Wajarkah Kita Menghukum?

Adam Taufique sent a message to the members of Quran Weekly 2.

Subject: Forgiveness

In the Name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُواْ فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُواْ أَنْفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُواْ اللّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَن يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ اللّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّواْ عَلَى مَا فَعَلُواْ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ

And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins - and who can forgive sins except Allah ? - and [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know.
[Aal-E-Imran (The Family of Imran) 3:135]

In these ayahs from surah Aal-E-Imran, Allah gives certain descriptions of the people who are granted Paradise (read ayahs 133 to 136 for more). One of the descriptions deals with forgiveness from sins.

Firstly, sins fall into two categories: immoralities (fulfilling any desires) or a wrong against ourselves (doing something that you don't necessarily gain from, i.e. backbiting, etc). Allah is describing their attributes that when they sin, they immediately remember Allah and ask for His forgiveness.

Secondly, Allah is describing attributes of the people of Paradise by discussing that they commit sins. We often think that you have to live a perfect life to gain Allah's mercy on the Day of Justice, however that's not the case. We're all humans and we're going to commit mistakes. Remember, its not the sin that we commit that matters, however it's our response to it.

Saying this may lead someone to believe that we can commit whatever sins we want and just ask for forgiveness afterwards and it'll be fine. To counter this idea, Allah says at the end of the ayah that part of their repentance is that they dedicate themselves not to commit that sin again.

The prophet (saw) said, "Every son of Adam sins, and the best of sinners are those who constantly repent." (Ibn Majah)

We ask Allah to forgive us for the sins that we commit knowingly and unknowingly. Ameen.

Penghuni ahli syurga adalah mereka yang tidak lari dari melakukan dosa. Allah beri jaminannya dalam ayat di atas. Kenapa masih ada manusia yang menghukum orang-orang berdosa yang bertaubat? Kenapa masih ada yang mengungkit segala kesilapan yang pernah dilakukan? Kenapa apa sahaja tindak tanduk si 'pembuat dosa' diperhatikan seolah-olah 'tiada maaf bagimu'? Kenapa perlu dilayan seolah-olah tiada lagi ruang untuk memperbaiki keadaan?

Manusia lebih hebat menghukum dari yang Maha Adil dalam menentukan hukuman. Semua kita tidak lari dari membuat kesalahan. Insafi diri. Berikan peluang pada diri dan orang lain untuk menjalani kehidupan yang baru. Jika kita menyedari segala kesalahan yang dilakukan, pasti kita mahu kembali ke masa lalu, membetulkan segala kepincangan yang berlaku. Namun, kita bukanlah Doraemon yang ada poket sakti. Yang dalamnya terkandung Pintu Kembali ke Zaman Lampau. Kaki kita terus melangkah ke hadapan. Masa tidak berputar mengikut arah lawan jam.

Apa yang kita mampu buat, adalah meminta keampunan dari Allah, dan pada manusia yang kita telah sakitkan hati mereka. Jika manusia itu tidak mahu menerima 'maaf' itu, berdoalah.. Allah yang pegang hati mereka.

Sebaik-baik pembuat dosa, adalah mereka yang bertaubat.

Sesungguhnya solatku, ibadahku, hidupku,dan matiku hanya semata-mata bagi Allah, Tuhan semesta alam.

Nur Suhaila Zulkifli
Nottingham.