Forgiving consolidates the foundations of family

It is sometime natural for the family members to confront each other harshly. But it must be managed otherwise it will weaken the foundation of family. Such confrontations could be best managed by the Qur’anic principle of “forgiving and forgetting”‌ in family matters:

“O, you who believe, surely from among your wives and children there is an enemy to you, therefore beware of them; and if you pardon and forbear and forgive, then surely Allah is forgiving, merciful.”‌[1]

Forgiveness is about forgiving the mistake and wrongdoing and Safah (pardon) is a level higher and about forgetting it.

Based on the principle of “forgiving and forgetting”‌ not only you should remove the anger and upset against family members but also you should forget these and forgive them. Controlling one’s anger and forgiving and forgetting negative acts of others has many benefits for family members:

Prevents hatred and mental pressures, brings about peace to your heart and mind, and prepares you to receive new blessings.

It helps us to experience and develop a divine attribute in ourselves through patience, forgiving, and forgetting and free ourselves from evil temptations.

For a successful enforcement of this principle we should first forgive the confronting ones in our heart and pray God for his forgiveness so our mind is cleared of hatred in the first place.

Next step is to give up hatred and make a happy family through holding weekly family meetings to speak and clear out everything so to keep a happy life trend.[2]

Translated by: Sadroddin Musawi

Notes:

[1] 64:14

[2] Nilipour Mehdi, Family Management, vol.2, p.28-30