> Concept of Kazm, Afu and Ihsaan in Islam - Part II/II

In order to highlight that Afu has the power to establish a far reaching harmony in the society, I wanted to talk about Surah Al-Baqara 2:178-179.  

يٰٓأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِصَاصُ فِى الْقَتْلَى  ۖ  الْحُرُّ بِالْحُرِّ وَالْعَبْدُ بِالْعَبْدِ وَالْأُنْثٰى بِالْأُنْثٰى  ۚ  فَمَنْ عُفِىَ لَهُ ۥ  مِنْ أَخِيهِ شَىْءٌ فَاتِّبَاعٌۢ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَأَدَآءٌ إِلَيْهِ بِإِحْسٰنٍ  ۗ  ذٰلِكَ تَخْفِيفٌ مِّنْ رَّبِّكُمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ  ۗ  فَمَنِ اعْتَدٰى بَعْدَ ذٰلِكَ فَلَهُ ۥ  عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

"O you who have believed, prescribed for you is legal retribution for those murdered - the free for the free, the slave for the slave, and the female for the female. But whoever overlooks from his brother anything, then there should be a suitable follow-up and payment to him with good conduct. This is an alleviation from your Lord and a mercy. But whoever transgresses after that will have a painful punishment."

(QS. Al-Baqara: Verse 178)

وَلَكُمْ فِى الْقِصَاصِ حَيٰوةٌ يٰٓأُولِى الْأَلْبٰبِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

"And there is for you in legal retribution [saving of] life, O you [people] of understanding, that you may become righteous."

(QS. Al-Baqara: Verse 179)

 

Ayat 178 starts by establishing Qisaas as a way of retribution for murder. But this Ayat is not about establishing Qisaas as a preferred way, but if we read further - it sets out a solid basis by which the issue of 'retaliation/ retribution/ revenge' can be rooted out from the society. In ancient Arabian culture, there was a huge imbalance while taking revenge, innocents got killed for crimes they didn't commit. Disproportionate action was a norm. By immediately changing the tone of the Ayat, Allah (SWT) seeks to soften the hearts by  bringing in Afu for the perpetrator of the crime- even calling him your 'brother'. But Allah (SWT) has kept the balance, and has permitted to get justice in the manner allowed. Allah (SWT) mentions Afu not by force, but by giving rights to the victim first, and then inviting us to the next level - to Afu. Afu has the power to end worst of enmities. So what better outcome Afu is going to bring than Qisaas itself? It creates a culture of Ihsaan - foes become friends, and results can impact generations to come. In my view, this Ayat was sent to end Qisaas , and not to encourage it.

Afu and Levels of Determination:

فَاصْبِرْ كَمَا صَبَرَ أُولُو الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ وَلَا تَسْتَعْجِل لَّهُمْ كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَ مَا يُوعَدُونَ لَمْ يَلْبَثُوا إِلَّا سَاعَةً مِّن نَّهَارٍ بَلَاغٌ فَهَلْ يُهْلَكُ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ

"So be patient, [O Muhammad], as were those of determination among the messengers and do not be impatient for them. It will be - on the Day they see that which they are promised - as though they had not remained [in the world] except an hour of a day. [This is] notification. And will [any] be destroyed except the defiantly disobedient people?"

(QS. Al-Ahqaf: Verse 35) 

In Ayat above, Allah (SWT) enjoins Rasool (SAW) to have patience like messengers of (great) determination (أُولُو الْعَزْم). At the highest level of determination are 5 messengers of Allah (SW), Muhammad (SAW), Eisa (AS), Moosa (AS), Ibrahim (AS) and Nooh (AS). 

The question arises then, what is the level of determination Allah (SWT) invites rest of us to attain.  In Surah Aal-i-Imran 3:186 , Allah (SWT) calls act of being patient and fearing Allah (SWT) to be from the acts of determination( مِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ ).  

لَتُبْلَوُنَّ فِي أَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ وَلَتَسْمَعُنَّ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَمِنَ الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا أَذًى كَثِيرًا وَإِن تَصْبِرُوا وَتَتَّقُوا فَإِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ

"You will surely be tested in your possessions and in yourselves. And you will surely hear from those who were given the Scripture before you and from those who associate others with Allah much abuse. But if you are patient and fear Allah - indeed, that is of the matters [worthy] of determination."

(QS. Aal-i-Imraan: Verse 186) 

Looking at second mention of this, we need to go to Surah Luqman 31:17, where Luqman is teaching his young son virtuous acts (Note: this is a rare Ayat about Salat, where Zakat is not mentioned - this is in spirit of the fact that his son is a child and not yet responsible for his own Zakat). So when one starts to enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, most certainly it will be met with opposition - so Luqman teaches his son to be patient over whatever befalls, and completes by warning , indeed this act requires (a lot of) determination.

يٰبُنَىَّ أَقِمِ الصَّلٰوةَ وَأْمُرْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَانْهَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَاصْبِرْ عَلٰى مَآ أَصَابَكَ 

 ۖ  إِنَّ ذٰلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ

"O my son, establish prayer, enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and be patient over what befalls you. Indeed, [all] that is of the matters [requiring] determination."

(QS. Luqman: Verse 17) 

Interestingly, in both places above (3:186 and 31:17), when Allah (SWT) mentions عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ, along with 'patience' , he says 'مِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ. So is there anything better than just ' عَزْمِ الْأُمُور' ,  indeed there is, to emphasise that when patience is combined with Afu, the importance of act of determination is raised by one level  above just being  عَزْمِ الْأُمُور.

Look at Surah Ash-Shura 42:43, patience when it joined with forgiveness (Afu), it becomes  لَمِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ, and not just مِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ

وَلَمَنْ صَبَرَ وَغَفَرَ إِنَّ ذٰلِكَ لَمِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ

"And whoever is patient and forgives - indeed, that is of the matters [requiring] determination."

(QS. Ash-Shura: Verse 43) 

With Use of extra 'Lam' in Ayat above , level of determination is raised to be just below that of the messengers of Allah. And this is possible only through Afu.

 So to summarise, the noblest of determination is that of 5 messengers of Allah. Followed by those who exercise forgiveness with patience, and then those who have patience alone.

I would like to end our topic of Afu, by three beautiful Ayats in Surah Fussilat 41:34-36.

وَلَا تَسْتَوِي الْحَسَنَةُ وَلَا السَّيِّئَةُ ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا الَّذِي بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيمٌ

 

"And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend."

(QS. Fussilat: Verse 34)

 

وَمَا يُلَقّٰىهَآ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا وَمَا يُلَقّٰىهَآ إِلَّا ذُو حَظٍّ عَظِيمٍ

"But none is granted it except those who are patient, and none is granted it except one having a great portion [of good]."

(QS. Fussilat: Verse 35)

 

وَإِمَّا يَنزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ نَزْغٌ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ

"And if there comes to you from Satan an evil suggestion, then seek refuge in Allah. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing."

(QS. Fussilat: Verse 36) 

In Ayat 34, Allah (SWT) is giving us a profound advice - repelling evil by a better deed is not possible at all unless one attains successfully all 3 levels - Kazm, Afu and Ihsaan. And what an outcome Allah (SWT) is promising for this ! In Ayat 35, Allah (SWT) talks about who will be granted ability to repel evil with a better deed. First group referred to here are those have patience, and second group is those who take Afu. Use of separate 'Wa-Ma' is worth noticing here. 

Ayat 36 mentions two names of Allah   السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ, worth observing the contrast with Surah Al-A'raaf 7:200, there Allah uses names as  simple nouns, but here context is not focussed on Mushrikeen , so Allah (SWT) creates emphasis by mentioning his names as definite nouns. In Ayat 36 , again Allah (SWT) is warning that Shaytan will distract you,  and enjoins us to seek Allah's refuge in the matters of Patience and Afu.

May Allah (SWT) grant us ability to attain the noble virtue of Afu and Ihsaan and forgive us our sins.

--------------------------------------Added on 23/1/2017 in response to a question in comments on part1----------
AssalamAlaikum brother Waseem,

I imagine your question is related to our topic, so I consulted Shaikh Obaid who kindly provided summary below.

Word Shaytan comes from Arabic word 'shatan', which means a long rope. So incitement of shaytan is like a long rope attached to us and can affect us constantly. We seek refuge of Allah (SWT) with words أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم. Allah (SWT) didn't make mention of Iblis in this Ayat , firstly because he is the lowest of lows ("zaleel") and secondly because incitement may not come from him directly but any other shayateen from his group. Word used here is not 'shaytan al laeen', but 'rajeem'. This is to degrade shaytan even in mention - and used as continuous tense- it's ongoing punishment for them. Rajeem comes from Rajm, rock pelting at shaytan at mina.

As you have read in article above, Allah (SWT) enjoins us to seek Allah's refuge against shaytan in the moment of anger. Ref A'raaf 7:99 and Fussilat 41:34.

Firstly, as we know shayateen are Jinn - as Allah (SWT) said in Ayat below - Iblis is father of all shayateen.

وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ كَانَ مِنَ الْجِنِّ فَفَسَقَ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِ ۗ أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِن دُونِي وَهُمْ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ ۚ بِئْسَ لِلظَّالِمِينَ بَدَلًا

"And [mention] when We said to the angels, "Prostrate to Adam," and they prostrated, except for Iblees. He was of the jinn and departed from the command of his Lord. Then will you take him and his descendants as allies other than Me while they are enemies to you? Wretched it is for the wrongdoers as an exchange."
(QS. Al-Kahf: Verse 50)


Allah also called shaytan as 'Maarid' in Ayat below - meaning he is rebellious , excessively proud and corrupt.

وَحِفْظًا مِّن كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ مَّارِدٍ

"And as protection against every rebellious devil"
(QS. As-Saaffaat: Verse 7)

Further to that, Jinn themselves referred to shaytan as transgressor.

وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ سَفِيهُنَا عَلَى اللَّهِ شَطَطًا

"And that our foolish one has been saying about Allah an excessive transgression."
(QS. Al-Jinn: Verse 4)

Saying أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم  is a common way of seeking refuge of Allah (SWT), there is no issue in that, but in Ayats below - Allah has taught us better way of doing this. These words are powerful.

ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ السَّيِّئَةَ ۚ نَحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَصِفُونَ (96) وَقُل رَّبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ (97) وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَن يَحْضُرُونِ (98) 

"Repel, by [means of] what is best, [their] evil. We are most knowing of what they describe.(96). And say, "My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the incitements of the devils, (97).And I seek refuge in You, my Lord, lest they be present with me (98). "
(QS. Al-Muminoon: Verse 96-98)

In Surah Muminoon Ayats above, we learn how to seek refuge of Allah from incitement of shayateen. We don't stop there, but also seek refuge against their return. 

We learn from Rasool (SAW) how to take action against incitement of Shaytan.

Hadith1: Rasool (SAW) said , “Verily, Shaytan flows through the human being like blood.” (Sahih Muslim 2174)

Hadith2: Rasool (SAW) advised Abu Dhar Gaffari (RZ)  an angry person to sit down if you are standing, if you are sitting then lie down - so that he would not do something that he would later regret.  (Sunan Abi Dawood, with M'aalim al-Sunan 5/141)

Hadith3:Rasool (SAW)  said, "Verily, anger comes from Shaytan, and Shaytan was created from fire. Fire is exteinguished with water, so if you become angry then perform wudhu with water". (Sunan Abi-Dawud 4784)

Hope this helps