Al-ʿAfuww
The Pardoner, The Effacer of Sins
Root ع ف و (ʿ-f-w). Lane notes that ʿafā means ‘it was, or became, effaced, erased, obliterated’ in reference to traces, with ʿafā ʿan meaning to pardon, thus effacing the sin. The term ʿafw refers to pardon or surplus, as in Qur'an 2:219. ʿAfā, meaning he pardoned, appears in Qur'an 2:52. ʿĀfīn refers to those who pardon, mentioned in Qur'an 3:134. Of Allah it occurs indefinite, ʿafuww (4:43, 4:149, 22:60, 58:2). ‘Indeed, Allah is Pardoning and Forgiving.’ (22:60)
The root
ع ف وʿ-f-w
Effacing. Lane gives ʿafā as 'it was, or became, effaced, erased, obliterated' (of traces); ʿafā ʿan is to pardon, i.e. to efface the sin.
- عَفْوʿafwpardon; surplus (2:219)
- عَفَاʿafāHe pardoned (2:52)
- عَافِينʿāfīnthose who pardon (3:134)
Pronunciation
الْعَفُوُّ
al-'a-FUWW
In the Qur'an
۞ ذَٰلِكَ وَمَنْ عَاقَبَ بِمِثْلِ مَا عُوقِبَ بِهِ ثُمَّ بُغِيَ عَلَيْهِ لَيَنْصُرَنَّهُ اللَّهُ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُورٌ
That [is so]. And whoever responds [to injustice] with the equivalent of that with which he was harmed and then is tyrannized - Allah will surely aid him. Indeed, Allah is Pardoning and Forgiving.
22:60 · Sahih International