Mercy refers to God's love and blessings, while forgiveness pertains to the absolution of sins.
Mercy and forgiveness are both divine attributes and are referenced in various forms in the Quran. Mercy refers to God's compassion and love towards His servants, meaning that God, out of kindness and grace, protects His servants in times of hardship and bestows His blessings abundantly upon them. For example, in a verse from Surah Al-Kahf, Allah says, 'And your Lord is the Forgiving, full of mercy' (Surah Al-Kahf, 18:58), highlighting God's endless mercy towards His servants. Moreover, God's mercy encompasses not only believers but all of humanity. On the other hand, forgiveness means the pardon and expiation of sins, indicating that when God forgives the sins of His servants and frees them from punishment, this concept is termed forgiveness. In Surah Az-Zumar, verse 53, Allah says, 'Say, O My servants who have believed, fear your Lord. For those who do good in this world is good, and the earth of Allah is spacious. Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account.' This verse promises forgiveness and reward for believers. Essentially, mercy is a form of God's love and compassion, while forgiveness represents the act of absolving sins. Both qualities demonstrate the profound relationship between God and His servants and the necessity of repentance and returning to Him. Ultimately, it can be said that mercy points to God's gifts and the expansiveness of His love, whereas forgiveness indicates a manifestation of grace that is granted to worthy individuals.
And your Lord is the Forgiving, full of mercy.
Say, O My servants who have believed, fear your Lord. For those who do good in this world is good, and the earth of Allah is spacious. Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account.
One day, a man named Ahmad recalled the verses of the Quran and pondered the depth of God's mercy and forgiveness. He decided to seek forgiveness for his smallest mistakes and thank God for His mercy. The next day, when he woke up early in the morning, he felt a sense of peace and happiness flowing through his heart. Ahmad realized that God's mercy was always with him and that he must return to God for forgiveness.