Forgiveness – Malawi’s only glue for broken hearts

By Hashim Msusa

More current for Malawi could be nursing the aftermath of the election. Defeat, humiliation, wrecked. What is all that? That could be the situation of a once sound heart, shattering into a million pieces. As the aftermath of election may seem not to die what is Islam’s remedy for broken hearts?

Imagine we are the ones carrying that heart covered in pain and soaked in tears. May be we don’t have to imagine because may be that is our heart. Betrayal, deception, whatever it may be that happened to us – the result is the same, a broken heart.

But this is not an ordinary heart. It is a broken heart that feels like it can never be fixed, and it was entirely someone else’s fault. It would be enough if he had just hurt us, and all we had to do is to deal with the pain that came from his action.

But no! Rather, the hurt, the pain, the brokenness brought out the worst in us allowing us to see our faults, and painful ones. How do we go on? How do we move on with life and shift our focus back to the one who deserves it?

How do we stop obsessing over the wrongs that occurred and start focusing on the only one who should be obsessed over? When a person is soaked in sin and wants to return to God Almighty, he begins with repentance.

The person wholeheartedly turning to God Almighty asking Him to forgive utterly and completely. Likewise, the path back to God Almighty after a severely broken heart, at a hand of a human, is forgiveness.

Remember Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) despite being wronged he did not hold a grudge but instead he said as reported in the Noble Qur'an, "I do not free myself from all blame.Truly, the self is inclined to evil, except for those who my Lord grants His Mercy. Truly, my Lord is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful" (12:53)

Conclusively, you might be betrayed, oppressed, heartbroken, deceived, but know that God Almighty tells us that He is with the one who has been wronged and constantly answering their supplication.

Forgiveness is the only remedy of broken hearts. Pray for those who hurt you. Pray for those who do not accept you. It may take time perhaps years, but you will be a better person because you chose to take the higher route – forgiveness.