We are to forgive one another.

 

78. Forgiveness. We are to forgive one another: In the bible, in the Bahá’í Faith, and every other major religion, found on this earth, believers ask God for forgiveness for sins as we grow spiritually throughout our lives. But there is one thing found throughout these religious books that seems to be forgotten much of the time. It is the call on us to forgive the sins and trespasses our fellow human brothers and sisters have committed against us.  JUDAISM: Genesis: 50:17 “So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father….” Sirach: 28:2 “Forgive thy neighbour the hurt that he hath done unto thee, so shall thy sins also be forgiven when thou prayest.” Wisdom: 18:2 “But for that they did not hurt them now, of whom they had been wronged before, they thanked them, and besought them pardon for that they had been enemies.” (Deuterocanonical Apocrypha)  CHRISTIANITY: Matthew: 18:21 “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?” Matthew: 18:22 “Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” Mark: 11:25 “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” Mark: 11:26 “But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” Luke: 6:37 “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:” Luke: 11:4 “And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.” 2 Corinthians: 2:10 “To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I.”

BAHA’I FAITH: “The constitution of the communities depends upon justice, not upon forgiveness. Then what Christ meant by forgiveness and pardon is not that, when nations attack you, burn your homes, plunder your goods, assault your wives, children and relatives, and violate your honor, you should be submissive in the presence of these tyrannical foes and allow them to perform all their cruelties and oppressions. No, the words of Christ refer to the conduct of two individuals toward each other: if one person assaults another, the injured one should forgive him. But the communities must protect the rights of man. So if someone assaults, injures, oppresses and wounds me, I will offer no resistance, and I will forgive him. But if a person wishes to assault Siyyid Manshadi, certainly I will prevent him.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 270)

 ISLAM: “Let them forgive and overlook. Do you not wish that Allah (God) should forgive you?” (Islam, Hadith, Bukhari Vol 3, Book 48, # 829)

 22. “Let not those among you who are endued with grace and amplitude of means resolve by oath against helping their kinsmen, those in want, and those who have left their homes in Allah’s cause: let them forgive and overlook: do you not wish that Allah should forgive you? For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  24)

 ZOROASTRIANISM: “I will bless Strength and Victory, the two keepers, the two good keepers, the two maintainers; the two who forgive, the two who strike off, the two who forget.”

(The Zend-Avesta, Khorda Avesta – Book of Common Prayer pt. 1)

 “Strive for the good and fight against the evil, but without losing equanimity of the mind and without any malice towards the evil doer and leave the result to Mazda.” Forgive and leave the results to Mazda. (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 777)

 HINDUISM: 107. “The learned are purified by a forgiving disposition, those who have committed forbidden actions by liberality, secret sinners by muttering (sacred texts), and those who best know the Veda by austerities.” 17. “(Let him be) forgiving.” “For We….. forgive a foolish deed,”

(Hindu, Laws of Manu chapter 5 and The Dharma Sutras, Apastamba Prasna I, Patala 1, Khanda 3 and Hindu, Mababharata)

 BUDDHISM: 4. “As the bee collects nectar and departs without harming the flower or its color or scent, so let the sage live in a village. Not the faults of others nor their errors of commission or omission, but one’s own errors and omissions should the sage consider.” “Undisturbed shall our mind remain, no evil words shall escape our lips; friendly and full of sympathy shall we remain, with heart full of love, (forgiveness) and free from any hidden malice; and that person shall We penetrate with loving thoughts, wide, deep, boundless, freed from anger and hatred.”

(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 2 The Eightfold Path)

 SABEANISM: “Forgive those that love His name of Truth.” “Forgive him his sins, trespasses, follies, stumblings and mistakes.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 30 and 72)

 BABI RELIGION: “Amidst his torments, Quddus was heard whispering forgiveness to his foes. ‘Forgive, O my God,’ he cried, ‘the trespasses of this people. Deal with them in Thy mercy, for they know not what we already have discovered and cherish. I have striven to show them the path that leads to their salvation; behold how they have risen to overwhelm and kill me! Show them, O God, the way of Truth, and turn their ignorance into faith.”’

The Bab: (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 411)

 “Forgive any failure in the respect or duty owed.”

The Bab: (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 513)

BAHA’I FAITH: “Therefore, if he who is struck forgives, nay, if he acts in a manner contrary to that which has been used toward him, this is laudable.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 267)

“Every soul of the friends of God must concentrate his mind on this, that he may manifest the mercy of God and the bounty of the Forgiving One.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section)

“Should any come to blows with you, seek to be friends with him; should any stab you to the heart, be ye a healing salve unto his sores; should any taunt and mock at you, meet him with love. Should any heap his blame upon you, praise ye him; should he offer you a deadly poison, give him the choicest honey in exchange; and should he threaten your life, grant him a remedy that will heal him evermore. Should he be pain itself, be ye his medicine; should he be thorns, be ye his roses and sweet herbs”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha, p. 34)