Parenting Perspective 

When children make mistakes, they need to learn that saying sorry is only the first step in making things right. The second, equally important part is to repair the harm through their actions, whether that means replacing something they have broken, helping the person they have hurt, or simply showing extra kindness. Parents can guide this process by introducing their children to the Quran’s emphasis on justice, fairness, and reconciliation. 

Frame Making Amends as an Act of Faith 

Explain to your child, ‘In our faith, Allah wants us not just to say we are sorry but also to fix what we can. That is how we show our respect for other people and our love for Allah.’ This helps to frame the act of repair as an act of worship, not just good manners. 

Use Practical and Relatable Examples 

If your child breaks a sibling’s toy, you can guide them to save up their pocket money to help replace it. If they have hurt someone’s feelings, encourage them to write a kind note or share something of their own. These simple, practical actions make the lesson of accountability tangible and memorable. 

Highlight How Repair Heals Relationships 

Point out how the other person feels better when a sincere effort is made to fix the harm. You might say, ‘Did you see how your friend smiled when you helped to rebuild the block tower you had knocked down? That is how making things right helps to heal hearts.’ 

By connecting sincere actions to their apologies, you raise your child to see that responsibility is a vital part of both their faith and their character. 

Spiritual Insight 

The noble Quran teaches that accountability and reconciliation are essential components of righteousness. While saying sorry is a good start, actively repairing the harm caused is a reflection of true sincerity and earns a great reward from Allah Almighty. 

Quranic Guidance on Reconciliation and Fairness 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Baqarah (2), Verse 178: 

‘…So whoever pardons his brother with any (of these remedies), then this should be followed up with an appropriate compensation paid as a gratuity…’ 

This verse reminds us that even in the most serious of matters, Islam emphasises the importance of making amends with fairness and kindness as part of the reconciliation process. 

Prophetic Wisdom on Settling Matters in this Life 

It is recorded in Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 2449, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘Whoever has wronged his brother in regard to his honour or anything else, let him seek his pardon today, before a day comes when there will be neither dinar nor dirham, but if he has good deeds, they will be taken from him according to the wrong he has done.’ 

This powerful hadith teaches us that making things right in this world, by seeking pardon and repairing harm, protects us from a heavy and difficult accountability in the Hereafter. 

Instilling Repair as a Core Quranic Value 

By sharing these profound teachings, you show your child that the Quran guides us not only to admit our mistakes but also to actively fix them. They learn that making things right is a practical expression of humility, justice, and mercy, which are values that make their character beautiful and pleasing to Allah Almighty.