YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

occur. Instead of trying to justify the mistake, you should reflect and seek to discover why it was made in the first place, which helps prevent repeating it. Introspection encourages self-reassessment, transforming a mistake into a “mistake-plus” that activates your mind and leads to brainstorming, enhancing creativity and analytical ability. This inner self-appraisal is a major source of spiritual development and helps you reform yourself by not justifying your faults. Introspection acts as a mirror, reflecting your true self and enabling you to recognize and correct your wrongs, leading to intellectual and spiritual growth. What happens when you repent after making a mistake? One of the teachings of the Quran is Tauba, which means repentance. When you make a mistake and do Tauba, the blessings of God will return to you. The Quran declares that after engaging in genuine repentance, one who has erred will be unburdened by the effect of his bad deeds. What is most important is that the wrong-doer will be granted forgiveness by God and will consequently be rewarded with Paradise in the Hereafter. This divine blessing is not confined to the next world; in the extended sense, it also includes the present world. Family life and social life will also be blessed with the fruits of Tauba. What are the words a believer should utter as Tauba? When a believer makes a mistake, an example of a supplication for forgiveness, as uttered by the Prophet, is: “Glory be to You, O Lord, and praise, I bear witness that there is no God save You. I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance”. This supplication is effective only if uttered with earnestness and a keen awareness of its meaning, not as a mere mechanical recital. Admitting one’s mistakes leads to modesty and entitles one to God’s grace and blessings. What does God expect a believer to do when someone wrongs him and asks for his forgiveness? When someone wrongs a believer and then asks for forgiveness, God expects a higher response of forgiveness and adopting a reform approach instead of exacting revenge. While retaliation to the same degree as the injury is permissible, responding with patience and forgiveness holds more value in the eyes of God and can even atone for one’s sins. The Quran states: But whoever pardons and amends will find his reward with God. He does not love the wrongdoers. (42: 40) If a believer leaves the matter to God and bears it for God’s sake, his action will be rewarded in this world and the next. 