to its goal of unity in the presence of God. One is reminded of the melting pot of the alchemist, all the qualities being interrelated must be mixed in the pot with great care in order to produce the right recipe. This is a dynamic process starting with love, repentance and tolerance for the student on the path of Sufism. However, one must not forget the fire under the pot. It is not enough to know about the fire (Ilm al Yaqin or knowledge of certitude, associated with ġāfir), to see the fire with our own eyes (Ain al Yaqin or the eye of certitude, associated with ġafūr) but to become one with the fire (Haqq al Yaqin or the truth of certitude, associated with ġaffār). The transmutation of consciousness bring a whole new way to perceive the true meaning of the word ġaffār, when the heart is purified, then one becomes forgiveness.

 

Most Merciful and Compassionate God,

            Give us Thy great Goodness;

            Teach us Thy loving Forgiveness; (Khatum, Hazrat Inayat Khan)

 

All-powerful Creator, Sustainer,

            Judge and Forgiver

                        Of our shortcomings, (Saum, Hazrat Inayat Khan)

 

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1.         Asma’ul Husna, the 99 Beautiful Names of Allah, M.R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen

2.     The Holy Quor’ān, Arabic Text with English Translation and Commentary by Maulana Muhammad Ali, New 2002 edition, Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha’at Islam Lahore Inc. USA, Ohio, USA.

3.     See: Les noms divins en Islam, Daniel Gimaret, exégčse lexicographique et théologique, 1988, Editions du cerf. Page 425-6.

4.     Ar-Râzî, traité sur les noms divins, by Maurice Gloton, Editions Al Bouraq.

5.     Bowl of Saki for September 11 by Hazrat Inayat Khan, Commentary by Hazrat Samuel L. Lewis (Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti)

6.     Bowl of Saki by Hazrat Inayat Khan, Commentary by Hazrat Samuel L. Lewis (Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti)

7.     Bowl of Saki for September 12 by Hazrat Inayat Khan, Commentary by Hazrat Samuel L. Lewis (Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti)

8.     GATHEKAS FOR CANDIDATES by Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan

9.     Githas of Hazrat Inayat Khan on CONCENTRATION

10.    Commentary on Sangatha TAKUA TAHARAT: EVERYDAY LIFE Series 3 of Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan by Murshid Samuel L. Lewis (Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti)

11.    Commentary on Sangatha KASHF: INSIGHT Series 3 of Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan by Murshid Samuel L. Lewis (Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti)

12.    Commentary on Sangatha TASSAWUF: METAPHYSICS Series 2 of Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan by Murshid Samuel L. Lewis (Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti)

13.    Commentary on Sangatha SALUK: MORALS Series 2 of Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan by Murshid Samuel L. Lewis (Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti)

14.    Commentary on Sangatha SALUK: MORALS Series I of Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan by Murshid Samuel L. Lewis (Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti)

15.    COMMENTARY ON “THE INNER LIFE” OF HAZRAT INAYAT KHAN BY MURSHID SAMUEL L. LEWIS SUFI AHMED MURAD CHISTI

16.    “GAYANIAT” Commentaries on THE GAYAN: Notes from the Unstruck Music of HAZRAT INAYAT KHAN by Murshid Samuel L. Lewis (Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti)

17.    Commentary on Mental Purification of Hazrat Inayat Khan by Murshid Samuel L. Lewis (Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti)

18.    SANGATHA Series 2 of Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan

19.    On the Performance of Zikar by Murshid Samuel L. Lewis (Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti)

20.    'The 99 Most Beautiful Names of Allah' by Dr Zahurul Hassan Sharib

21.    Al-Ghazali - The Ninety-nine Beautiful Names of God. Trans. Burrel/Daher: ITS: 1992.

 

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