Ali 'Imran · Madani · ayah 135 of 200

Ali 'Imran 3:135

وَٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا۟ فَـٰحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ فَٱسْتَغْفَرُوا۟ لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَن يَغْفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا۟ عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلُوا۟ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ

“And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allāh and seek forgiveness for their sins - and who can forgive sins except Allāh? - and [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know.”

Saheeh International

Essence

And those who, having done something foul, remember Allah and ask Him to cover it, and do not knot themselves into it again.

A reflection

Who else were you planning to ask?

Over about nine years a woman told four different friends about the thing she had done. Each time in more detail, each time hoping that saying it to a person who still liked her afterwards would settle it. Each of them was kind. She noticed, eventually, that she never felt any lighter the next morning. None of them had the authority to release her, and all four of them knew it before she did.

In the middle of this ayah Allah interrupts His own sentence with a question. And who forgives sins except Allah? It is a question with one answer, and the Arabic leaves no room for a second.

One commentary reads that interruption as Him describing Himself: the breadth of His mercy, and how near His forgiveness is. It adds three consequences. That the one who repents of a sin stands with Him like someone who has no sin. That there is no refuge for a sinner except His grace and generosity. And that however vast the sins are, His pardon is vaster.

Same commentary, one more line. In this there is a settling of people's hearts, an encouragement to turn back, and a door shut on despair.

Now see where the ego is hiding in this, because it is hiding somewhere. The ego would rather be forgiven by people. A friend's reassurance keeps the account in human hands, where it can be managed, argued and re-opened. Self-forgiveness is better still for pride, because then you are the court. What this clause does is confiscate the gavel. You cannot pardon yourself, and neither can anyone who loves you.

And He does not need you at the door. He gains nothing from your asking, as He says plainly of Himself (35:15). The commentaries note that only He holds what makes forgiveness valid in the first place.

So the humbling and the relief arrive in the same breath. There is one office. It is open. You have been queueing outside the wrong buildings.

The full entry has 5 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.