What does Islam say about forgiving others?
The Prophet ﷺ forgave the people of Ṭāʾif, the people of Makkah, the ones who had harmed him personally. What the scholars drew about the transformative power of pardon.
3 passages from 3 books in the library
The classical approach.
These passages are drawn from 3 books by Ibn Battuta and Imam al-Ghazali — part of the classical Sunni tradition that carries over a thousand years of reflection on the Qurʾān, the authentic Sunnah, and the consensus of the early community. Nothing below is a paraphrase. The words are the scholars' own, translated from the original Arabic manuscripts.
14th century · Tangier, Morocco
The Riḥlah — a 30-year, 75,000-mile journey across three continents, and the most important travel account of the pre-modern world.
More on Ibn Battuta →
· Provenance →
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"Among their commendable practices is their minimal oppression, being among the people farthest from it, as their sultan does not pardon anyone in such matters."
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"O Allah, forgive me and him, have mercy on me and him, and grant me and him well-being, is narrated by Muslim without the prayer for the one praying."
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"In contrast, secular sciences like medicine and mathematics do not promise God's forgiveness through their study, so delusion is less prevalent."
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