Praise be to Allah, and may blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
The scholars differed as to which is more comprehensive: pardoning or forgiveness. The stronger view is that forgiveness is more comprehensive, because it is not limited to removing punishment; rather, it includes concealing the sin, protecting the servant from its consequences, and the accompanying grace, favor, and pleasure of Allah تعالى. As for the claim that forgiveness means the sin remains recorded in the record, while pardoning alone means that it is erased from it, there is no evidence for this.
Some scholars held that pardoning is more comprehensive than forgiveness, because pardoning indicates erasure, while forgiveness indicates concealment.
Abu Hamid al-Ghazali رحمه الله said:
“Pardoning is the One who erases evil deeds and overlooks sins. It is close in meaning to Al-Ghafur, but it is more comprehensive than it, because forgiveness indicates concealment, whereas pardoning indicates erasure, and erasure is more comprehensive than concealment.”
Another group held that forgiveness is more comprehensive than pardoning, because forgiveness includes removing punishment along with concealment and what follows from that of grace and reward, whereas pardoning in its basic meaning indicates refraining from holding someone accountable.
Ibn Juzayy رحمه الله said:
“Pardoning means refraining from holding someone accountable for a sin. Forgiveness additionally entails concealment. Mercy encompasses all of this together with bestowing favor and blessings.”
Ar-Razi رحمه الله said that pardoning means removing punishment, whereas forgiveness entails concealing the offense and protecting the servant from disgrace and humiliation.
Among what supports the view that forgiveness is more comprehensive is what Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله stated:
“Pardoning entails relinquishing His right over them and forgiving them for it, whereas forgiveness entails protecting them from the evil consequences of their sins, turning toward them, and being pleased with them; unlike mere pardoning... Pardoning is simply refraining, whereas forgiveness is kindness, favor, and generosity.”
Accordingly, pardoning entails refraining from holding someone accountable, whereas forgiveness additionally entails concealing the sin, protecting the servant from its harm and consequences, together with the favor and kindness of Allah.
The claim sometimes made that forgiveness means the sin remains written in the servant’s record, whereas pardoning alone erases it from the record is not supported by any sound evidence, as far as we know.
Nor is it correct to establish a binding religious meaning for forgiveness and pardoning based on this distinction.
Likewise, the mere recording of a sin in the record does not mean that the servant will be held accountable for it after Allah has forgiven him. Forgiveness entails removing accountability and protecting the servant from the consequences of the sin.
Therefore, a Muslim should not occupy himself with imagining that if a sin is forgiven, it must necessarily remain recorded so that he will later be held accountable for it. Rather, he should think well of his Lord, hasten to repent and seek forgiveness, and engage in righteous deeds.
Allah تعالى has made good deeds, seeking forgiveness, and repentance among the causes of forgiveness of sins.
He سبحانه says:
﴿Indeed, good deeds erase bad deeds.﴾ [Hud: 114].
Righteous deeds are therefore among the causes of removing the effects of sins, just as sincere repentance and seeking forgiveness are among the greatest causes of Allah’s forgiveness.
The Muslim should combine repentance, seeking forgiveness, righteous deeds, and having good hope in Allah, without being deceived by the vastness of Allah’s forgiveness and therefore persisting in sin, and without despairing of His mercy when he sins and then repents.
Despite the linguistic distinctions mentioned by the scholars, pardoning and forgiveness may be close in meaning and overlap in usage, and one may sometimes be intended by the other depending on the context.
Thus, a Muslim may say:
“May Allah forgive him,” and “May Allah pardon him.”
A difference in wording does not necessarily mean that there is a fixed boundary between the two in every context such that they never overlap.
Forgiveness and pardoning are among Allah’s mercy toward His servants. The scholars differed as to which is more comprehensive, and the stronger view is that forgiveness is more comprehensive because it includes concealment and protection from the harm of sin, along with Allah’s kindness, favor, and pleasure, whereas pardoning entails refraining from holding someone accountable and relinquishing the right to punishment.
As for the claim that forgiveness means the sin remains in the record with the possibility of being held accountable for it, while pardoning alone erases the sin from the record, there is no evidence for this.
The Muslim should hasten to repent, seek forgiveness, and perform righteous deeds, and should hope for Allah’s forgiveness and pardon without ever despairing of His mercy.
And Allah knows best.