Forgiveness: It's importance in God's Plan
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Peace,
With the passing of the Christian easter and the release of the film on Jesus' life, there was quite alot of talk on the popular topics of love and forgiveness that Jesus is said to have taught his followers.
While reading the Quran several nights ago I came upon the following verse that had escaped my attention previously but which deserves more thought (as does the whole Quran). It is
4514 Tell those who believe to forgive those who hope not for the days of Allah; in order that He may requite folk what they used to earn.
It is interesting that the verses following this one refer to the descendants of Israel and how they began to differ in the knowledge God revealed to them.
I believe that 4514 is a clear command from Allah for us to forgive those who do not have God-awareness or belief in the judgement and power of Allah so that He may requite them.
Because the verse is followed by mentions of the descendants of Israel it made me remember several other verses where the Quran makes mentions of how the Jews believe that they are the favoured people of God and yet have a great aversion to death and love the life of this world and hope not for the Days of Allah.
I think the biggest evidence I have of how powerful these Quranic verses are regarding Jewish thought is Rabbi Harold Kushner's words from a book "When Bad Things Happen to Good People" which says of this world
"Can you forgive its imperfections and love it because it is capable of containing great beauty and goodness, and because it is the only world we have? "
and even more revealing is this on page 29
"..., we would be advised to take this world as seriously as we
can, in case it turns out to be the only one we will ever have, and to look for meaning and justice here."So I think we must forgive these people and others like them for their rejection of God's plain truth and their persecution of those who believe. God promises to see to the requital of these people upon our forgiveness of them.
I pondered hard about why this might be; my only thought is that as long as we think we are capable of changing the situation alone then we are destined to be unable to do so. It's when we accept and surrender fully to Allah's power that we might succeed. Allah mentions many times that He is the best Disposer of Affairs. By forgiving these people we are in effect washing our hands of them and leaving them to Allah's power.
Peace