Allah Ta‘ala Looks for an Excuse to Forgive

Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) once mentioned:

Once an Aalim cried before me out of fear that he did not know in which condition he will pass away. Thereafter Moulana Thanwi (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) said, I do not generally take oaths in regard to any affair in the future. However I take an oath with firm conviction that Allah Ta‘ala, out of His infinite grace and mercy towards His servants, looks for excuses to forgive a person. Allah Ta’ala does not look for excuses to punish one. Why should Allah Ta‘ala want to punish one whereas He Himself mentions in the Quraan:

مَّا يَفْعَلُ اللَّـهُ بِعَذَابِكُمْ إِن شَكَرْتُمْ وَآمَنتُمْ (النساء: ١٤٧)

What will Allah gain through punishing you, if you express shukr (gratitude) and believe?

(Malfoozaat Hakeemul Ummat 10/343)