Speaking on Al-Kawthar program “Problems and Solutions”, Khadra said forgiveness is good, and stressed that forgiveness while the person is able to retaliate is more wonderful and is also one of the top moral values, resembling it to a person being generous although he is poor.
He stressed that forgiveness is one of the attributes we all need at the level of the family or at the level of the society because we are all dealing with people and all of people make mistakes.
Khadra said that people should be compassionate toward each other, noting that as people ask God to forgive them, they should at least forgive each other. “We ask God for mercy then at least we have to be merciful with each other,” he added.
Referring to God’ forgiveness of sinners, he stressed that Allah does not need their action or their acts of worships.
He further said that forgiveness is a must between the wife and husband and among brothers as well as among employees of the same institution and in all human relationships.
Asked about if forgiveness could harm a human relationship with one side being covetous of the other party’s generosity, Khadraa said “as firmness is required, moderation is also required”, reiterating that forgiveness is the basis for all the human relationships.
He also noted that forgiveness while a person is weak could be understood by some people as submission, while the most wonderful thing is that when a strong and important person forgives those who hurt him for the sake of God, referring to the hadith of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) when he entered Mecca and pardoned his enemies, telling them "Go, you are free".
Khadra quoted a part of a verse in the Quran that says “So forgive, (O Muhammad), with a gracious forgiveness”, noting that forgiveness is beautiful because it represents mercy, sympathy and charity as without forgiveness there will be vileness and desertion that could spark anger and lead to murder.
Elsewhere in his remarks, he said that if the harm was made by kin such as wife, husband, brother, father or mother, we should concede and forgive them with the aim of turning the enmity to friendship, citing a verse in Quran that says “Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend.”
He also quoted a part of a verse in the Quran that says “and let them pardon and overlook. Would you not like that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful”, saying it encourages people to forgive.
Regarding the reward (thawab) of forgiving, the cleric cited a hadith by Imam Ali ibn al-Hussein (PBUH) during which he said those who forgive will be among “those of virtue” who will be called on the Day of Resurrection to enter the paradise.
He added that the one who forgive “will certainly be delighted and will certainly become more pious”, citing a part of a verse in Quran that says “And to forego it is nearer to righteousness. And do not forget graciousness between you. Indeed Allah, of whatever you do, is Seeing.”
He further said that people need to train themselves to forgive. According to the cleric one of the ways to forgive someone is to remember the good deeds of that person.