Seeking Forgiveness and Forgiving Oneself in Ramadan

This is Day 17 of the 2017 #30Days30Writers Ramadan series – June 12, 2017

By Saud Inam

We’re often told that Ramadan is a month of mercy, reflection and forgiveness from Allah for our sins and shortcomings. Indeed, the second ten days of the month is focused on seeking forgiveness in all its forms. However, many of us forget that forgiving ourselves is a part of the healing and repentance process. We may have made some awful life decisions or actions or sins, but the key is to forgive yourself.

It is in Ramadan that we are meant to not just hear the recitation of the Quran and read Quran but to truly connect with Him. It is in this time where we’re not only meant to gain Allah’s forgiveness, but forgive ourselves. Ramadan is designed for the broken-hearted, the regretful and the God-conscious. To gain Allah’s mercy, we must be merciful to ourselves.

We must never go to extremes in terms of destroying ourselves in our regret of our life decisions, actions or sins. We are human being and are fallible and will make mistakes.

I am reminded of this hadith when I think of how often we demand perfection of ourselves and forget that sinning and making mistakes in our lives is part of the human experience:

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “By Him in whose hand is my soul, if you did not sin Allah would replace you with people who would sin and they would seek the forgiveness of Allah and He would forgive them.” Source: Sahih Muslim 2749

It is in Ramadan that we are reminded of Allah’s love for us, and we must learn to love ourselves too. It is in this month that Allah brought His beloved the gift of salah (ritual prayer) for five times a day. We have five times to speak to the source of ultimate peace, sakeenah, comfort and healing.

Allah loves to hear from us and loves to give, the key is to take advantage of that open line of communication and learn to connect with Him intimately during this time, heal and gain inner peace and comfort.

To truly move forward in our lives and grow as believers we must learn to ask for forgiveness from Allah, ask ourselves for forgiveness and forgive ourselves completely. This is how we grow as believers and improve our spiritual states.

May Allah grant us all healing, forgiveness for all of our sins, give us the ability to overcome our shortcomings and weaknesses and grant us hearts full of peace, tranquility, strength and grant us the ability to forgive ourselves.

Ameen.

Saud Inam blogs at Sabr & Shukr on Patheos Muslim.