What should I do if I have hurt someone?

The short answer

Take responsibility, ask the person to forgive you and repair their right where possible. The Prophet ﷺ warned that a person who wronged someone should seek their forgiveness before the Day of Judgment [1]; the Quran praises pardon joined with reconciliation [2].

Evidence 1 2 3

Explanation

The Prophet ﷺ taught that whoever has wronged another person concerning their reputation or anything else should ask that person to forgive them before the Day of Judgment, when compensation will be through good deeds 1. This makes an apology more than a quick phrase: acknowledge what you did, stop the harm and restore money or property if that was involved. Do not pressure the other person to comfort you or to forgive before they are ready.

Allah praises people who restrain anger and pardon others 2. Another verse says that the response to a wrong may be proportionate, but whoever pardons and makes reconciliation has reward with Allah 3. The person who was hurt is not required by these verses to pretend nothing happened; they can set boundaries and seek justice. Reconciliation is valuable when it is safe and does not expose someone to further harm.

If you cannot contact the person, ask a qualified scholar how to restore their right or make amends. If the situation involves abuse, threats or a serious legal matter, prioritise safety and seek appropriate help. Sincere repentance includes regretting the wrong and changing course. The texts encourage mercy and repair while keeping the victim's rights in view.

The evidence

  1. 1
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 2449
    Sahih Bukhari

    Whoever wronged another person should seek that person's forgiveness before the Day of Judgment.

    Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Whoever has oppressed another person concerning his reputation or anything else, he should beg him to forgive him before the Day of Resurrection when there will be no money (to compensate for wrong deeds), but if he has good deeds, those good deeds will be taken from him according to his oppression which he has done, and if he has no good deeds, the sins of the oppressed person will be loaded on him

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ بْنُ أَبِي إِيَاسٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ الْمَقْبُرِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَنْ كَانَتْ لَهُ مَظْلَمَةٌ لأَحَدٍ مِنْ عِرْضِهِ أَوْ شَىْءٍ فَلْيَتَحَلَّلْهُ مِنْهُ الْيَوْمَ، قَبْلَ أَنْ لاَ يَكُونَ دِينَارٌ وَلاَ دِرْهَمٌ، إِنْ كَانَ لَهُ عَمَلٌ صَالِحٌ أُخِذَ مِنْهُ بِقَدْرِ مَظْلَمَتِهِ، وَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ لَهُ حَسَنَاتٌ أُخِذَ مِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ صَاحِبِهِ فَحُمِلَ عَلَيْهِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أَبِي أُوَيْسٍ إِنَّمَا سُمِّيَ الْمَقْبُرِيَّ لأَنَّهُ كَانَ نَزَلَ نَاحِيَةَ الْمَقَابِرِ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَسَعِيدٌ الْمَقْبُرِيُّ هُوَ مَوْلَى بَنِي لَيْثٍ، وَهُوَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، وَاسْمُ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ كَيْسَانُ‏.‏

  2. 2
    Quran Aal-i-Imraan · 3:134

    Allah praises those who restrain anger and pardon people.

    ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ فِي ٱلسَّرَّآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ وَٱلۡكَٰظِمِينَ ٱلۡغَيۡظَ وَٱلۡعَافِينَ عَنِ ٱلنَّاسِۗ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ ۝١٣٤

    Who spend [in the cause of Allah] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people - and Allah loves the doers of good

  3. 3
    Quran Ash-Shura · 42:40

    Pardon joined with reconciliation is rewarded by Allah.

    وَجَزَٰٓؤُاْ سَيِّئَةࣲ سَيِّئَةࣱ مِّثۡلُهَاۖ فَمَنۡ عَفَا وَأَصۡلَحَ فَأَجۡرُهُۥ عَلَى ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ۝٤٠

    And the retribution for an evil act is an evil one like it, but whoever pardons and makes reconciliation - his reward is [due] from Allah. Indeed, He does not like wrongdoers

This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-25

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