Islam teaches that God has ninety nine names through which the Muslim learns of the Attributes of God. One of the attributes is Al-Ghafoor ("the forgiver"); another is Al-Ghaffaar ("the forgiving"). During the second ten days of Ramadan, these two attributes become a point of emphasis.
The root of "Al-Ghafoor" and "Al-Ghaffaar" is Ghafara. "Ghafara" means “to cover, hide, conceal, forgive, give protection, set the affairs right, suppress the defect.” (Omar, pg 405) As such, these two words express two forms of forgiveness inherit in the attributes of God; first they carry the meaning of protecting the human being from committing a sin; secondly they carry the meaning of protecting the human from punishment for sins. God is the one who protects the believer from committing sins and protects from the punishment of sins. These two words collectively display the range and characteristics of God’s forgiveness.
Thus, Muslims believe that God actively protects the believer from her/his own self and provides for a way which believers can approach God if a sin is committed.
There is no belief in Islam that humans are made in God’s image. However, Muslims practice spirituality by emulating God through sharing forgiveness in their daily lives. Thus, for the believer, there are three ways in which forgiveness is practiced: seeking God's forgiveness, seeking forgiveness of others, and seeking to forgive others.
Seeking Forgiveness of God
During Ramadan, amidst the fasting and extra prayers, it's believed that God further instructs the Muslim through the teachings of Prophet Muhammad that humanity should seek God’s forgiveness from all past indiscretions, and ask that they be protected against future indiscretions.
Unlike other religions, Muslims do not seek forgiveness in front of a pastor, preacher, priest, or Rabbi. Instead, forgiveness is sought at the very presence of God. It is sought through a specific prayer that is conducted by the Muslim called Taubah. During this prayer, that consist of two Raka (a series of standing, bowing and prostrating while reciting verses from the Quran), the believer sincerely repents to God and asked that past sins be forgiven, and that protection be given to prevent one from committing such sins in the future.
Seeking Forgiveness of Others
At some point, an individual may commit an act that hurts another person’s feelings and causes harm to their well-being, either purposefully or inadvertently. It is the selfish side of the nafs ("self, soul") which can lead a person to eventually cause such harm to someone else and, thus, stand in need of having to seek the forgiveness of those harmed.
Altruistically, a believer will seek out the one harmed, endeavor to make amends, and set things right. This is due to the teachings of Islam which state that if two, or more, people have a problem, they should resolve it within three days. The one who initiates clemency will be the one most rewarded by God for seeking peace, and forgiveness.
Seeking To Forgive Others
As such, being the initiator of reconciliation is a virtue that Islam works to instill in each believer. During the initiation of reconciliation the Muslim is emulating the attributes of his Lord, Al-Ghafoor and Al-Ghafaar. She/he is demonstrating the nature, and godlike qualities, which Islam is meant to develop within the Muslim.
In this way, not only has the Muslim been seeking the forgiveness of others but also is actively forgiving the harm done to him or her by working to forgive, and forget, the harm that was committed against him or her.
In retrospect, the second ten days of Ramadan helps the Muslim to focus on aspects of humanitarianism. Thus, the Muslim can be conscious of God and conscious of the needs of humanity without feeling that these two objectives are in conflict. As such, the most spiritual of the Muslim population are not to be found in a cave or some far away sanctuary. In contrast, Islam teaches that the most spiritual, and God-Conscious, of Muslims are found in the very mist of civilization working to achieve the greater goals of humanity.
Sources:
- Abdullah Yusef Ali, The Holy Quran; With Arabic Text.
- Abdul Mannan Omar, Dictionary of The Holy Quran.
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