‘...Indeed our Lord is the Most Forgiving and Appreciative.’

Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, wrote a beautiful and poetic praise of Allah’s attributes of forgiveness and appreciation towards His servants. He wrote:

“O you who are determined to journey to Allah and the Final Abode: a flag has been raised for you so roll up your sleeves, for this is the time for that. Traverse this journey (by balancing) between being aware of His blessings, and being aware of the faults and shortcomings in your deeds and self. ‎ The one who is aware of Allah’s blessings upon him and his own sins is not deceived by his good deeds. He will say, ‘This is my salvation from the punishment of the Fire. I have nothing to rely on except on His pardoning and forgiveness — and everyone is in need of that. I admit Your blessings upon me and I admit my sins. Forgive me, for I am the helpless sinner and You are the Most Merciful and Forgiving.’

Your good deeds, if they are purified from everything that nullifies them, are not equal to the smallest blessings that Allah has given you. So hold on to hope (in Allah) and enter upon Allah from the door of repentance and good deeds.

‘…Indeed our Lord is the Most Forgiving and Appreciative.’

He drew the path to salvation for the servant and opened for him its doors. He showed him the ways to achieve happiness and its causes. He warned him from the evil consequences of sinning and said, ‘If you obey Me, it is due to My favor (upon you), and I am appreciative. If you sin, it is based on My decree, and I forgive (sins).’

…’Indeed our Lord is the Most Forgiving and Appreciative.’

He removed from His servant his faults and commanded him to seek refuge in Him from inability and laziness. He promised him that He will be appreciative of (even) small amounts of worship, and will forgive him for (even) large amounts of sins.

…’Indeed our Lord is the Most Forgiving and Appreciative.’

The sinners have faith in His forgiveness — and it is enough for them. Those who do good have (high) hope in His generosity — and their hopes are not in vain. The seven levels (of the heavens) are pierced with the pleas of the repenters and those asking (Him) — and He hears them.

His pardoning, forgiveness and provision encompass all the creation; ’there is no creature on earth but that upon Allah is its provision, and He knows its place of dwelling and place of storage.‘ (Quran 11:6)

…’Indeed our Lord is the Most Forgiving and Appreciative.’

He generously gives His servants before they even ask. He gives the one who asks and hopes in Him more than what he hoped for. He forgives the one who repents to Him, even if his sins reached the number of all of the waves, pebbles, dirt and sand.

…’Indeed our Lord is the Most Forgiving and Appreciative.’

He is more merciful to His servants than the mother is to her child. He is more delighted with the repentance of a repenter than the traveler who lost and then found his riding animal which was carrying all his food and drink, in a barren land.

He is the most appreciative of any small good deeds. Whoever tries to come close to Him by doing even a mustard’s seed worth of good — He is appreciative of it and praises it.

…’Indeed our Lord is the Most Forgiving and Appreciative.’

He taught His servants about Himself through His names and attributes. He became beloved to them through His forbearance and favors. Their sins do not stop Him from generously giving them from His favors. He promised to forgive the sins of the one who repents to Him and perfects his obedience to Him, on the Day he meets Him.

…’Indeed our Lord is the Most Forgiving and Appreciative.’

All happiness is found in obeying Him and all profit is found in worshiping Him. All catastrophes are found in disobeying Him. There is nothing more beneficial for the servant than to be grateful to Him and repent to Him.

…’Indeed our Lord is the Most Forgiving and Appreciative.’

He showered His creation with blessings and decreed upon Himself (the attribute of) mercy. He wrote in His book (above the Throne) that His mercy supersedes His anger.

…’Indeed our Lord is the Most Forgiving and Appreciative.’

When He is obeyed, He is appreciative. (The ability to) worship Him is due to the success and favor (He gives the servant). When one sins, He is forbearing (even though) the sinning of the servant is due to his own oppression and ignorance. When the sinner repents to Him, He forgives him and he becomes as if he was never a sinner.

…’Indeed our Lord is the Most Forgiving and Appreciative.’

For Him, one good deed is equal to ten, or He may multiply the reward without count. The sin is only counted as one by Him and its end result is pardoning and forgiveness (if one repents). The door to repentance has always been open — since the day He created the heavens and earth and until the end of time.

…’Indeed our Lord is the Most Forgiving and Appreciative.’

The door of the Most Generous is the perfect place for the hopes (of the creation) and for sins (to be forgiven). His generosity never ceases to stop pouring; rather it comes in abundance. His right hand is full of good and His giving does not decrease what is in His hand. He is the Most Generous in giving during the night and day.

…’Indeed our Lord is the Most Forgiving and Appreciative.’

Only those who are patient receive (and act upon) His commands and only those who are grateful will gain His abundant rewards. Only the wretched will destroy themselves and only the defiant will suffer His punishment.

…’Indeed our Lord is the Most Forgiving and Appreciative.’

O defiant one, be wary of being seized suddenly, for He is Protective (of His limits). If you remain upon disobedience of Him while He is bestowing you with His blessings — be warned. He is not ignoring you, rather He is being patient (with you). And glad tidings of His forgiveness and mercy, O repenter!

…’Indeed our Lord is the Most Forgiving and Appreciative.’

Whoever realizes that the Lord is appreciative will excel in his worship. Whoever realizes that He is of vast forgiveness becomes attached to His mercy. Whoever realizes that His mercy supersedes His anger, will never lose hope of His mercy.

…’Indeed our Lord is the Most Forgiving and Appreciative.’

Whoever attaches himself to one of His traits, that trait will lead him to Him. Whoever takes the path to Him by learning His beautiful names, will arrive to Him. Whoever loves Him, loves His names and attributes. Bringing life to his heart by knowing and loving Him will become the most beloved thing to him.

He attains the perfection of his limbs by coming close to Him through obeying and serving Him. He attains the perfection of his tongue by His remembrance and praise of Him with all types of praise.

The people who are grateful to Him are the people who He increases (in blessings). The people who remember Him are the people who spend time (in worship) with Him. The people who obey Him are the people whom He has honored.

He does not let the people who disobey Him despair of His mercy. If they repent, He is their beloved. If they do not repent, He is their healer who will test them with different types of trials so that He may expiate their sins and purify them from their faults.

…’Indeed our Lord is the Most Forgiving and Appreciative.’”

Slightly Paraphrased from Ibn Al-Qayyim’s book: ’Uddat As-Saabireen