What Does ʿāf Really Mean in Arabic?

[Arabic recitation]

[Silence]

So here in the book of seeking pardon, seeking forgiveness from in the chapter regarding the command of Allah that we seek forgiveness constantly and the virtues of the forgiveness of Allah, the pardon of Allah. What is al in the Arabic language? If we were to look at this word, where does it come from? What what are its roots? So, comes from the three letters. And these letters when they come in this order, they mean to cover something. As a matter of fact, I'll give you one better. Every word in the Arabic language that starts with the letter implies some kind of covering. Every letter, every word, every word that starts with the letter as its first letter, it implies some kind of covering, concealment, something covering something else. for instance, which means for someone to drown. What is drowning? That they're swallowed by the water, right? anger which is that a person becomes so angry they're not thinking straight their mind isn't seeing clear right or for instance or which is to betray someone to give them one presentation but really a plot against them and to betray them right you're concealing your motives And likewise, the word in the Arabic language is to cover something in a way that protects it. Is to cover something in a way that protects it. So for instance, the you know the the helmet that a soldier would wear is referred to as a it's a helmet you put on. It's made out of iron or something that will protect or for instance a police station is referred to as a mur right because it's a place that is highly armed and it's where the police all gather and congregate to protect themselves and so forth etc. So in the Arabic language is to conceal in a protective way. We take that and we look at the word when we say in our dua I am essentially saying oh Allah conceal my mistakes from others conceal me from the from the from the consequences of my bad mistakes and protect protect me from the fire on the day of judgment from these retribution. This is what is every time you say you are saying these three things. Oh Allah, I seek your protection. Conceal my mistakes from others. Protect me from the consequences of my foolishness and conceal and pardon these mistakes from your retribution on the day of judgment or in this life. That is all in the one word of I am seeking from Allah. And in the Quran often times we find they're mentioned together right we say this in our dua and they kind of go together and that is because they share a deep relationship but the point is is that that is what is when you're seeking a When you're saying you're seeking protection from your own sins and your own bad choices, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says in this verse, verse 106 from here we have and mentioned together. So Allah says to the prophet sallall.aii wasallam and seek from Allah meaning seek what? Seek pardon and concealment and protection in Allah from your sins. And if you do so when you seek that from Allah, know that Allah is ever merciful, ever pardoning. The scholars say something very interesting. This is one of the most interesting aspects of the Quran. Fascinating that in the Quran there is a group, a collection, a family of words that are referred to as the words that when they unite they depart and when they depart they unite. Interesting, right? What they mean by this is words that when they're mentioned together they mean different things. So when they unite, they're mentioned together. They depart in their meanings. But when they depart, meaning when they are mentioned separately, they unite in their meanings. Each one means the other. They're synonymous. Examples of this are all through the Quran. Islam, many many many groups of words that fall into this category. When they're mentioned together, they mean separate things. But when they're mentioned separately, they mean what? The same thing. If I were to say only a Muslim will enter paradise or if I were to say only a m will enter paradise. Are those two statements correct? Yeah, they mean the same thing because Islam means im and im means Islam when they're mentioned separately. But when I say them together now they mean something different. like the famous narration of Ji. Tell me about Islam. He mentions the five pillars of Islam. Tell me about Eman. He then mentions the six pillars of Eman. They meant separate things then. So the point here is that when you say oh Allah it means and when you say on its own it means however and they're mentioned together is for the past and is for the future. So when you say together, what you're really saying is, "Oh Allah, conceal my past. Cover it. Protect me from it. Protect me from my own silly actions, from my own foolishness. and protect me in the future what is to come. Have mercy on me. Don't allow me in the future to get carried away with my foolishness. So when the words are together is for the past and is for the future. And this goes for the names of Allah. Alafur ale. When Allah's name al is mentioned it entails ale. And when alheim is mentioned, it entails. But when they're mentioned together, they mean the same. They mean different things. So Allah is saying, seek forgiveness from Allah. Indeed, Allah is the forgiving, the pardoning. If you seek from Allah forgiveness, he will forgive you. He will forgive you guaranteed as long as you know how to seek forgiveness which is what this chapter.

[Arabic recitation]

Looks he was at or he was shopping at Costco.

[Arabic recitation]

You were at Costco.