Al Afuww

Al-'Afuw: The Highest Level of Forgiveness

So the lower level of forgiveness is Al-Maghfirah. Allah forgives your sins, but the earth still knows you did it. The angels still know you did it.

On the Day of Judgment, it's still in your book. But also in your book, Allah forgave it. So you're not going to see any punishment.

But Al-'Afuw is the greatest extent. Allah erases the sin. The angels forget that you did it.

It is no longer in your book of deeds. Nobody knows except Allah that you did it, and you will never be faced with its consequences ever again.

That is why when Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) asks the Prophet (peace be upon him): if Laylatul Qadr, the Night of Decree, is to come, what should I ask Allah? He doesn't say: say رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي — "O Allah, forgive me. Conceal, cover my sins."

Instead, he says: say this —

"O Allah, You are Al-'Afuw, You love to erase sins, so erase my sins."

(Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 3513 — graded Sahih)

Format my hard drive. Remove it of all the traces of sins. So nobody knows, no effect is left. And I am like a newborn baby yet again.

This is Al-'Afuw.