The Almighty has said, "O man! What has beguiled you from your Lord, the Gracious
One...?" (Qura'n, 82:6), and, "Read and your Lord is the Most Honourable" (Qura'n, 96:3).
Arabs are used to calling anything kareem if it has a commendable merit or quality.
Muhammed, the Messenger of Allah, has said, "Yousuf is the most kareem of people,"
meaning in lineage and descent. They may describe something the presence of which can be
identified by one of the physical senses as kareem. For example, the Egyptian women, upon
seeing Yousuf said, "... this is but a noble angel" (Qura'n, 12:31). Describing Paradise, the
Almighty says it is a "... noble place" (Qura'n, 44:26). This word may also be applied to
anything honourable; the Almighty has said, "... surely the most honourable of you with Allah
is the one who is most careful (of his duty towards Allah)" (Qura'n, 49:13).
Arabs may also apply it to something that has many benefits or advantages, such as what is
implied in this verse which narrates the story of prophet Solomon: "Surely an honourable
letter has been delivered to me" (Qura'n, 27:29). According to exegesis, kareem in this verse
means quite significant and weighty, containing very good statements.
One of the signs of His greatness and generosity is that He provides His bounties even to
those who do not deserve them. He doles out His benevolence even without being asked. If a
suppliant prays Him for forgiveness, one of the signs of His greatness is that He will erase
that suppliant's sin if he truly repents, and He records a good deed for him in its place. Allah
has said, "The parable of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like the parable
of a grain growing seven ears (with) a hundred grains in each, and Allah multiplies for
whomsoever he pleases, and Allah is ample-Giving, Knowing" (Qura'n, 2:261). Among the
signs of His greatness is that in the life of this world He covers the sins of the sinners and hide
their shortcomings.
In one incident, the Messenger of Allah has narrated a story about the forgiveness of the
Almighty which is thought-provoking. He said, "I know the last person who will enter
Paradise and the last one to get out of hellfire. He is a man who will be approached and it will
be said, Show him his minor sins and suspend the major ones,' whereupon he will be shown his minor sins. He will then be asked if on such-and-such a day he did such-and-such, and he will answer in the affirmative, fearing the penalty from his major sins. He will be told,In
place of each of your sins, you will be granted a good deed,' whereupon he will say, `Lord!
But... I have committed other sins which I do not see here among them!'" The narrator of the
anecdote says that he saw the Messenger of Allah smile at that juncture of the story till his
front teeth became visible.
Allah is "al-Kareem mutaghafil," that is, the Great One Who deliberately and quite often
overlooks. One of the signs of His Greatness is that He forgives whenever He is prayed for
forgiveness; Allah has said, "Ask forgiveness of your Lord; surely He is the most
Forgiving" (Qura'n, 71:10). And among the signs of His Greatness is that He forgives without