The Ten Days of Forgiveness (Maghfirat)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ۚ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ جَاءُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللَّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللَّهَ تَوَّابًا رَّحِيمًا

'We never sent any Messenger, but that he should be obeyed by the leave of God. If, when they had wronged themselves, they had come to you, and asked forgiveness from God, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found God Forgiving, Merciful.'

(Surat al-Nisaa’: 60)

This article was written by Ra'sul Hududil Mayameen Janab Syedi Aziz Bhaisaheb Qutbuddin in 2015.

Rasulullah’s SA Khutba states that the middle ten days of Shehrullah are the days of forgiveness (Maghfirat), just as the first ten days are days of Rehmat and the last ten days are days of freedom from hellfire.

In Shehrullah, as per the guidance of our Hudaat Kiraam, we recite “Allahumma Shahru Ramadaan” doa after each farizat namaaz. In that doa after “lailaha illa Allah” we say “astaghfirullah” (I seek forgiveness from Allah). Our Hudaat Kiraam’s guidance is full of wisdom and fulfills Allah’s command to seek His forgiveness, with the promise that Allah Ta’ala is most forgiving and merciful (ghafurun raheem).

Our Hudaat Kiraam have divided sins into three categories: 1) transgressions between an individual and Allah Ta’ala, 2) transgressions between an individual and Allah’s waliyy (sahib-uz-zamaan) and, 3) transgressions between one individual and another individual. The first type of sin, Allah Ta’ala will forgive as long as the individual seeks forgiveness while committing to not repeat the transgression. The second type of sin, Allah’s Awliyaa’ will forgive because they are the embodiment of Allah Ta’ala’s rehmat. With regards to the third type, an individual must seek forgiveness from the one on who he has transgressed with, and only then will Allah Ta’ala forgive his sins.

Individually, we must seek forgiveness for our sins, but the wasila and intercession of our Awliyaa’ is what ensures Allah’s forgiveness. As the ayat above states, “if they come to you and seek Allah’s forgiveness, and if Rasulullah seeks forgiveness for them, then they will find that Allah Ta’ala most forgiving and merciful.” Just as Rasulullah sought forgiveness for those who came to him 1400 years ago, in every age an Imam, and in his seclusion his Dai, seeks forgiveness for Mumineen. Today, in every wasila and doa, Rasulullah’s Dai, Syedna Khuzaima Qutbuddin TUS seeks forgiveness for Mumineen. We are fortunate that we are among those who have faith in him and receive Allah Ta’ala’s mercy.

It is our belief (as narrated in the following verse) that our love for Panjetan, A’immat and their Do’aat is the reason for the acceptance of our good deeds and the cause for the forgiveness of our sins.

بِحُبِّكُمْ تُقْبَلُ الاَعْمَالُ اِنْ قُبِلَتْ

وَيُغْفَرُ الذَّنْبُ لِلْعَاصِيْنَ اِنْ غُفِرَا

While praying bihori namaaz, we pray two rak’ats for the forgiveness of our sins. After the namaaz we recite this heartfelt Munajaat (supplication) attributed to Imam Ali Zainul Abedeen SA:

إلٰهِيْ عَبْدُكَ الْعَاصِيْ أتاَكا

مُقِرًّا بِالذُّنُوبِ وَقَدْ دَعَاكَا

God, your disobedient servant has come to you

Confessing his sins and supplicating you

وَإنْ تَغْفِرْ فَإنَّكَ أَهْلُ ذَاكَا

وَإنْ تَطْرُدْ فَمَنْ يَرْجُو سِوَاكا

If you forgive, it is because you are worthy of forgiving

But if you reject, to whom can he turn?

تَجَاوَزْ عَنْ ضَعِيْفٍ قَدْ جَفَاكَا

فَعَبْدُكَ يَا مُهَيْمِنُ قَدْ رَجَاكَا

Pardon this weakling who has transgressed upon you

For he is your servant, O Powerful One, and he beseeches you

وَجَاءَكَ تَائِباً يَرْجُو رِضَاكَا

وَلَمْ يَسْجُدْ لِمَعْبُودٍ سِوَاكَا

He has come asking your pardon, hoping for your acceptance

And he bows to no god but you

May Allah Ta’ala forgive our sins in this mubarak month, in these Mubarak days.