Forgiving Others

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once sat with his companions and pointed to a door, saying that a man destined for Jannah (Paradise) would walk through it. On three consecutive days, it was the same companion — Sa’d — who entered. When another companion spent three days observing Sa’d to discover his secret, he found nothing extraordinary about his worship. It was only as Sa’d walked away that he revealed the one thing that set him apart: every night before sleeping, he forgave everyone who had wronged him.

Why We Struggle to Forgive

This was a man who fought in the great battles of early Islam and helped defeat the superpowers of his time — yet his ticket to Paradise was forgiveness. Compare that with our own condition: years pass while we remain upset with a brother, a sister, a parent, or a friend, never once considering forgiveness. We hold back because we believe forgiving others will diminish our honor, yet the Prophet (peace be upon him) said the exact opposite — nothing happens to a person who forgives except that Allah increases their honor in this life and the next.

“Allah will forgive you the way you forgive other people. If you forgive halfheartedly, Allah will forgive you halfheartedly.”

The Example of Abu Bakr

• When Mistah slandered Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), Abu Bakr initially swore to stop supporting him financially
• Allah revealed verses reminding believers to forgive and overlook — “Do you not wish that Allah forgive you?”
• Abu Bakr immediately broke his oath and swore he would never stop spending on Mistah
• Every person wants Allah’s forgiveness, yet we refuse to extend that same mercy to others

“Do you not wish that Allah forgive you? Every single person here wants Allah to forgive them — and therefore we need to start forgiving people.”