The Power of Forgiveness

Last Friday we listened the last khotbah of our Ustad before Friday prayer. He has been living with us for thirty two years in our small town, Tembagapura. For that long times he has been also our friend together to build a harmonious and peaceful community. He has actively participated and supported various social activities in our cool town. Now is a hard time for him to leave us. He has to return to his hometown to spend another valuable life with his beloved big family. Farewell Ustad!

The topic of his khotbah was "forgiveness". He recited the very touching example of Muhammad's practice on forgiveness. Prophet Mohammad was the most forgiving person. The Prophet would forgive others for their ignorance and evil, even those who might have once considered to be his enemies. It looks like that our Ustad would give us the best lesson on the power of forgiveness in his last khotbah. After Friday prayer, he shook hands of Jamaah with tears in his eyes.

In social interaction, one of the most common problems is forgiveness. Someone does something incorrect or unwise, either against the individual or against the group of individuals. To forgive means to pardon the accused with no left resentment or anger as a result of a perceived offense. If forgiveness is complete, the act of offense is totally forgotten, as if it never took place. Sometimes, to forgive is difficult, and even any person feels that it's impossible to forgive.

We all take incorrect and unwise act or decision caused by bad judgment or a lack of information or care. Howsoever intelligent, wealthy or experienced we may be, we all have time to take incorrect and unwise acts consciously or unconsciously. We may realize, other times we don't. But actually we make such a mistake because we are human. Sometimes it's an easy mistake to make, and another it’s a very serious mistake. Only God does not ever make any mistake.

Let us strive for forgiving all the times. We also make a mistake to apologize, doesn’t we? Forgiveness make someone happy and pleased again. Forgiveness is letting go of grudges and bitterness. However, forgiveness should not mean that we accept the person's mistakes to be made in another time or against another person, and it does not justify the mistakes. Forgiveness brings a kind of peaceful and harmonious condition that helps us go on better for remaining life. (Pulung Chahyono, www.pulung-online.blogspot.com, mitra_ulung@yahoo.com)