الْغَفَّارُ
The Oft-Forgiving
الْغَفَّارُ : The Oft-Forgiving
root: غَفَرَ : to forgive
pattern: فَعَّال : one who does something repeatedly
#of times in Qur'an: 5
Sūra Nūḥ 71: 3
Our word on this penultimate night of the month of Ramadan is one that we are no strangers to, as it features many many times in the du’as we have been beseeching Allah with throughout this month.
The word غَفَّارٌ is one of Allah’s most beautiful names, from the root غَفَر, which means 'to forgive'. So what’s the difference between His names الْغَافِرُ ، الْغَفُوْرُ and الْغَفَّارُ ?
الْغَافِرُ is on the فَاعِل pattern: the doer of an action, so: one who forgives.
الْغَفُوْرُ is on the فَعُول pattern of intensity, and means: one who forgives deeply, big sins, small sins - all of them.
غَفَّار is on the فَعَْال pattern of a repeated action, done over and over again. That’s the pattern that’s used for professions and jobs in Arabic, so a خَبَّاز for example is one who bakes خُبْز (bread) day in day out - therefore, one who forgives often, over and over again.
الْغَفَّارُ is the Name by which Prophet Nūḥ refers to Allah when he’s urging his people to seek Allah’s forgiveness, and telling them all the benefits that will ensue simply from seeking forgiveness. He says:
اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا ﴿١٠﴾ يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا ﴿١١﴾ وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَارًا
Plead to your Lord for forgiveness. Indeed, He is Oft-Forgiving. He will send for you abundant rains from the sky, and aid you with wealth and sons, and provide you with gardens and provide you with streams.
Seeking forgiveness from الْغَفَّارُ brings about so many other benefits besides forgiveness! So in these last few moments of Ramadan, let us seek forgiveness from الغَفَّار who readily forgives us repeatedly, day in and day out, and more.