7:199 Take to pardoning and command the honorable and turn away from the ignorant.
The command came from the generous, lovingly kind Lord, the Lord God of all lords and masters, the generous and gentle in name and mark, to Muḥammad, the Seal of the Prophets and the emulated of the world's folk: "O master, pass over the sins of the sinners, cover over their defects, and draw the pen of pardon across the register of the bad-doers. O master, take from Us a pleasing character, praiseworthy activity, truthful speaking, and peace with the people; be the friend of the good in companionship and attend to them in seclusion. O master, I am a clement Lord and I love the clement. I hear the unworthy from enemies and I see their insolence in private, but I keep the curtain lowered over them. I do not hurry to punishment, I offer them repentance and pardon, and I call them back to My Threshold, for if they desist, He will forgive them what is past [8:38]."
Among the traditions has come that God says, "You called upon Me, and I said 'Here I am!' You asked from Me, and I bestowed upon you. You stood up against Me, and I gave you respite. You left Me, and I took care of you. You disobeyed Me, and I curtained you. So, if you return to Me, I will accept you. If you turn away from Me, I will wait for you." He is saying, "My servants, My creatures, you called out to Me, and I answered with 'Here I am.' You asked for blessings from Me, and I bestowed gifts. You came out foolishly, and I gave you respite. You put aside My command, and I did not take away My kind favor from you. You disobeyed, and I lowered the curtain over you. With all of this, if you come back, I will accept you, and if you turn away, I will await your coming back. I am the most munificent of the munificent and the most generous of the generous."
In a report has come, "When an old man repents, God says, 'Now?! When your strength has gone and your appetite has been cut off? Indeed, I am the most merciful of the merciful, indeed, I am the most merciful of the merciful."
When this verse descended-"Take to pardoning"-God's Messenger knew that pardon is one of the characteristics of the Real's sunnah. He himself had said, "The believer takes from God a beautiful character." He took this pleasing sunnah in hand to such an extent that, on the Day of Uḥud, when he saw all that suffering and torment from the associators, nonetheless he said, "O God, guide my people, for they do not know!