The Honour of Prophets — Page 35
35 is that God may save them from the punishment of the transgression that has already been committed. However, this secondary meaning is not valid and acceptable in the context of the elect of God. For to them, God has already disclosed that no punishment shall touch them and the lofty stations of paradise would be conferred upon them and they shall be seated in the lap of God’s mercy. And not once but hundreds of times they are given such promises and they are enabled to behold paradise. Hence, if they sought forgiveness in the sense that they might not be cast into Hell due to their sins, then such istighfar would itself make them guilty of sin, for this would assume that they do not believe in God’s prom ises and consider themselves removed from divine mercy. How can one imagine about whom God Almighty says: 17 َ رَحْمَة ً لِّلْعٰلَمِيْن و َ مَا ۤ اَرْسَلْنٰك َ اِلَّا i. e. We have sent you as a mercy for all peoples and you are mercy personified, that he himself doubted whether or not he would have God’s mercy; how then could he be a mercy for others? All these circumstances clearly reveal to those who are fair minded that ascribing this second meaning of istighfar , as mentioned above, to the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is a grave error and nothing short of mischief. In fact, the first 17 al-Anbiya, 21:108