Al-Afuw
The Pardoner
Prophetic Traditions
قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ عَلِمْتُ أَيَّ لَيْلَةٍ لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ مَا أَقُولُ فِيهَا قَالَ قُولِي اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي
“I said: O Messenger of Allah, if I know which night is Laylat al-Qadr, what should I say? He said: Say 'O Allah, You are the Pardoner and You love to pardon, so pardon me.'”
The Prophet ﷺ chose this dua for the greatest night of the year, showing how central Allah's pardon is.
Scholarly Insights
Al-'Afuw goes beyond Al-Ghafoor. Forgiving (maghfirah) means covering the sin, while pardoning ('afw) means erasing it completely as if it never existed.
The servant who embodies Al-'Afuw pardons those who wrong him, overlooks faults, and erases grudges from his heart—thus resembling the angels of Allah.
Supplications
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي
Allahumma innaka 'Afuwwun tuhibb al-'afwa fa'fu 'anni
“O Allah, You are the Pardoner and You love to pardon, so pardon me.”
Living With This Name
- 1
Pardon those who wrong you, seeking the pardon of Al-'Afuw in return.
- 2
Make the dua 'Allahumma innaka 'Afuwwun...' frequently, especially in the last ten nights of Ramadan.
- 3
Let go of grudges—Al-'Afuw loves to erase sins, so erase offenses from your heart.
- 4
When tempted to retaliate, remember that Al-'Afuw's pardon is greater than any vengeance.