Dealing with the mistakes and slips of relatives:
Dear brothers, bear in mind this fact: relatives are not infallible. They are prone to error, and susceptible to mistakes, and they may commit slips—sometimes even serious sins.
If they commit something of such nature, then be forgiving in dealing with them, for forgiveness is among the qualities of the righteous, and it is reported in the following Noble Hadith that:
((And Allah increases the honor of him who forgives.))
[ Muslim, on the authority of Abi Huraira ]
Repay their harm with kindness and accept the excuse of the one who seeks pardon. You have a perfect example and a noble role model in Prophet Yusuf peace be upon him.
His brothers did harm to him; they cast him into the well, leaving him to face death alone. Yet, when they later sought his forgiveness, he accepted their apology and overlooked their fault with gracious forgiveness. He did not reproach or rebuke them, but instead he made Du'a for them saying, as Allah the Almighty narrates:
﴾ He said: "No reproach on you this day, may Allah forgive you, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy! ﴿
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And he raised his parents to the throne and they fell down before him prostrate. And he said: "O my father! This is the interpretation of my dream aforetime! My Lord has made it come true! He was indeed good to me, when He took me out of the prison, and brought you (all here) out of the bedouin-life, after Shaitan (Satan) had sown enmity between me and my brothers. Certainly, my Lord is the Most Courteous and Kind unto whom He will. Truly He! Only He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. ﴿
Pay attention to some subtle points in the Ayah. Prophet Yusuf, peace be upon him, said as Allah the Almighty narrates:
﴾ He was indeed good to me, when He took me out of the prison… ﴿
[ Yusuf, 100
]
He did not mention the well, and had he said, "when He brought me out of the well", he would have reminded his brothers of their crime. Instead, he deliberately overlooked their wrongdoing, and he said as Allah the Almighty narrates:
﴾ He was indeed good to me, when He took me out of the prison, and brought you (all here) out of the bedouin-life, after Shaitan (Satan) had sown enmity between me and my brothers. ﴿
He did not describe them as enemies, Rather, he said as Allah the Almighty narrates:
﴾ …After Shaitan (Satan) had sown enmity between me and my brothers. ﴿
This is an extraordinarily high level of gentleness and refinement. Such conduct reflects the lofty moral standard of the prophets, who are the highest role models.
