Al-Ghafoor (The All-Forgiving)

الغفور

It means the All-Forgiving. Other related names are Al-Ghaffaar, Al-Afuwwun, Ghaafir, and Al-Tawwaab (pronounced as At-Tawaab).

All of them mean the One WHO forgives sins but their meaning of Forgiving is in different degrees. At-Tawwaab also means that Allah responds positively to the repentance of the servants, so when they repent to Allah from their sins, they are forgiven. It is only Allah WHO forgives sins, none other than Allah can forgive sins. It is very clear to understand, as the record of sins of the servants are with Allah only, so it is only Allah WHO can omit and erase the sins of a repenting Muslim.

The Al-Ghafoor quality of Allah means that Allah forgives a lot, Allah is “Waa-si-ul maghfirah” i.e. Allah’s forgiving is extensive. In verse 53 of surah Al-Zumar (pronounced as Az-Zumar) Allah informed us that Allah forgives all sins. The English translation of the verse is:

53.Say: “O ‘Ibadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (bycommitting evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verilyAllah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
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Again in a hadeeth Al-Qudsee Allah said: “O the son of Adam,as long as you invoke ME and direct your hopes towards ME, I forgive you and I don’t care. O the son of Adam, If your sins reached the level of the sky, then you did astaghfaar (repented for forgiveness) to ME, I forgive you and I don’t care. O the son of Adam, if you bring mistakes equal to the particles of the earth then you meet Me without associating any one /anything with ME, I provide you forgiveness equal to the particles of the earth.”
(Al-Tirmizee)
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Some of the verses which have this beautiful name of Allah are here as their English translation only:

Surah Al-Nisaa verse 43:

43. O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying or in a state of janabah, except those who are travelling until you have washed [your whole body]. And if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and find no water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and your hands [with it]. Indeed, Allah is ever Pardoning and Forgiving.

Another translation of verse 43 of Surah Al-Nisaa:

(4:43) O Believers! Do not draw near to the Prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying nor while you are defiled — save when you are travelling — until you have washed yourselves. If you are either ill or travelling or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have had contact with women69 and can find no water, then betake yourselves to pure earth, passing with it lightly over your face and your hands.70 Surely Allah is All-Relenting, All-Forgiving.

Surah Al-Fath verse 14:

14. And to Allah belongs the sovereigntyof the heavens and the earth, He forgives whom He wills, and punishes whom He wills. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Surah Al-Mulk verse 2:

2. [He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed — and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving -
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Although Allah is so Oft-Forgiving, but Allah knows the in and out of every person and forgives or punishes according to the situation. The most important thing is sincerity of every person. If a person tries to take advantage of the Forgiving Quality of Allah and enjoys him/her self, with the intention that in the end he/she will repent to get their sins forgiven, they cannot deceive Allah but are deceiving themselves. Now many scholars remind this Quality of Allah. I remind the readers two more things as follow:

Surah Al-Nisaa verse 17–18;

17. Allah accepts only the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and foolishness and repent soon afterwards; It is they to whom Allah will forgive and Allah is Ever All-Knower, All-Wise.

Another translation of the same verse 17 is:

17. Forgiveness is only incumbent on Allah toward those who do evil in ignorance (and) then turn quickly (in repentance) to Allah. These are they toward whom Allah relents. Allah is ever Knower, Wise.

18. And of no effect is the repentance of those who continue to do evil deeds until death faces one of them and he says: “Now I repent;” nor of those who die while they are disbelievers. For them We have prepared a painful torment.
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So our duty is to protect ourselves from sins and we must fear Allah at all times. If anyone made a mistake ignorantly, then he/she must repent to Allah quickly.

Second thing that I must remind the Muslims is the behavior of the companions radi-yallaho anhum. Although they knew the verses and ahadeeth about the Forgiving of Allah but they always lived in extreme fear of Allah and readily acted upon the Commands and Rules of Allah.