“But whoever pardons and brings about reconciliation—his reward is with Allah.”
It is related that when Imam Ahmad was wronged during his well-known ordeal, he did not leave until he had absolved those who had wronged him. He said:
“I recalled a report related from Mubārak ibn Fadāla, from al-Hasan, who said: ‘On the Day of Resurrection, a caller will proclaim: Let those whose reward is assured with Allah rise! None will rise except those who pardoned and brought about reconciliation.’”
Allah Most High says:
“If you retaliate, then retaliate only to the extent that you have suffered. But if you are patient, that is certainly better for those who are patient.”
He, glorified and exalted be He, permits them, if they punish the wrongdoer, to punish him only to the extent that he has punished them. Then He says:
“But if you are patient, that is certainly better for those who are patient.”
It is thus clear that patiently refraining from punishing him in kind is better than punishing him. How, then, could it forfeit or diminish one’s reward? Allah Most High has said:
“And wounds are subject to equal retribution. But whoever forgoes it as charity, it will be an expiation for him.”
He has thus made the charitable relinquishment of the retribution due from the wrongdoer—that is, pardoning him rather than exacting retribution—an expiation for the one who pardons. Exacting retribution, however, is not an expiation for him. It is therefore clear that pardoning is better for him than exacting retribution.
This is because the afflictions that befall a person expiate sins. The servant is rewarded for bearing them patiently, and his rank is raised through his contentment with the afflictions Allah decrees for him.
Allah Most High says:
“No affliction befalls except by Allah’s permission. And whoever believes in Allah—He will guide his heart.”
One of the early generations said: “This is a man whom an affliction befalls: he knows that it is from Allah, so he is content and submits.” And in the two Sahīh collections, it is reported from the Prophet