Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 149

(Ayah 149) {اِنْ تُبْدُوْا خَيْرًا اَوْ تُخْفُوْهُ اَوْ تَعْفُوْا ……:} In this verse, there is encouragement to forgive, meaning that although it is permissible to complain about the oppressor or to pray against him, it is better to act with forgiveness and forbearance, because Allah Himself, despite having full power, is very forgiving. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Wealth does not decrease by giving charity, and Allah only increases a servant's honor by forgiving, and no one humbles himself for the sake of Allah except that Allah raises him." [ مسلم، البر والصلۃ، باب استحباب العفو والتواضع : ۲۵۸۸ ]

149. 1. If a person commits oppression or evil against someone, the Shariah permits retaliation to the extent of the oppression suffered. Whatever is said between two people who exchange insults, the sin is upon the one who initiates (provided that) the oppressed (the one who was insulted and insulted back in response) does not exceed limits in response. Along with the permission to retaliate, forgiveness and overlooking are preferred, because Allah Himself, despite having complete power, chooses to forgive and overlook. Therefore, it is said, "جَزَاۗءُ سَـيِّئَةٍۢ بِمِثْلِهَا" 10:27 (The recompense of an evil is an evil like it, but whoever forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is with Allah). And it is also mentioned in the hadith that by forgiving, Allah increases a person in honor. Sahih Muslim, Book of Birr and Sila, Chapter on the Recommendation of Forgiveness and Humility.

149. If you do good openly or secretly, or pardon someone’s [198] fault, then surely Allah is Most Forgiving and All-Powerful over everything.

[198]
Forgiveness and Forbearance:

On the contrary, O Muslims! If you respond to any wrongdoing with goodness, or pray for the oppressor instead of cursing him, or openly or secretly devise some means of doing good to him, or even forgive his fault, then this is much better for you. Because your Lord, despite having all power, continues to provide sustenance even to the oppressors, even to the polytheists and disbelievers, and grants them respite. Incidentally, from these verses it is also understood that just as speaking ill of someone, i.e., backbiting, is a major sin, similarly, concealing someone’s faults or covering them up is a great virtue. Now, regarding forgiveness and concealment, consider a few hadiths:

1. The Prophet ﷺ said, “By forgiving, Allah increases the honor of His servant.”
[مسلم، کتاب البر والصلۃ باب استحباب العفو والتواضع]

2.
Concealing Faults is a Great Virtue:

The Prophet ﷺ said, “All of my Ummah will be forgiven except those who publicize (their sins), and that sin is that a man commits a (bad) deed at night, then when morning comes, although Allah had concealed that deed, he says, ‘O so-and-so! I did such and such last night.’ Allah had concealed his fault, but he himself exposes Allah’s covering from his fault.”
[مسلم، کتاب الزہد، باب النھی عن ہتک الانسان ستر نفسہ بخاری کتاب الادب، باب ستر المومن علی نفسہ]

3. Ibn Umar ؓ reports that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults on the Day of Resurrection.”
[بخاری، کتاب المظالم، باب لایظلم المسلم المسلم]

4. The Prophet ﷺ said: (On the Day of Resurrection) one of you will be brought so close to his Lord that Allah will place His arm over him. Then He will say, ‘Did you do such and such deeds?’ He will say, ‘Yes.’ Then Allah will ask, ‘Did you also do such and such deeds?’ He will say, ‘Yes,’ as if he is confessing every sin. Allah will say, ‘I had concealed them for you in the world, and today I forgive you.’
[بخاری، کتاب الادب باب ستر المومن علی نفسہ نیز کتاب المظالم، باب قول اللہ تعالیٰ الالعنۃ اللہ علی الظالمین]

5.
The Last Person to Enter Paradise and Allah’s Concealment:

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Dharr ؓ that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said that I know the person who will enter Paradise last and will be the last to come out of Hell. That person will be brought on the Day of Resurrection and it will be ordered that his minor sins be presented, not the major ones. Thus, his minor sins will be presented and he will be told, ‘You did such and such deeds on such and such days.’ He will say, ‘Yes,’ and will not be able to deny, and he will be fearful of his major sins lest they be presented. It will be ordered for him, ‘For every evil deed of yours, you will be given a good deed in return.’ Upon hearing this, he will say, ‘O my Lord! I did some other deeds as well which I do not see here.’ The narrator says that I saw that at this, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ laughed so much that his molar teeth became visible.
[مسلم کتاب الایمان۔ باب اثبات الشفاعۃ و اخراج الموحدین من النار]

From these hadiths, it is also understood that a person should never do such a thing as to reveal before people the faults of his past life upon which Allah had placed a covering, nor does repentance require that one expose his secrets before anyone. As is the custom among Christians that at the time of repentance, one is made to confess and disclose past faults before a priest.