Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
1.
Regarding the word (ʿafw) in this verse, there are two opinions, the details of which are as follows:
➊
The position of Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) is that it refers to the wealth of people which is surplus to their needs; Allah, the Exalted, commanded His Noble Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) to take it, and this command was before the rulings of zakat were revealed.
➋
The position of Ibn Zubair (radi Allahu anhu) is that it means to pardon, that instead of probing into people’s morals and deeds, one should pardon them, as is evident from the aforementioned ahadith.
Imam Ibn Jarir al-Tabari (rahimahullah) preferred the second meaning, because “akhlaq” (morals) is the plural of “khuluq,” and by it is meant that disposition by which actions are easily performed.
Ja‘far al-Sadiq (rahimahullah) said that there is no verse in the Noble Qur’an more comprehensive regarding the description of people’s noble character than this one.

2.
The principles of character are three:
Intellectual, appetitive (shahwi), and irascible (ghadabi).
And the perfection of every character trait is the mean (moderation); the mean of the intellectual trait is wisdom (hikmah).
From this arises enjoining good (amr bil-ma‘ruf).
The mean of the appetitive trait is chastity (‘iffah).
From this is derived pardoning (ʿafw), and the mean of the irascible trait is courage (shaja‘ah).
From this arises turning away from the ignorant.
(‘Umdat al-Qari: 12/625)

3.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) has written that when this verse was revealed, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) asked Jibril (alayhis salam) about it, so he replied that he did not know, but he could ask Allah, the Exalted, and inform him of its meaning. Then he informed that in this verse, Allah, the Exalted, has commanded you that whoever wrongs you, you should pardon him; and whoever withholds from you, you should grant him; and whoever severs ties with you, you should maintain ties with him.
(Fath al-Bari: 8/388)
In short, this verse is a comprehensive guide containing noble morals, through which Allah, the Exalted, trained the Leader of the Prophets (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and granted him the title of “exalted character” among all the first and the last. Thus, the statement of Allah, the Exalted, is:
“Indeed, you are upon an exalted standard of character.”
(al-Qalam: 68/4)