Collective Repentance
One of the Quranic teachings is Tauba, which means repentance. When you make a mistake and do Tauba, the blessing of God will return to you. In the chapter Al-Tahrim (Prohibition), the Quran says:
O believers, turn to God in sincere repentance, hoping that your Lord will forgive you your evil deeds and admit you into gardens watered by running streams. (66:8)
In this verse, the Quran declares that after engaging in genuine Tauba, one who has erred will be unburdened of the effect of his evil deeds. What is most important about this is that the wrong-doer will be forgiven by God and consequently be rewarded with Paradise in the hereafter. This divine blessing is not confined to the next world; it also includes the present world in the extended sense. Family life and social life will also be blessed with the fruits of Tauba.
In family life as well as social life, untoward events are unavoidable. Such happenings sour relations and create a distance between people. The best solution is Tauba. Do not wait for others to take the lead. Instead, you can come forward and say without hesitation: “I am sorry, I was wrong.” This is the only way of maintaining normalcy among relatives, friends, acquaintances and even strangers.
Tauba is an instrument of self-correction, initiating a process of self re-assessment. This process is vital as it enhances your intellectual calibre and increases your capacity for analysis. This, in turn, leads to spiritual development.