Second: he should know that forgiveness and reconciliation bring abundant good to the one who forgives, and that such forgiveness only increases him in honour, as the Prophet ﷺ said: “Allah does not increase a servant in anything through forgiveness except honour.” (1)

Third: he should know that Satan—his enemy—is the one who kindles the fire of enmity and rancour between the believers. For he is saddened to see the Muslims united and loving one another, and rejoices when he sees them divided, with enmity and rancour between them.

When a person reflects on the benefits and harms, he must take that which entails benefit and advantage, and leave that which entails harm and corruption.

So strive against yourself, even if you outwardly humble it, for in reality you are ennobling it. Indeed, whoever humbles himself for Allah, Allah raises him; and Allah does not increase a servant in anything through forgiveness except honour.

Try it, and you will find that when you do this—when you forgive and set right what is between you and your brothers—you will live in ease, tranquillity, openness of heart, and joy of soul. But if your heart harbours spite or enmity towards them, you will find yourself in the utmost grief and anxiety. Satan will then present you with every possible interpretation of what your brother says: if his words could bear either a good or an evil meaning, Satan will tell you, “Interpret them in the evil sense.”

Yet what is prescribed is for a person to interpret his brothers’ words in the best possible sense whenever he can find a sound basis for doing so.

Thus, whenever you find a possible good interpretation, take it in that sense, whether concerning words or actions, and do not interpret it in an evil sense.