Salih, the son of Imam Ahmad, relates that he went to his father and said,
‘I’ve heard that a man came to Fadhl al-Anmati and said to him, “If I do not help and support you, will you forgive me?” Al-Fadhl said to him, ‘I will never forgive anyone (who does that).” My father then smiled and remained silent.
After a few days, he said to me, ‘I came across this verse: “So whoever forgives and rectifies, then his reward is upon Allah…” [al-Shura: 40] and I looked to its tafsir (explanation); it was as Hashim ibn al-Qasim narrated to me from al-Mubarak from al-Hasan that he said:
‘When all the nations kneel before the Lord of the Worlds on the Day of Judgement, and it is proclaimed “Let all those whose reward is upon Allah, rise up” none shall get up except those who used to forgive others in the world.’
My father then said, ‘So I have forgiven those who’ve passed away for their beating me.’ Then he began to say, ‘And how can it be that a man is punished by Allah because of another man?’
In the report of al-Marwadi is the statement of al-Sha’bi: ‘If you forgive him once (the one who wronged you), then you shall attain twice the reward.’
Al-Hasan al-Basri: ‘The best of a believer’s characteristics is forgiving and pardoning.’
And ‘Umar made the amazing statement: ‘I have forgiven all the people.’
- Al-Adab al-Shar’iyyah by Ibn Muflih al-Hanbali [vol 1, pg. 85-86]
‘I’ve heard that a man came to Fadhl al-Anmati and said to him, “If I do not help and support you, will you forgive me?” Al-Fadhl said to him, ‘I will never forgive anyone (who does that).” My father then smiled and remained silent.
After a few days, he said to me, ‘I came across this verse: “So whoever forgives and rectifies, then his reward is upon Allah…” [al-Shura: 40] and I looked to its tafsir (explanation); it was as Hashim ibn al-Qasim narrated to me from al-Mubarak from al-Hasan that he said:
‘When all the nations kneel before the Lord of the Worlds on the Day of Judgement, and it is proclaimed “Let all those whose reward is upon Allah, rise up” none shall get up except those who used to forgive others in the world.’
My father then said, ‘So I have forgiven those who’ve passed away for their beating me.’ Then he began to say, ‘And how can it be that a man is punished by Allah because of another man?’
In the report of al-Marwadi is the statement of al-Sha’bi: ‘If you forgive him once (the one who wronged you), then you shall attain twice the reward.’
Al-Hasan al-Basri: ‘The best of a believer’s characteristics is forgiving and pardoning.’
And ‘Umar made the amazing statement: ‘I have forgiven all the people.’
- Al-Adab al-Shar’iyyah by Ibn Muflih al-Hanbali [vol 1, pg. 85-86]
