Explanation of the author's statement: "And upon exiting it, 'Ghafirak' (Your forgiveness), Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah) who has removed the affliction from me and granted me well-being, and putting the left foot forward when entering and the right foot forward when exiting"
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The Shaykh : He said "And upon exiting it", meaning it is recommended (sunnah) to say this upon exiting it. The "it" here refers to the place of relief, not something that comes after it. "After it" refers to exiting the place of relief. "Ghafirak": "Ghafir" is the verbal noun (masdar) of "ghafara" (to forgive), which is "ghafara" and "ghafra." And "Ghafir" is the verbal noun of "yashkuru" (to give thanks), which is "shukran" and "shukran." So "Ghafirak" is a verbal noun in the accusative case, governed by a deleted verb, the meaning of which is "I ask You for Your forgiveness." We have mentioned repeatedly that forgiveness is covering the sin and passing over it, because it is derived from "mighfar" (helmet), which provides covering and protection, not just covering. So the meaning of "Forgive me" is: Cover my sins and pass over them so that I am safe from their punishment. As for his saying "Ghafirak", regarding the appropriateness of mentioning it here, it is said that the appropriateness is that when a person is relieved of the affliction of the body, he remembers the affliction of sin, so he asks Allah to relieve him of the affliction of sin, just as He blessed him by relieving him of the affliction of the body. Just as he is now safe from the effects of this affliction, he asks Allah to make him safe from the effects of sins. This is an appropriate meaning, a meaning of remembering one thing by another. Some scholars said that he asks Allah for His forgiveness because he was prevented from His remembrance in the place of relief; he was prevented from remembrance, so he asks Allah to forgive him for that time in which he did not remember Allah. There is a consideration in this; there is a consideration in this last opinion, because he was only prevented from remembering Allah by the command of Allah. And if it is by the command of Allah, he did not expose himself to sin, but he exposed himself to reward. For this reason, the menstruating woman does not pray or fast. Is it recommended for her, when she becomes pure, to seek forgiveness from Allah because she left off prayer and fasting during the days of menstruation? No one has ever said this, and the Sunnah has not come with it. So it is clear by this that the correct opinion is that the appropriateness is that when a person is relieved of what afflicts him physically, he asks Allah the Exalted to relieve him of what afflicts him religiously or in meaning.
The questioner : It is also possible to say that this is a blessing from Allah Mighty and Majestic: that he is relieved of this affliction. Does he then condition himself to perform the gratitude for this blessing?
The Shaykh : No, the blessing requires gratitude, otherwise we would say that for every blessing Allah bestows upon you, you seek forgiveness from Allah. We do not say that; we say "I thank Allah." It remains to say that this hadith is authentic. As for Sunan Ibn Majah 301Da'if (Darussalam), there is weakness in it. "Alhamdulillah who has removed the affliction from me and granted me well-being" is praise to Allah Mighty and Majestic for these blessings, that Allah removed from him the harmful affliction and granted him well-being from its effects. So if it remains, you ask Allah for forgiveness and praise Allah for the blessing. He said "And putting his left foot forward when entering and his right foot forward when exiting", meaning it is recommended (sunnah) for a person to put his left foot forward when entering and his right foot forward when exiting. We say in this that it is recommended (mustahabb) and not prescribed (sunnah), according to the opinion that distinguishes between the two. There is a hadith in this with evidence. What is the evidence?
The questioner : The obligation of preferring the right side.
The Shaykh : If we say the obligation of preferring the right side, we say to put the right foot forward, but...
The questioner : If... what was not known.
The Shaykh : No, this is an analogical (qiyas) issue. This is an analogical matter. They say that the right foot is put forward for the mosque as the Sunnah has come, and the left foot when exiting it. This is the opposite of the mosque, and likewise for the sandal. It is established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in the authentic collections, indeed in the two authentic collections (al-Bukhari and Muslim), that he ordered the wearer of the sandal to start with the right foot first when putting it on, and with the left foot when taking it off. So they said this is evidence for honoring the right side. So if the right side is honored, one starts with it for putting on the sandal, which involves protection, and starts with the left for taking it off, which involves removing the protection. There is no doubt that protection is an honor. They said that if the right side is put forward in the matter of honor, and the left side is put forward in the opposite of that, as indicated by the Sunnah regarding wearing the sandal, then it is recommended (yajib) to put the left foot forward when entering the place of relief and the right foot forward when exiting, because he has exited to a state that is more complete and better than the place of relief, in that Allah has relieved him of the pain of the affliction. So it is more emphatic that he asks Allah the Exalted to relieve him of sins. We begin today's lesson and its reliance on...
The questioner : It is also possible to say that this is a blessing from Allah Mighty and Majestic: that he is relieved of this affliction. Does he then condition himself to perform the gratitude for this blessing?
The Shaykh : No, the blessing requires gratitude, otherwise we would say that for every blessing Allah bestows upon you, you seek forgiveness from Allah. We do not say that; we say "I thank Allah." It remains to say that this hadith is authentic
Forgiveness is Yours
غفرانكAl-hamdu lillahilladhi adhhaba 'annial-adha wa 'afani (Praise is to Allah Who has relieved me of impurity and given me good health)
الحمد لله الذي أذهب عني الأذى وعافانيThe questioner : The obligation of preferring the right side.
The Shaykh : If we say the obligation of preferring the right side, we say to put the right foot forward, but...
The questioner : If... what was not known.
The Shaykh : No, this is an analogical (qiyas) issue. This is an analogical matter. They say that the right foot is put forward for the mosque as the Sunnah has come, and the left foot when exiting it. This is the opposite of the mosque, and likewise for the sandal. It is established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in the authentic collections, indeed in the two authentic collections (al-Bukhari and Muslim), that he ordered the wearer of the sandal to start with the right foot first when putting it on, and with the left foot when taking it off. So they said this is evidence for honoring the right side. So if the right side is honored, one starts with it for putting on the sandal, which involves protection, and starts with the left for taking it off, which involves removing the protection. There is no doubt that protection is an honor. They said that if the right side is put forward in the matter of honor, and the left side is put forward in the opposite of that, as indicated by the Sunnah regarding wearing the sandal, then it is recommended (yajib) to put the left foot forward when entering the place of relief and the right foot forward when exiting, because he has exited to a state that is more complete and better than the place of relief, in that Allah has relieved him of the pain of the affliction. So it is more emphatic that he asks Allah the Exalted to relieve him of sins. We begin today's lesson and its reliance on...