Al-Ghafur — The Most Forgiving
Al-Ghafur is the One whose forgiveness covers sins completely — the root ghafara means to veil, so what is forgiven is concealed and then not brought against the person. Classical scholars distinguish it from Al-Ghaffar by emphasis: Al-Ghaffar stresses that the forgiving is repeated, Al-Ghafur that it is deep and total. It is among the most frequent names in the Quran, almost always paired with Ar-Rahim, so forgiveness and mercy arrive together. The Quran forbids despair of Allah's mercy on the strength of it (39:53).
Updated July 16, 2026
Name 34 of 99
الْغَفُورُ
Al-Ghafur
The Most Forgiving
Where Al-Ghafur appears in the Quran
إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلۡمَيۡتَةَ وَٱلدَّمَ وَلَحۡمَ ٱلۡخِنزِيرِ وَمَآ أُهِلَّ بِهِۦ لِغَيۡرِ ٱللَّهِۖ فَمَنِ ٱضۡطُرَّ غَيۡرَ بَاغٖ وَلَا عَادٖ فَلَآ إِثۡمَ عَلَيۡهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٞ رَّحِيمٌ
He hath forbidden you only carrion, and blood, and swineflesh, and that which hath been immolated to (the name of) any other than Allah. But he who is driven by necessity, neither craving nor transgressing, it is no sin for him. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful
Arabic text: Tanzil Uthmani (public domain). English translation: Marmaduke Pickthall, “The Meaning of the Glorious Koran” (1930) — public domain.
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