Immediately, Allah (swt) clarifies the matter of forgiving.

 وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

(who restrain anger and who pardon the people – and Allah loves the doers of good;) (Ali-Imran: 134)

(… إِن تُبْدُوا خَيْرًا أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ ) (If [instead] you show [some] good or conceal it …): This applies to mankind, because they are changeable in their conditions, but Allah (swt) is All-Knowing of what is apparent and what is hidden and what is in the hearts.

( أَوْ تَعْفُوا عَن سُوءٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا قَدِيرًا … ) (or pardon an offense – indeed, Allah is ever Pardoning and Competent …): Allah (swt) has made pardoning pleasing in our hearts and made it a request, but just at the ability, not at the humiliation. When a person is able to forgive, then it is closer to piety. Islam is a religion of kindness, not violence. The issue of forgiveness did not exist in human history before the Prophet’s (saws) mission. Disputes and wars between humans, such as those between the Persians, the Romans, and the Arab tribes, would remain until the extermination and the taking of captivity and slaves, but when Islam came, the Prophet (saws) said on the Day of Conquest:

“Go, for you are free”[1]

And he (saws) forgave them all.

 

[1] Sunan al-Bayhaqi: Hadith No. 18055.