Although Hadith Scholars are unanimous that the mainly 15 ahadith quoted in many famous books and repeated by many renown scholars are basically lacking in authenticity and reliability, yet they claim that observing the 15th of Shaban by praying Nafl in its night and making Nafl fast during its day is meritorious.

Saying Sorry to Allah and His servants!

However, twist it as we may, one thing comes out glaringly common. From the mention of people getting forgiven equivalent to the numbers of Bani Kalb to the fact that those who harbor malice for their relations wouldn't be forgiven and from the scant virtue that fasting during that day grants atonement for a year to the passing comment that night vigil that night provides forgiveness altogether points to the indisputable theme of Getting Forgiven!

The concept of Istigfar or seeking forgiveness from Allah, the All Forgiving is deeper than just slapping your face and saying tauba Allah or simply pulling a tasbeeh bead reciting Astigfirullah while others remain hurt. Saying sorry to God's servants is equally tied to getting Him to successfully forgiving you your sins and overlooking your mistakes. Lucky for us no stranger has to listen to our embarrassments before hailing Mary us or no one has to die for our sins before we could clean our conscience. It's just between you and your Allah.

Forgiveness from Allah means....

In Arabic, the word for "asking for forgiveness"is "istigfar" which is "asking for God's attribute of Gafoor”. It means to cover, protect, hide totally, recover. Basically the Arabic words used for forgiveness denotes having one's sins wiped out. With Allah it's completely different, unlike those who say forgive but don't forget or those that make you pay a ticket but keep your traffic record on an abstract! A forgiven servant is as a newborn - free and innocent. In hadith we find the beautiful words: A repentant from sins is like one who has no sins.

It's the serious and major sins that we need to seek repentance from. As for the everyday sins that are minor our daily Ibada and good works automatically annul these blots on our slates. However constant recital of the prayers embracing forgiveness and counting hundreds of Istigfar daily cleanses the heart from these sinful stains. The polishing of the heart like a clean mirror is acquired by a conscious presence of Allah's wrath. To seek His Forgiveness is to reconnect with Him.

Importance of paying our dues during Tauba

A sincere repentance requires more than repeating tauba or toobay lyrically! It includes these criteria:

• The subject really feels sorry for the wrong that he/she has committed. This should be evidenced by the subject’s request for forgiveness from the person whose rights have been violated by the subject’s actions;
  
  
• The subject sincerely resolves to correct his actions in future; and
  
  
• Wherever possible the subject willingly and voluntarily corrects the wrong that he has committed, e.g she repays the stolen property or seeks redress from the wronged party.
  

The Prophet, owbp, said: “Whoever has done wrong to his brother, let him seek his forgiveness, because in the Hereafter there will be no dollar, and let him ask for his forgiveness before some of his rewards are taken and given to his brother, and if he has no blessings, some of his brother’s sins will be taken and thrown onto him.” Bukhari.

Forgiveness from humans means..

Forgiveness (Afw): not getting revenge while one has the means to get even with one’s enemies or with a guilty party. It's to treat those with goodness who do evil things to you.

Forgiveness (Musamahat): foregoing things, that are not necessary to forego, willingly, in order to be helpful to others. Another meaning of “Musamahat” is not seeing others’ faults.

There is a story about a teacher who told each of her students to bring a clear plastic bag and a sack of potatoes to school. The teacher suggested to her pupils that for every person they had refused to forgive in their life's experience, they were to take a potato, and write on it the name and date, and put it in the plastic bag. The teacher then told each of her students to carry this bag with them on their shoulders and on their backs everywhere they went for one week, keeping the bag next to them at all times even beside their beds at night and by their desk throughout the school day, basically 24-hours a day. Some of her students complained that the plastic bags were too heavy to lug around. The hassle of physically lugging these heavy plastic bags around with them made it clear to the students what their teacher was trying to convey to them about the value of friendship and forgiveness. The students realized what a weight they were carrying spiritually. Yes not to forgive others is to dig a grave twice: once for them and then for yourself! Look at Taif. The Prophet, on whom be peace, had the upper hand to have these assaultive zealots destroyed at the nod to the powerful angels. But all he said was: Forgive them Oh Allah for they do not know! He did the same at the Conquest of Mecca. Like Yusuf alaihis salaam who forgave his envious brothers so did Muhammad behaved towards the marauding Quraish. So magnanimous!

The seriousness of sins

A pious man once said: When you want to sin look for a planet that doesn't belong to Allah!

When we commit a sin, four witnesses are established against us:

The place we did the crime (i.e. scene of the wickedness). "On that day, the earth will reveal all its secrets." (99:4)

The organ we used to commit the crime. "When their ears, their eyes, their skin will testify against them". (41:21)

The Angels who record the deeds (Kiraman Katebeen). "The honored writes and know what you do". (82:11)

The environment bears witness too. "We record that which they send before them, and their footprints, and all things we have kept in a clear register".(36:12)

As we continue life on the rocky highways straddling between human errors and angelic piety let us not forget that the best of us is he who stick to the Adam's example. Unlike Satan, when Adam wronged himself by eating the forbidden fruit he begged forgiveness. Allah forgave him. Satan chose to will away excuses so he may further indulge in sweet wrongs. The detriment of practicing life without knowledge is not to feel guilty of wrongdoing. When one feels safe rather indifferent to sins then there is no regret. Remorse feelings is the key to begging forgiveness. The Prophet, owbp, equated feeling “bad” about an act as to that of tauba!

Let us pray sincerely: Our Lord we have wronged ourselves and none forgives sins except You, so forgive me such a forgiveness that is solely from You and have mercy on me for verily You are the Merciful.