Is it correct to say, "The forbearance of Allah encompasses all things," by analogy with the vastness of His mercy?
Allah the Almighty is "Al-Haleem" (the Forbearing), Who does not hasten to punish His servants for their sins and transgressions; rather, He grants them respite so they may repent and return to Him. His forbearance, Glorified be He, encompasses disbelievers, the immoral, and the disobedient, for He does not hold people immediately accountable for their deeds but rather postpones their reckoning until a designated time.
Regarding the question: "Has Allah's forbearance encompassed everything, just as His mercy has encompassed everything?", it has not been mentioned in the words of the scholars that Allah's forbearance encompassed everything. Forbearance relates to the disobedient and the sinners, whereas mercy encompasses the obedient and the disobedient, as well as those burdened with religious obligations and other creatures. It has been explicitly stated that mercy, knowledge, and forgiveness encompass all things. So, Allah is vast in forbearance and vast in forgiveness, but asserting that His forbearance or forgiveness encompasses everything requires pause.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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