Imaam Ghazaali Rahimahullaah says, “Al-Ghaffaar is that Being who Conceals the ugly and Exposes the beautiful. (اظهر الجميل و ستر القبيح).”
Sins are amongst the ugly things which He Conceals, by Placing a veil over it in the world and Overlooking Punishing one in the Hereafter. Ghafara means to conceal (ستر). Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo conceals His Servants in different ways:
Firstly, Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo has made those parts of the body which the eye dislikes seeing internal, covered by outward beauty. What a difference there is in the internal and external of every servant with regards to cleanliness and filth, beauty, and ugliness.
Secondly, Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo has concealed the thoughts of man. No one knows that which passes through man’s mind, besides Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo. If the thoughts of man were exposed before others, they would have hated him, and endeavoured to kill him.
Thirdly, Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo conceals sins by which one was worthy of being disgraced in front of all creation. Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo has promised that He will convert many sins into righteous deeds, so that He can conceal the evil of sin with the clothing of goodness; on condition that one dies with imaan.
Mullah Ali Qaari Rahimahullaah said, “Al-Ghaffaar is that Being who Conceals the weaknesses and sins of His Slaves in this world by placing a veil on them, and in the hereafter by overlooking and not punishing them.” (Mirqaat)
Sheikh Sa’di Rahimahullaah says, “Al-Afuwwu, Al-Ghafoor and Al-Ghaffaar is that Being who was Always and will Always be known by the quality of forgiving, and who is distinguished by pardoning and overlooking the faults of His Slaves. Everyone is in need of His Forgiveness and pardoning just as they are in need of His Mercy and Compassion. He has Promised His Forgiveness and Pardon to the one who fulfills its conditions. Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo says, ‘And I Forgive in abundance the one who repents and believes, does good actions, and then remains on the straight road.” (Taahaa)
Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo says,
وَمَن يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ اللّهُ
None can forgive sins but Allaah. (Aal-Imraan)
In this verse, we learn that forgiveness of sins lies only in the Control of Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo and not in the control of any nabi, walee, angel, etc.
How beautiful is the dua of Ibraahim bin Adham Rahimahullaah:
إلهي عبدك العاصى أتاكا مقرٌ بالذنوب وقد دعاكا
فان تغفر فانت لذاك اهلٌ وان تطرد فمن يرحم سواكا
O my Allaah! Your sinful Slave has come to You , confessing his sins, and supplicating before You .
If You Forgive, then only You are Worthy of it, and If You Repel us, then besides You , who will have Mercy?
Some pious people have stated that Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo is:
Al-Ghaafir - After a slave makes sincere repentance, He Forgives his sins, and He Destroys all evidence of it from His Files.
Al-Ghafoor - He Makes the Angels also forget his evil actions
Al-Ghaffaar - He Makes the person also forget that sin as if he had never perpetrated that sin.”
Some others have stated, “Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo has three attributive names:
1.) Ghaafir
2) Ghafoor
3) Ghaffaar .
Three descriptive words have been used for man:
1) Zaalim
2.) Zaloom
3) Zallaam.
From here, we understand that no matter what wrong man does, the Forgiveness of Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo is Present. It is only for man to ask.
If man is zaalim (oppressor), then Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo is Ghaafir (Forgiving).
If man is zaloom (great oppressor), then Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo is Ghafoor (All-Forgiving).
If man is zallaam (very great oppressor), then Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo is Ghaffaar (One who forgives in great abundance).”