Dr. Murtaza Hameer is a medical doctor turned teacher. He pursued his medical degree in India and did the United States medical licensing exams in the USA. He also has a postgraduate diploma in education from the University of Dar es Salaam. He is the author of the book, “Learning How To Learn: Doing well in school, college and beyond”. He is passionate about education and teaching with interests also in philosophy, science, theology and spirituality.
To forgive another is perhaps one of the hardest things a person can do. Even harder still is to forgive oneself. Yet, the concept and experience of forgiveness is among the core aspects of what it means to be human, and of Divinity itself.
What is forgiveness? Does everyone deserve forgiveness? Can you forgive another who has wronged you? Can you forgive yourself for wronging another? What if you’ve wronged yourself? Can you forgive yourself? These are not always easy questions to answer and even more, to embrace fully in mind, body and soul. And yet, if we don’t forgive, we bind ourselves to a self tormenting hell of anger and frustration that consumes us entirely – if not immediately then slowly but surely.
We are told that the Prophet Muhammad used to be thrown animal waste by a woman. Continuously. One day when the woman wasn’t seen doing her routine abusing of the Prophet due to being sick, the Prophet went to see her to ask how she was doing. Now that’s forgiveness.
Quran 21:107 “And We did not send you but as a mercy unto the people.”
When the Muslims re-entered Mecca victoriously, the Prophet didn’t take revenge on his long time opponents and enemies. He, instead, forgave them including the notorious former head honchos of the Arabs, Abu Sufyan and his wife Hind – two among several who waged wars on the Prophet and his followers, killing many including the Prophet’s uncle Hamza. Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam, forgave them.
The qualities of being Merciful (Rahman) and Compassionate (Raheem) as well as Forgiving (Ghaffoor) are qualities of the Divine.
God is Most Compassionate, Most Merciful
God is Forgiving, Most Merciful
Forgiveness and compassion go hand in hand. To cultivate these qualities is to cultivate the qualities of the Divine within us.
Mark 11:25 – And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
Matthew 6:14 -15 – For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive you.
Ephesians 4:32 – Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Both the New Testament and the Quran contain forgiveness as their central message . Forgiveness from God. Forgiveness of others. Forgiveness of oneself.
Surah Az-Zumar 39:53: “Say, ‘O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of God. Indeed, God forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful’”
Surah Yusuf 12:87: “And never give up hope of God’s mercy. Certainly no one despairs of God’s Mercy, except the people who disbelieve.”
Forgiving oneself allows for the forgiveness of God to permeate our hearts and souls. This in turn creates the internal state of peace or “salaam”. Forgiving others allows for goodness to flourish and even the possibility of conflicts to resolve.
Surah Al Fussilat, Verse 34: Good and evil cannot be equal. [Prophet], repel evil with what is better and your enemy will become as close as an old and valued friend.
Imagine if humans could implement the above verse sincerely when resolving conflicts. Wars would end tomorrow!
The path to the Divine begins with forgiveness – of oneself and of others. Only when we truly forgive can we walk the path towards “qalb saleem”, the heart that is at peace.
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Dr. Murtaza Hameer is a medical doctor turned teacher. He pursued his medical degree in India and did the United States medical licensing exams in the USA. He also has a postgraduate diploma in education from the University of Dar es Salaam. He is the author of the book, “Learning How To Learn: Doing well in school, college and beyond”. He is passionate about education and teaching with interests also in philosophy, science, theology and spirituality.
