so how are we to help the one who is himself the oppressor?” He answered, “By stopping him from oppression.” Your restraining him from wrongdoing is, in reality, support for him and an act of kindness toward him. In short, whenever you deal with people you should keep this verse before your eyes: “Allah loves those who excel in doing good.” Therefore, show them excellence to the fullest extent you can.

Allah the Exalted also says, “Those who, when they commit an outrage or wrong themselves, remember Allah and plead for forgiveness for their sins” (Āl ʿImrān 3:135).

The phrase “when they commit an outrage” refers to any sin that is regarded as heinous, that is, the major sins—such as fornication, drinking alcohol, killing a soul, and the like. Everything that people deem heinous is a fāḥishah. The words “or wrong themselves” cover the lesser sins that fall short of that level. “They remember Allah,” meaning they recall His majesty and His punishment, and they also remember His mercy, His acceptance of repentance, and the reward He has promised.

Thus they remember Allah from two angles:

1. His greatness, His retribution, and His supreme authority—this fills them with awe and shame, so they seek His pardon.
2. His mercy and His readiness to accept repentance—this stirs their hope, so they turn back to Him and ask His forgiveness. For this reason He said: “They remembered Allah and sought forgiveness for their sins.”

One of the finest supplications for seeking forgiveness is the “Master Supplication for Forgiveness”:
“O Allah, You are my Lord; there is no deity but You. You created me and I am Your servant. I remain, as best I can, upon the covenant and promise I have made to You. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done…”