Hawzah News Agency | In Sahifa Sajjadiyya, Imam Sajjad, peace be upon him, addresses Almighty God in the following manner:
«اَللَّهُمَّ إِنْ تَشَأْ تَعْفُ عَنَّا فَبِفَضْلِکَ وَ إِنْ تَشَأْ تُعَذِّبْنَا فَبِعَدْلِکَ.»
"O God! If Your will is to forgive us, it is through Your grace; and if Your will is to punish us, it is through Your justice." (Supplication, no. 10)
Explanation:
Imam Sajjad, peace be upon him, expresses a similar statement in the 45th supplication of Sahifa Sajjadiyya:
«اللَّهُمَّ ... عَفْوُک تَفَضُّلٌ، وَ عُقُوبَتُک عَدْلٌ.»
"O God! Your forgiveness is an act of grace, and Your punishment is justice."
Thus, the Imam, peace be upon him, attributes forgiveness to God’s grace and not to human merit, while viewing punishment as a consequence of divine justice and human deservingness.
Question:
Is it truly the case that humans are undeserving of forgiveness from God?
To better understand Imam Sajjad’s (peace be upon him) words and answer the question, let us refer to a passage from Munajat al-'Arifeen (1):
In this supplication, Imam Sajjad, peace be upon him, appeals to Almighty God as follows:
«إِلٰهِی قَصُرَتِ الْأَلْسُنُ عَنْ بُلُوغِ ثَنائِکَ کَما یَلِیقُ بِجَلالِکَ.»
"O God! Tongues are incapable of offering praise worthy of Your greatness."
This statement suggests that even if we are devout in worship, our worship does not measure up to the grandeur and majesty of Almighty God, the Absolute Sovereign. This means we cannot fulfill the rights of servitude to God in a manner truly befitting Him. Therefore, God’s forgiveness toward us is an act of His grace.
This is why Imam al-Hussain, peace be upon him, in the beautiful supplication of Dua Arafah, addresses God in this way:
«إِلَهِی مَنْ کَانَتْ مَحَاسِنُهُ مَسَاوِیَ فَکَیْفَ لَا تَکُونُ مَسَاوِیهِ مَسَاوِیَ.»
"O God! If the good deeds and virtues of a person fall short and are deficient in comparison to Your infinite perfection, then how can their flaws and shortcomings not be considered as such?"
It is important to note that this statement by Imam al-Hussain, peace be upon him, as well as similar expressions, does not imply that he (peace be upon him) had any flaws or shortcomings. Rather, such words stem from the overwhelming sense of awe and humility in the presence of God’s majesty and glory:
«یَا مَنْ أَلْبَسَ أَوْلِیَاءَهُ مَلاَبِسَ هَیْبَتِهِ فَقَامُوا بَیْنَ یَدَیْهِ مُسْتَغْفِرِینَ.»
"O You before whom even the saints stand seeking forgiveness due to the manifestation of Your awe and majesty." (Mafatih al-Jinan)
This manner of expression, found in the words of the Infallibles (peace be upon them), arises from their immersion in the awe and grandeur of God. Those who reach this spiritual station view themselves and all their deeds and acts of worship as insignificant, for they are constantly aware of God’s presence.
Therefore, forgiveness from God is a sign of His grace, not a reflection of our worthiness.
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(1) Munājāt al-ārifīn (Arabic: مُناجاتُ الْعارِفین, The Whispered Prayer of the Knowers) is one of The Fifteen Whispered Prayers attributed to Imam al-Sajjad (a).
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