15:85

وَمَا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَآ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ لَأٓتِيَةٞۖ فَٱصۡفَحِ ٱلصَّفۡحَ ٱلۡجَمِيلَ

Wama khalaqna alssamawati waalarda wama baynahuma illa bialhaqqi wainna alssaAAata laatiyatun faisfahi alssafha aljameela

And We have not created the heavens and earth and that between them except in truth. And indeed, the Hour is coming; so forgive with gracious forgiveness.

Word by word
  1. وَمَاAnd not
  2. خَلَقۡنَاWe created
  3. ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِthe heavens
  4. وَٱلۡأَرۡضَand the earth
  5. وَمَاand whatever
  6. بَيۡنَهُمَآ(is) between them
  7. إِلَّاexcept
  8. بِٱلۡحَقِّۗin truth
  9. وَإِنَّAnd indeed
  10. ٱلسَّاعَةَthe Hour
  11. لَأٓتِيَةٞۖ(is) surely coming
  12. فَٱصۡفَحِSo overlook
  13. ٱلصَّفۡحَ(with) forgiveness
  14. ٱلۡجَمِيلَgracious
Al-Hijr · 15:85Makkah

The world has a purpose, so forgive beautifully.

Created in truth, the Hour coming, forgive


Three things
created in truthnot in play
the Hour is comingjustice will be done
so
gracious forgivenessoverlook their faults
Why I can let go
I must settle itor no one will
the Hour settles itso I can forgive

Ibn Kathir says the heavens and earth were created with justice, and he cites 23:115: did you think We created you in play? Then Allah tells the Prophet ﷺ to overlook the faults of those who insulted him. Mujahid and Qatadah said this was in Makkah, before fighting was prescribed.

Someone humiliated you in front of the family, and you have rehearsed the comeback for weeks. Nothing is wasted in a world made with truth. You can forgive, beautifully, because justice is not your job alone.

If I forgive them, they get away with it.

Because the world has a purpose and the Hour is coming, I can forgive without losing justice.

Try this

Choose one person who wronged you and forgive them today, without telling them or anyone.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

And We did not create the heavens and the earth and all that is between them except with the truth, and the Hour is surely coming, so overlook their faults with gracious forgiveness (85)Verily, your Lord is the Knowing Creator (86)

The World has been created for some Purpose, then the Hour will come

Allah says,

وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ ۗ وَإِنَّ السَّاعَةَ لَآتِيَةٌ

(And We did not create the heavens and the earth and all that is between them except with the truth, and the Hour is surely coming), i.e., with justice to -

لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسَاءُوا بِمَا عَمِلُوا

(requite those who do evil with that which they have done)[53:31] Allah says,

وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاءَ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا بَاطِلًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ظَنُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ۚ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنَ النَّارِ

(And We did not create the heaven and the earth, and all that is between them without purpose! That is what those who disbelieve think! Then let those who disbelieve be warned of the Fire!)(38:27)

أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ عَبَثًا وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا تُرْجَعُونَ - فَتَعَالَى اللَّهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ ۖ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ

("Did you think that We created you in play, and that you would not be brought back to Us?" So exalted be Allah, the Truth, the King, none has the right to be worshipped but He, the Lord of the Honored Throne!)(23:115-116). Then Allah informed His Prophet ﷺ about the Hour, and that it will be the faults of the idolators when they insult him and reject the Message that he brings to them. This is like the Ayah,

فَاصْفَحْ عَنْهُمْ وَقُلْ سَلَامٌ ۚ فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ

(So turn away from them, and say: "Salam (Peace!)." But they will come to know)(43:89). Mujahid, Qatadah and others said: "This was before fighting was prescribed". It is as they said, because this Surah was revealed in Makkah and fighting was prescribed after the Hijrah.

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ الْخَلَّاقُ الْعَلِيمُ

(Verily, your Lord is the Knowing Creator)(15:86). This is a confirmation of the Day of Resurrection and that Allah, may He be exalted, is able to bring the Hour to pass. He is the Creator and nothing is beyond Him. He is the Knowing, Who knows what has been dispersed from people's bodies and scattered throughout the regions of the earth, as He says:

أَوَلَيْسَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِقَادِرٍ عَلَىٰ أَن يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُم ۚ بَلَىٰ وَهُوَ الْخَلَّاقُ الْعَلِيمُ - إِنَّمَا أَمْرُهُ إِذَا أَرَادَ شَيْئًا أَن يَقُولَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ - فَسُبْحَانَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

(Is not He, Who created the heavens and the earth able to create the like of them Yes, indeed! He is the Knowing, Creator. Verily, His command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, "Be!" - and it is! So glorified and exalted is He above all that they associate with Him, and in whose Hands is the dominion of all things, and to Him you shall return.)(36:81-83).