Page 264 - An Index to the Qur'an

will not undervalue your actions in any way. faith and do not put any rancour in our hearts to-
Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’ (49:14) wards those who believe. Our Lord, You are All-
And they (those who guard against evil) would Gentle, Most Merciful.’ (59:10)
seek forgiveness before the dawn. (51:18) You have an excellent example in Ibrahim and
To whoever avoids the major wrong actions and those with him, when they said to their people,
indecencies–except for minor lapses–truly your ‘We wash our hands of you and all that you wor-
Lord is vast in forgiveness. He has most knowl- ship apart from Allah, and we reject you.
edge of you when He first produced you from the Between us and you there will be enmity and ha-
earth, and when you were embryos in your tred for ever unless and until you believe in Allah
mothers’ wombs. So do not claim purity for your- alone.’ Except for Ibrahim’s words to his father: ‘I
selves. He knows best those who guard against will ask forgiveness for you but I have no power
evil. (53:32) to help you in any way against Allah.’ ‘Our Lord,
Know that the life of this world is merely a game we have put our trust in You and have repented
and a diversion and ostentation and a cause of to You. You are our final destination. Our Lord,
boasting among yourselves and trying to outdo do not make us a target for those who disbelieve
one another in wealth and children: like the and forgive us. Our Lord, You are the Almighty,
plant-growth after rain which delights the culti- the All-Wise.’ (60:4-5)
vators, but then it withers and you see it turning It may well be that Allah will restore the love be-
yellow, and then it becomes broken stubble. In tween you and those of them who are now your
the hereafter there is terrible punishment but also enemies. Allah is All-Powerful. Allah is Ever-
forgiveness from Allah and His good pleasure. Forgiving, Most Merciful. (60:7)
The life of this world is nothing but the enjoy- O Prophet! When women who believe come to
ment of delusion. (57:20) you pledging allegiance to you on the grounds
Race each other to forgiveness from your Lord that they will not associate anything with Allah
and to a Garden, whose breadth is like that of or steal or fornicate or kill their children or give a
heaven and earth combined, made ready for false ascription of paternity–making up lies about
those who believe in Allah and His Messengers. their bodies–or disobey you in respect of any-
That is Allah’s favour which He gives to those He thing right, then accept their pledge and ask for-
wills. Allah’s favour is indeed immense. (57:21) giveness for them. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most
You who believe! Have fear of Allah and believe Merciful. (60:12)
in His Messenger. He will give you a double por- He will forgive you your wrong actions and
tion of His mercy and grant you a Light by which admit you into Gardens with rivers flowing under
to walk and forgive you. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, them, and fine dwellings in the Gardens of Eden.
Most Merciful. (57:28) That is the Great Victory. (61:12)
Those of you who divorce your wives by equat- When they are told, ‘Come, and the Messenger
ing them with your mothers, they are not your of Allah will ask forgiveness for you,’ they turn
mothers. Your mothers are only those who gave their heads and you see them turn away in
birth to you. What you are saying is wrong and a haughty arrogance. (63:5)
slanderous lie. But Allah is Ever-Pardoning, Ever- In their case it makes no difference whether you
Forgiving. (58:2) ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness
You who believe! When you consult the for them. Allah will never forgive them. Allah
Messenger privately precede your private con- does not guide deviant people. (63:6)
sultation by giving charity–that is better for you You who believe! Some of your wives and chil-
and purer. But if you cannot find the means, dren are an enemy to you, so be wary of them.
Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (58:12) But if you pardon and exonerate and forgive,
Those who have come after them say, ‘Our Lord, Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (64:14)
forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in If you make a generous loan to Allah He will
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