Ghafir (The Forgiver)

55. Therefore be patient. Indeed, the Promise of Allah is true, and ask forgiveness for your sin and glorify the praises of your Lord in the time period after the noon till sunset and in the time period from early morning or sunrise till evening.

In this blessed Verse, God Almighty gives three injunctions of significance to the Noble Prophet (S). Although they are addressed to the Noble Prophet (S), but they are in fact given to all people.

The blessed Verse in question opens with the injunction:

“Be patient as the Promise of Allah is true.”

He is asked to be tolerant against his enemies’ obduracy, enmity, and sabotage and also against the ignorance, weakness, negligence, and the harms of a number of his friends. He is asked to be patient against unchecked passions and anger since the key to victory is patience against vicissitudes at all times.

God’s Promise to make him and his followers victorious is true. Believing in the truth of Divine Promise encourages him and makes him to preserver against vicissitudes and difficulties.

He is many a time asked to be patient at all times, as it is reflected in the Verse in question and elsewhere, and at times, specific instances are mentioned, e.g.:

“So bear with patience all that they say and glorify the praises of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting. And during a part of the night glorify His praises and after the prayers”1 ; “And keep yourself patiently with those [your seemingly poor followers] who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Face and let not your eyes overlook them”2 .

All the victories of the Prophet (S) and early Muslims were the fruits of patience and perseverance. Even today, one may not vanquish so many enemies and solve so many problems without the same.

The second injunction says:

“Ask forgiveness for your sin.”

Owing to his infallibility, the Noble Prophet of Islam (S) did not commit sins, but as mentioned above, such Qur’anic expressions concerning the Noble Prophet of Islam (S) and other Prophets (as) indicate relative sins, since at times, some of the deeds which are regarded as good deeds and acts of devotion for ordinary people are considered as sins for Prophets (as):

(“The good deeds of the righteous are the sins of those close to God Almighty”).

They are not supposed to avoid preferable acts for one single moment. Owing to their exalted station and understanding, they are supposed to stay away from such acts and they should ask forgiveness whenever they commit the same.

A number of Qur’anic exegets maintain that sins committed by Muslims are ad hoc intended or those sins committed against the Noble Prophet (S), and asking forgiveness is arbitrary and devotional; however, these interpretations are not seemingly possible.

The last injunction says:

“Glorify the praises of your Lord in the time period after the noon till sunset and in the time period from early morning or sunrise till evening.” The Arabic word ‘ashi designates “afternoon till before sunset” and abkar is used in the sense of “early morning.”

They may indicate these two times when man is prepared to praise and glorify Allah, since he has not preoccupied himself with daily affairs or he has finished them.

The expression may demonstrate the continuity of praising and glorifying God Almighty throughout the day and night, as we say, for instance, take care of him morning and night,” by which we mean at all times.

Some have also maintained that such praises and glorification refers to morning and evening prayers or all daily prayers; however, the contextual content of the Verse encompasses a broader semantic range and daily prayers may solely be regarded as their instances.

It is worthy of note that these three comprehensive injunctions aim at purification of the self for gaining victories through Divine Favor. They may be used as the provisions required for proceeding on the path toward attainment of significant goals.

It is incumbent upon man to endure the vicissitudes of life and its obstacles, purify his heart of sins and any other impurities, and embellish it with the remembrance of the Lord.

Such embellishment depends upon praising God Almighty for His Perfection and glorifying Him for His being far from any imperfection. Such praise and glorification of God Almighty sheds light onto His servants’ hearts, absolves them of impurities, and adorns them with perfect attributes.