2.23. PARDON

God says

Hold to forgiveness,* and enjoin the doing of what is right; and leave who choose to remain ignorant.** -- Q.7:199 *

i.e., making due allowance for human nature. In accordance with the Qur’anic statements that “man has been created weak” (4:28) and that “God does not burden any human being with more that he is well able to bear” (2:286, 6:152, 7:42, 23:62), the believer is being advised to make due allowance for human nature and not to be too harsh with those who err.

** I.e., those who wilfully remain deaf to moral truths, and not those who are simply unaware of them.

…. let them pardon and forbear [the erring ones]. [For,] do you not desire that God should forgive you your sins God is much- forgiving, most gracious. -- Q.7:199

But (since) good and evil cannot be equal, you repel evil with something that is better – and then, he between whom and you was enmity (may become) as though he had (always) been close (unto you), a true friend! …. Q.41:34,35

But [remember that an attempt at] requiting evil may, too, become an evil: hence, whoever pardons [his foe] and makes peace, his reward rests with God – for, verily, He does not love evildoers. -- Q.42:40

Prophet said

1. “The best of you is he who gets angry slowly, and becomes appeased very soon, and the worst of you is he who gets suddenly angry and becomes appeased very slowly” – Fragment of a Hadis quoted by Tirmizi on the authority of Abu Sayeed al Khodri.

2. Bibi Ayesha said: The Apostle of God did never take revenge for any wrong done to him… – H: Bukhari and Muslim.

3. “Moses, son of Imran, had asked : O my Lord! of Thy servants who is most honorable to Thee? God said: he who pardons when he is in a position of power (to punish)”-- H: Baihaqi. N: Abu Hurairah.

4. When asked to invoke against the polytheists, the Prophet said, “Verily I have not been sent to curse. I have been sent as mercy ”-- H: Muslim. N: Abu Hurairah.

2.22. ANGER

God says

Hence, if it should happen that a prompting from Satan stirs you up* (to blind anger), seek refuge with God: behold, He alone is all-hearing, all-knowing! -- Q.41:36

*Extreme anger is forbidden because in such a state one looses all norms of sane thinking and judgment. Besides, recurrence of it now and then can damage one’s health. However, rightly directed anger results in courage and heroism in a fight for self-defense, for instance.

.…and who, whenever they are moved by anger, readily forgive;” -- Q.42:37

Yet indeed, as for any who defend themselves after having being wronged – no blame whatsoever attaches to them: blame attaches but to those who oppress [other] people and behave outrageously on earth, offending against all right: for them there is greivious suffering in store!But withal, if one is patient in adversity and forgives – this, behold, is indeed something to set one’s heart upon!* -- Q.42: 41- 43

…. [the God-conscious] who spend [in His way] in time of plenty and in time of hardship, and who hold in check their anger, and pardon their fellow-men because God loves the doers of good.; -- Q.3:134

Prophet said

1. “A strong man is not he who would knock done others but the one who can control himself at the time of anger”– H: Bukhari and Muslim. N: Abu Hurairah.

2. “Whoever of you gets angry, let him perform ablution.”-- H: Abu Daud. N: Atiyah-b-Urwah As S’adi.

3. “Whenever any of you gets angry while standing, let him sit down. If it does not help, let him lie down”– H: Ahmed and Tirmizi. N: Abu Zarr.

4. “…. so fear anger. It is a burning coal in the heart of the son of Adam. Have you not seen the swelling of his neck and redness of his eyes?” – H: Tirmizi

5. “Anger is due to Satan’s instigation”--H: Abu Daud. N: Atiya-b-Urivah As-S’adi.

2.21. ENVY (continued)

God says

And never turn thine eyes [with longing] towards whatever splendour of this world’s We may have allowed so many others* to enjoy in order that We might test them thereby: for the sustenance which thy Sustainer provides [for thee] is better and more enduring.** -- Q.20:131

*Lit., “groups [or kinds] of them”. According to most of the commentators, this relates to the deniers of the truth spoken of in preceding passages; but since the above injunction has obviously a wider purport, condemning envy in general, this expression has been rendered as “so many others”. **Implying that whatever God grants a person is an outcome of divine wisdom, and therefore, truly appropriate to the destiny which God has decreed for that person. Alternatively, the phrase may be understood as referring to the life to come and the spiritual sustenance which God bestows upon righteous (here).

….and (I seek refuge with the Sustainer of the rising dawn) from the evil of the envious when he envies. -- Q.113: 5

Prophet said

1. “Whenever any of you turns his looks towards one who has been given more in wealth and physique, let him look towards one who has been given less (than you).” – H: Bukhari and Muslim. N: Abu Hurairah.

2.21. ENVY

God says

Out of their selfish envy, many among the followers of earlier revelation would like to bring you (people) back to denying the truth after you have attained to faith- (even) after the truth has become clear to them … Q.2:109

And vie with one another to attain to your Sustainer’s forgiveness and to a paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the righteous.-- Q.3: 133

Hence, do not covet the bounties which God has bestowed more abundantly on some of you than on others. Men shall have a benefit from what they earn, and women shall have the benefit from what they earn. [Envy not one another] but ask God [to give you] out of his bounty: behold, God has indeed full knowledge of everything. -- Q.4:32

Prophet said

1. “Be careful of jealousy, because jealousy consumes virtue as fire consumes fuel.” – H: Abu Daud. N: Abu Hurairah.