What small acts of charity fit as repair after hurting someone? 

Parenting Perspective 

When children hurt someone, whether with their words or their actions, making a direct repair with that person is essential. However, adding an extra step can help them to learn that our wrongdoings do not just affect other people; they also affect our hearts and our relationship with Allah Almighty. Teaching a child to pair their apology with a small act of charity shows them that their mistakes can be transformed into goodness. 

Keep the Act of Charity Tangible and Age-Appropriate 

For younger children, small and visible deeds are the most effective way to connect their actions to the concept of charity. 

• Sharing a favourite snack with the person they have upset. 

• Helping to tidy the class bookshelf after causing a disruption. 

• Watering the plants at home or in school as a physical reminder of the importance of nurturing. 

For older children, you can expand the scope to include slightly more responsible acts. 

• Donating a small amount from their allowance to a local cause. 

• Giving their time to help a sibling with their homework. 

• Quietly volunteering to do an extra chore, like setting the table or wiping the kitchen counters. 

Explain the Link Between Repair and Charity Clearly 

It is important to clarify the purpose of this extra step. You can say, ‘We apologise to people to heal the relationship between us. We do a small act of charity to polish our own hearts and to earn the reward of Allah Almighty.’ This helps them to understand that charity is a complement to the repair, not a substitute for it. 

Teach the Importance of Intention 

Guide your child to make a quiet intention before they perform their act of charity. For example: ‘O Allah, please accept this small act as a part of my repentance and help me not to repeat this mistake.’ With practice, children will begin to associate their everyday acts of kindness with their spiritual growth. 

Model It Yourself 

When you make a mistake, be sure to apologise and then visibly perform a small act of charity, such as putting some money in a sadaqah box or bringing a glass of water for someone in the family. You can narrate this softly by saying, ‘This is how we make our hearts feel clean and light again.’ Children are excellent at copying what they see. 

By pairing repair with charity, you are teaching your child that their mistakes are not endpoints. They are simply reminders to increase in all forms of good. 

Spiritual Insight 

Every Small Act Counts with Allah Almighty 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Zalzalah (99), Verses 7–8: 

‘Thus, everyone’s actions equivalent to the measurement of an atom that is good shall be observed by them (on the Day of Judgment). And everyone’s actions equivalent to the measurement of an atom that is wicked shall be observed by them (on the Day of Judgment).’ 

This powerful verse reminds us that no act of kindness is too small to be significant. Even a smile, a shared biscuit, or putting away a chair can be a weighty and meaningful deed when it is done with a sincere intention for the sake of Allah Almighty. 

Charity Extinguishes the Ill Effects of Sins 

It is recorded in Jami Tirmidhi, Hadith 614, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘Charity extinguishes sin just as water extinguishes fire.’ 

This hadith teaches that giving or doing good after we have made a mistake is a powerful way to cleanse our hearts. By guiding your child to pair their direct repair with a small act of sadaqah, you help them to see that their mistakes are not permanent stains on their character. Rather, they are invitations to increase in goodness, which is a beautiful path to strength.