Accept, Introspect, Make Amends | The Sunday Guardian | 15th April 2012 | Page 10
One very important divine principle stated in the Quran is that a bad deed, if temporary in its effects, can be forgiven by God.
The best way to make amends is to do a good deed whenever you commit a bad deed. How to proceed is recorded in the chapter entitled Hud: "Say your prayers morning and evening, and during parts of the night; surely good removes evil. This is a reminder for people who pay heed" (11:114).
It is has been rightly said that to err is human. Man, being no angel and being subject to numerous temptations, will quite naturally make mistakes generally because of making wrong choices.
Then, what to do?
The best course is to follow the advice given in the above verse of the Quran.
Man should accept his mistakes and then engage in introspection so that he may make amends for them. This will mean that he must try to do a good deed after every bad deed.
This practice will save him from the consequences of his error and misdeeds.
For example, if you flew into a rage and, swayed by your anger, you abused someone, you should have to apologise to him publicly and do dua for him. Or, if you harmed someone physically, you would have to try to compensate for the injury by the offer of monetary or other help.
There are different kinds of bad deeds, but no matter what kind of bad deed you have committed, after each one you should feel repentant and try to erase the effects of your bad deed by doing a good deed.
The fact is that every bad deed you commit can pollute your soul.
Cleanse it by your tears, or by some other kind of penitent behaviour.