I beseech to you to overlook my ignorance and that which I had committed...

I beseech to you to overlook my ignorance and that which I had committed, for I confess of my ill deeds and sins.” The Prophet (S) answered him: “I will forgive you. Allah has done you a great favor when He guided you to Islam. Islam cancels that which was done before the embracement of it.” Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubaari is another one. He used to satirize the Prophet (S) in Mecca so extremely. When the Prophet (S) conquered Mecca, Az-Zubaari fled it.

After a period, he came back and apologized for the Prophet who accepted his apology. Wahshi, the killer of Hamza (a) is a third one. When he declared being Muslim, the Prophet asked him to narrate how he had killed Hamza; his uncle. The man did and caused the Prophet to weep. He (S) then asked Wahshi not to appear before him any longer[^9]. Amirul-Mu'minin (a) was another ideal example of clemency and pardon.

When he captured Abdullah Ibn az-Zubair, Marwan Ibn al-Hakam, and Saeed Ibn al-Aas who were the most mortal enemies that rallied people against him, he pardoned them and did not retaliate. He (a) also could kill Amr Ibn al-Aas who was more dangerous than an equipped army, but he left him because Amr unveiled his anus in order to save himself from the Imam’s strike!

During the battle of Siffeen, the troops of Muawiya prevented Amirul-Mu'minin (a) to reach the springs of water there and told that they would not give him a single drop of water. When he (a) raided on them, he dropped them away from these springs. But he allowed them to drink from them, just like his troops.

After the Battle of the Camel, Amirul-Mu'minin (a) visited Mistress Aisha[^10] and saw her off so honorably and sent with her caravan a number of individuals whose mission was to serve and protect her[^11]. Like his father and grandfather, Imam al-Hasan (a) was another ideal example of clemency. Al-Mubarrad and Ibn Aisha narrated the following: A Syrian man went on reviling at Imam al-Hasan (a) who was riding an animal. The Imam kept silent until the Syrian man finished.

He then approached him and answered with handsome smiling: “Old man! I think you are foreigner. You might have been wrong. If you had admonished us, we would have satisfied you. If you had asked us, we would have given you. If you had sought our guidance, we would have led you. If you had asked us to load something on your riding animal, we would have done. If you had been hungry, we would have supplied you. If you had been naked, we would have dressed you.