وَلَمَن صَبَرَ وَغَفَرَ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ

“And verily, whosoever shows patience and forgives that would truly be from the things recommended by Allah.” (Soorah ash-Shooraa: 43)

The noble Imaam Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy upon him) stated commenting on this verse:

This means the one who is patient upon the harm of the people, endures them and pardons them for the evil deeds. The evil deeds which they have done towards him, indeed that is from the affairs of firm resolve. Meaning by that the firm affairs and serious affairs that are in need of being faced and shown endurance on top of one’s patience. This is the case especially when the harm that the person is encountering is due to his Jihaad (striving) for the sake of Allah and due to his obedience to Allah. That is due to the harm of  people coming as a result of many different matters. Therefore if the reason (of him being harmed) is a result of his obedience to Allah, his Jihaad for the sake of Allah, the commanding of that which is right and the forbidding of that which is wrong, indeed the person is rewarded for that from two angles.

The first angle: From the harm that happens to him.

The second angle: His patience upon the obedience which he has been harmed due to for Allah’s sake.

In this verse there’s an encouragement for the person to be patient with the harms of the people and to pardon them for the evil they have done to him. However it is befitting to know that the pardoning of the one who has done evil to you is not praiseworthy in all circumstances. Indeed Allah has placed a restriction on this matter. It is that the pardoning is accompanied with Islaah (Rectification). Allah states:

فَمَنْ عَفَا وَأَصْلَحَ فَأَجْرُهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ

“…but whoever forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from Allah.” (Soorah ash-Shooraa: 40)

As for the case in which there is no rectification in pardoning and forgiving (the ones who have done wrong to you), then you do not pardon and forgive (the wrongdoers).

For example: If the one who has done wrong to you is person known for evil and corruption and if you were to pardon him that would be a cause for an increase in his evil—in this case it is better that you do not pardon him. Rather take your right from him for the purpose of (true) rectification. As for if you were to pardon the person and there is no harm that will come as a result of that, then pardoning the person is more of a virtue and better. That’s because Allah has stated:

فَمَنْ عَفَا وَأَصْلَحَ فَأَجْرُهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ

“…but whoever forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from Allah.” (Soorah ash-Shooraa: 40)

Being that your reward is from Allah, then it is better for you than the compensation that you will take from the righteous action of the one who harmed you.”

Taken from: The Explanation of Riyaadus Saaliheen of Shaykh ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy upon him): The Chapter of Sabr (Patience); V.1, pg. 70-71; Daarus-Salaam, 1st Print 1423h/2002m.

Translated by: Abu Yusuf Khaleefah, Masjid Nur-Allah Lefrak City Corona NY
On the 15th of Shawwaal, 1435
(August 11th, 2014)