Here we are in the middle of this blessed month, the month of generosity, of bounty, of benevolence, of mercy, of forgiveness, of release from Hell Fire, etc… .
In the beginning of Ramadan, we wander about in the meanings of mercy, its causes and results, for the beginning of Ramadan is mercy, its middle is forgiveness and its end is release from Hell Fire, as the Beloved (PBUH) told us. The temporal circumstance urges us to move from talking about mercy into talking about forgiveness, both of which are inseparable, and both are mentioned together too many times in the Holy Book of the Exalted Allah.
The Exalted Allah comes closer to us more than we do to Him, and He loves our repentance and return to Him. Moreover, He loves to forgive us. Do you remember the Hadith of the Prophet (PBUH) when he said: "All my Ummah enter Paradise, except for those who refuse"?
Mercy and forgiveness are overflowing into everybody except for those who refuse them.
Certainly, the Holy Qur'an decides the truth of the Exalted Allah's calling His slaves to ask Him forgiveness when He said: "Their messengers said: 'Is there a doubt about Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth? It is He Who invites you, in order that He may forgive you your sins and give you respite for a term appointed' " (Ibrahim, 10).
It is He, Exalted He is, the Great Possessor of everything, Who calls His slaves to forgive them.
Oh Allah, how generous You are!
In spite of the fact that we are weak and possessed by You, yet You call us to forgive us!?
It is an amazing matter that shakes the hearts that know the Greatness of the Creator, Exalted He is, and witness His Stateliness.
Read the following words of the Exalted Allah: "But Allah beckons by His Grace to the Garden {of Bliss} and forgiveness" (Al Baqarah, 221). His Grace cannot be attained but by way of being acquainted with the Beloved, Al Mustafa (PBUH) and his biography. The Exalted Allah said: "Allah promises you his forgiveness and bounties". He also said: "Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord" (Al Imran, 133).
He, Exalted He is, seems as if He presented to us a repast of forgiveness, then He said: "Be you foremost {in seeking} forgiveness from your Lord" (Al Hadid, 21).
Consequently, calling to forgiveness is open at every time, but it is more certain on this occasion, the occasion of mercy and forgiveness.
I have said, mercy and forgiveness are overflowing but not when there are obstacles that detain them. When man adheres to these obstacles, he seems to say to forgiveness; "I do not desire you".
The preventing causes of forgiveness are four:
1-Devouring Unpermitted Wealth:
When man is used to devouring unlawful wealth, he will be deprived of forgiveness. The Exalted Allah said: "After them succeeded an {evil} generation; they inherited the book, but they chose {for themselves} the vanities of this world, saying {for excuse}: {everything} will be forgiven us. {even so}, if similar vanities came their way, they would {again} seize them" (Al A'raf, 169), i.e., devour the unpermitted wealth, and say wishfully: "We shall be forgiven". Wish is hope that is not associated with action. It is a wish and desire that contradict behavior.
2-Hypocrisy:
It is a state in which one is a Muslim only outwardly, whereas inwardly, he is murky as he fights against Allah and His Messenger. Outwardly, he seems radiant because he belongs to Islam, but inwardly, he turns away from Allah and His Messenger.
The Exalted Allah said: "Whether you ask for their forgiveness, or not, {their sin is unforgivable}; if you ask seventy times for their forgiveness, Allah will not forgive them because they have rejected Allah and His Messenger; and Allah guides not those who are perversely rebellious" (At Tawbah, 80).
These verses were sent when the Prophet (PBUH) asked forgiveness for Abdullah Bin Salul, the head of hypocrites. Thus, the Exalted Allah indicates that hypocrisy prevents forgiveness.
The Prophet (PBUH) got the satisfaction of the Exalted Allah by asking forgiveness obeying the order of Allah, but the Exalted Allah indicated that the hypocrite would not get forgiveness because he fought Allah and His Messenger.
3- Sharing partners with the Exalted Allah in worship:
The Exalted Allah said: "Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with him; but he forgives anything else, to whom he pleases" (An Nisa', 48).
4-Apostacy from Islam and unbelief in Allah:
The Exalted Allah said: "Those who believe, then reject Faith, then believe {again} and {again} reject Faith, and go on increasing in unbelief, Allah will not forgive them nor guide them on the way" (An Nisa', 137).
When man goes beyond the impediments of forgiveness, he has to look for its causes that make him close to it.
I am going to mention ten out of the causes of forgiveness mentioned in the Book of Allah:
1-Asking forgiveness:
The Exalted Allah said: "If any one does evil or wrongs his own soul but afterwards seeks Allah's forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful" (An Nisa', 110).
He also said: "but enter the gate with humility, in posture and in words", i.e., say: 'Oh Allah, forgive us our sins', "and we shall forgive you your faults and increase {the portion of} those who do good" (Al Baqarah, 58).
And: "but say the word of humility and enter the gate in a posture of humility; we shall forgive you your faults" (Al A'raf, 161).
And: "ask for Allah's forgiveness. For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful" (Al Baqarah,199).
And: "But seek the forgiveness of Allah; for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful" (An Nisa', 106).
And: "and who pray for forgiveness in the early hours of the morning" (Al Imran, 17).
All the above mentioned are causes that make one closer to Allah. It is a status that can be attained only when one asks forgiveness repeatedly and avails himself of the specialty of time, namely, the middle of Ramadan. Consequently, do ask forgiveness repeatedly in the middle of this blessed month, for it is a temporal occasion for asking forgiveness, especially at the time of predawn. Thus, when there is another occasion of specialty, there will be specialty added to another specialty.
2-Faith:
One of the causes of forgiveness is when the heart becomes replete with faith. Talking about faith and its causes is connected with man, the trusted with obligation.
The Exalted Allah said: "Believe". i.e., avail yourselves of the causes that make your hearts filled with more faith and certainty.
The Exalted Allah said: "those who say: 'Our Lord! we have indeed believed", i.e., we have adopted the strongest cause, "forgive us, then, our sins, and save us from the agony of the Fire" (Al Imran, 16).
The Exalted Allah also said: "For us, we have believed in our Lord: may he forgive us our faults" (Taha, 73).
And: "Our desire is that our Lord will forgive us our faults, that we may become foremost among the Believers" (Ash Shu'ara', 51).
All the above mentioned verses emphasize the meaning that faith is one of the causes of attaining forgiveness. It is rather, the most import factor of it.
3-Being obedient:
The Exalted Allah said: "And they say: 'We hear, and we obey". They adopted one of the causes of forgiveness, and said: "{we seek} Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the end of all journeys" (Al Baqarah, 285).
They asked forgiveness only after they had listened and obeyed the Exalted Allah, that is, after their practicing actually their obedience to Allah.
4-Relinquishing Legal violations:
The Exalted Allah commissioned us with doing something and relinquishing something else. As is well known, fasting is an act of relinquishing. Partial relinquishing results in total relinquishing. The Exalted Allah said: "Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you". This partial relinquishing is for the sake of total relinquishing, "that you may {learn} self restraint" (Al Baqarah, 183).
Piety is the total relinquishing of all legal violations. The Exalted Allah summarizes all good deeds by which the believer becomes closer to Allah, by using the idiom 'Al Ber' (goodness), and all relinquishing by using the idiom At Tqwa (piety). Then He said: "Help you one another in righteousness and piety" (Al Ma'idah, 2), i.e., help one another in dong good, and relinquishing evil so that you follow the straight path prescribed by The Exalted Allah.
Consequently, 'relinquishing' is one of the causes of attaining forgiveness. The Exalted Allah said: "O you who believe if you fear Allah, he will grant you a Criterion {to judge between right and wrong}, remove from you {all} evil {that may afflict} you, and forgive you" (Al Anfal, 29).
Accordingly, 'piety', which is relinquishing legal violations, is one of the causes of attaining the Exalted Allah's forgiveness.
The Exalted Allah said: "{Here is} a Parable of the Garden which the righteous are promised", i.e., those who relinquish prohibitions, "in it are rivers of water incorruptible; rivers of milk of which the taste never changes; rivers of wine, a joy to those who drink; and rivers of honey pure and clear. In it, there are for them all kinds of fruits; and Grace from their Lord" (Muhammad, 15).
5- Remembering Allah:
Remembering Allah removes heedlessness from the heart. When this practice takes place, and the believer feels the presence of his Lord with a heedful heart that is attentive to the Exalted Allah's Majesty and Awe, this presence of the heart at the time of remembering Allah will be one of the causes of attaining forgiveness.
The Exalted Allah said: "And those who, having done something to be ashamed of, or wronged their own souls, and ask for forgiveness for their sins, and who can forgive sins except Allah?" (Al Imran, 135). After falling in the filth of violation, their hearts experience what the pious experience, namely, awe and fear of the Great Allah, so they ask Him forgiveness.

6- Following the Holy Qur'an and the fear that follows after being reactive with this Book. The Exalted Allah said: "You can but admonish such a one as follows the Message", i.e., the one who follows the Holy Qur'an, "and fears the {Lord} Most Gracious, unseen", this is the result of being reactive with reading of the Illuminated Book, "give such a one, therefore, good tidings, of Forgiveness and a Reward most generous" (Yasin, 11).
He also said: "As for those who fear their Lord unseen, for them is Forgiveness and a great Reward" (Al Mulk, 12).‏
7- Remembering Our Master, Muhammad (PBUH):
The believer cannot be dissociated from our Master Muhammad (PBUH) in all situations in his life. For five times in our prayer, we daily say: "Oh Prophet, peace be upon you" addressing him directly, using the second person. One does not say: "Peace be upon the Prophet", nor does he say: "Peace be upon him", using the third person. He rather addresses the Prophet (PBUH) using the second person saying "Oh Prophet, peace be upon you". This is the type of relationship between the believer and our Master, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH). The believer recalls the Muhammadan illumination in all his situations. This recollection is one of the causes of forgiveness. Moreover, it is a cause of being close to Allah by means of the great intercession of our Master, Muhammad (PBUH).
The Exalted Allah said: "If they had only, when they were unjust to themselves, come unto you and asked Allah's forgiveness, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah indeed Oft-Returning, Most Merciful" (An Nisa', 64).
The expression, "They come to you" does not mean, as some believe, going to the Illuminated Medina. It rather means the believer is always and perpetually attached to the Prophet (PBUH) in all times and all places, for although the Prophet (PBUH) moved to heaven, his light will always be prevailing.
I wonder at those who restrict themselves to a certain district and have the illusion that the light of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) exists only in it. The Qur'anic text is quite clear when the Exalted Allah said: "We sent you not, but as a Mercy for all creatures" (Al Anbiya',107).
Mercy is a general meaning of illumination. If the Illuminated Mercy, i.e., Muhammad (PNUH), prevails over all the world, so how can this mercy be restricted to a certain district on the earth? Certainly, this will never be the meaning. The Exalted Allah said: "There has come to you from Allah a {new} light and a perspicuous Book" (Al Ma'idah, 15). Exegetes interpret the word "light" here to be Muhammad (PBUH).

The Exalted Allah said to His Beloved: "Know, therefore, that there is no god but Allah, and ask forgiveness for your fault, and for the men and women who believe" (Muhammad, 19).
Referring to the status of politeness of the people of faith with our Master, Muhammad (PBUH), the Exalted Allah said: "Those who lower their voice in the presence of Allah's Messenger, Allah has tested their hearts for piety; for them is Forgiveness and a great Reward" (Al Hujurat, 3).
Consequently, politeness with the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) enables the believer to attain one of the causes of forgiveness.
Guiding us to one of the causes of forgiveness, namely, our Master, Muhammad (PBUH), the Exalted Allah said: "Say: 'If you do love Allah, follow me", i.e., be attached to me to imitate me in all my activities, and make your hearts observe my manner and states, only then: "Allah will love you and forgive you your sins; for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful" (Al Imran, 31). The believer who is attached to the Prophet (PBUH) by his heart and sight will be nominated to attain one of the causes of forgiveness. The Exalted Allah said:" O our people, hearken to the one who invites {you} to Allah", namely, our Master, Muhammad (PBUH), "and believe in him; He will forgive you your faults, and deliver you from a Penalty Grievous" (Al Ahqaf, 31).
8- Forgiving one another:
The prevalence of such a habit among us will be the cause of attaining one of the causes of forgiveness. The Exalted Allah said: "Let them forgive and overlook, do you not wish that Allah should forgive you? For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful" (An Nur, 22).
When the people of faith Forgive and pardon one another, this will be one of the causes that makes Allah forgive them.

You will never be more generous than your Lord. If you forgive the others, your Lord will forgive you; if you pardon them, He will pardon you; and if you overlook their faults, your Lord will overlook yours. The Exalted said: "Those who avoid the greater crimes and shameful deeds, and, when they are angry even then forgive the others" (Ash Shra, 37).
He also said: "But if you forgive and overlook, and cover up {their faults}, verily Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful" (At Taghabon, 14).
9- Spending in the cause of Allah:
Oh believer, spend some of what you have, you will be rewarded from the unseen. Beware of being of those who refrain from spending.
Spend in charity, and wealth will be bestowed upon you. The Exalted Allah said in the Holy Qur'an: "If you loan to Allah a beautiful loan", i.e., by spending charity in the cause of Allah, "He will double it to your {credit}, and He will grant you forgiveness; for Allah is most Ready to appreciate {service}, Most Forbearing" (At Taghabon, 17).
10- To make your parents share you in invocation while you ask forgiveness in the Presence of the Exalted Allah:
Do not make your asking forgiveness individual. You had better share the people of faith in your invocation. The Exalted Allah said: "O our Lord cover {us} with thy forgiveness me, my parents, and (all) Believers, on the day that the reckoning will be established" (Ibrahim, 41).
By doing that, you can attain forgiveness
It is not of your business that Allah forgives them or not. What matters is your invocation for them so that the Exalted Allah may forgive and pardon them. By doing that, you, yourself will get forgiveness, but the results belong only to the Exalted Allah. Sharing them in your invocation indicates your getting out of the sphere of individualism and egotism that are inconsistent with the status of faith.
The Exalted Allah summarized all the above mentioned when He said: "To those who believe and do deeds of righteousness has Allah promised forgiveness and a great reward" (Al Ma'idah, 9).‏
Oh Allah, in this blessed hour, we entreat You to make us from those who get mercy and are forgiven.
In the middle of Ramadan, we invoke you to make us from those on whom You have mercy and You forgive. Make us from Your beloveds, your saints and the chosen ones upon whom You bestow your forgiveness, Your mercy, and Your honor. Make us from those who listen to wisdom and follow the best of it.
I say my words and ask Allah's forgiveness.