Allah is Most Forgiving: Al-Ghafūr, Al-Ghaffār, Al-Ghāfir

By Sheikh Salman Al-Oadah at 

These three names refer to Allah’s forgiveness. The name al-Ghāfir means the Forgiver, while the names al-Ghafūr and al-Ghaffār are more emphatic, indicating that Allah is most forgiving, oft-forgiving.
Taken together, these three names occur in the Qur’ān ninety-eight times.
Allah Almighty سبحانه تعالى says:

نَبِّئْ عِبَادِي أَنِّي أَنَا الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

Announce, (O Muhammad) to My slaves that verily I am the Forgiving, the Merciful.
[Sūrah al-Hijr 15:49]

وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٌ لِّمَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا ثُمَّ اهْتَدَىٰ

I am Forgiving to those who repent and believe and do good, and afterward follow right guidance.
[Sūrah TāHā 20:82]

In one instance, the Qur’an refers to Allah as being “the best of those who forgive” when relating where Moses offers the following supplication:

أَنتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْغَافِرِينَ

You are our Protector: so forgive us and give us Your mercy; for you are the best of those who forgive.
[Sūrah al-A'rāf 7:155]

Allah mentions the claim of the Christians who say: “Indeed Allah is one of three.” In the very next verse, Allah Almighty says:

أَفَلَا يَتُوبُونَ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَهُ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

Will they not turn to Allah and ask His forgiveness? For Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
[Sūrah al-Mā’idah 5:74]

Allah speaks about those who persecuted the believers of the past, saying:

 إِنَّ الَّذِينَ فَتَنُوا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَتُوبُوا فَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ الْحَرِيقِ

Surely (as for) those who persecute believing men and women, then do not repent, they shall have the chastisement of Hell, and they shall have the chastisement of burning.
[Sūrah al-Burūj 85:10]

As for those who turn to Allah in sincere repentance, Allah will turn to them in forgiveness. Allah calls all the polytheists, sinners, and transgressors to seek His forgiveness and declares to them that the doors to His mercy are wide open:

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

O My servants who have transgressed against their souls! Do not despair of Allah’s mercy, for Allah forgives all sins. He is Forgiving, Most Merciful.
[Sūrah al-Zumar 39:53]

This verse affirms for us that Allah forgives all sins, without exception. Allah is willing to forgive even polytheism and unbelief, as long as the perpetrator renounces such falsehoods and sincerely repents.
Allah forgives whom He pleases. Allah makes it clear that His forgiveness is determined by his will.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ

Allah does not forgive that partners be associated with Him, but He forgives other than that for whomever he pleases.
[Sūrah al-Nisā 4:48]

This is with respect to those who believe in Allah and adhere to His guidance. If they perpetrate a sin or transgress ion, whether great or small, Allah has decreed that He can forgive that sin if He pleases or punish its perpetrator as He pleases.
It is affirmed in the Sunnah that Allah calls forth during the last third of the night, saying:

 مَنْ يَدْعُونِي فَأَسْتَجِيبَ لَهُ مَنْ يَسْأَلُنِي فَأُعْطِيَهُ مَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُنِي فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ

Is anyone calling to me so I can answer? Is there anyone beseeching me, so I can give? Are any seeking my forgiveness, so I can forgive them?
[Sahīh al-Bukhārī Volume 2, Book 21, Number 246]

This is an example of Allah’s generosity and boundless favor. Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم relates that Allah Almighty says:

يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ إِنَّكَ مَا دَعَوْتَنِي وَرَجَوْتَنِي غَفَرْتُ لَكَ عَلَى مَا كَانَ فِيكَ وَلَا أُبَالِي يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ لَوْ بَلَغَتْ ذُنُوبُكَ عَنَانَ السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ اسْتَغْفَرْتَنِي غَفَرْتُ لَكَ وَلَا أُبَالِي يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ إِنَّكَ لَوْ أَتَيْتَنِي بِقُرَابِ الْأَرْضِ خَطَايَا ثُمَّ لَقِيتَنِي لَا تُشْرِكُ بِي شَيْئًا لَأَتَيْتُكَ بِقُرَابِهَا مَغْفِرَةً

O child of Adam! However much you beseech Me and place your hopes in Me, I will forgive you without any reservation. O child of Adam! If you have sins piling up to the clouds and then ask My forgiveness, I will forgive you without any reservation. O child of Adam! If you come to me with enough mistakes to fill the Earth, and meet Me without associating anything as a partner with Me, I will come to you with enough forgiveness to fill the Earth.
[Sunan At-Tirmidhi, Book 45, Number 3540]

Allah refers to Himself as the Oft-Forgiving because He created us knowing that our natures would make us prone to sin, and that we would seek His forgiveness and He would forgive us.