Glad tidings of forgiveness

During Ḥajjat al-Widāʿ, which was the final ḥajj performed by the Greatest Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم during his apparent lifetime,  he صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم came to the plains of ꜤArafah.

The Companion ꜤAbbās b. Mirdās رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ explains a specific prayer made by the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم at night, during this occasion. The Companion said, لِاُمَّتِہٖ بِالْمَغْفِرَۃِ وَ الرَّحْمَۃِ. This means, the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was making dua for his beloved ummah to be forgiven and shown mercy.^[1]

In another narration, the words فَاَکْثَرَ الدُّعَاءَ ^[2] can be found, which means the Greatest Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم did not only make dua once, but repeated one many times over, which was, “O Allah, forgive my ummah! Send mercy upon them!”  

When the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم made dua repeatedly, Allah Almighty sent a revelation in which He declared, “My beloved! We have accepted your dua and forgiven your ummah except for the oppressors, as retribution for the oppressed will certainly be taken from them.”

Upon this, the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم exclaimed, “O Lord! If You be pleased, You can grant the oppressed Paradise and forgive the oppressor.” (Like this, the oppressed will receive his justice and the oppressor will be shown mercy) 

Regarding this dua, Allah’s Messenger صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم did not receive a response from Allah Almighty on the night. He صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم then went to Muzdalifa, and the following morning, a matchlessly beautiful smile appeared on the face of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. When the first and second Caliphs of Islam, Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq and ꜤUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا saw this, they exclaimed: