Allah the Almighty has created human beings as the most honorable and the zenith of all creation. Even with this perfection of his creation, people have many spiritual and material weaknesses. These are blameworthy characteristics, such as hastiness, greed, jealousy, desire for eternity, fondness for one’s interests, etc. Such characteristics increase the possibility of making mistakes. We observe the first instance of this in the life of humanity’s father Adam ( peace be upon him).
Allah the Almighty created Adam and Eve and placed them in Paradise. He allowed them to benefit from all kinds of blessings in the Paradise except getting close to a certain tree.Satan tried all kinds of tricks to deceive Adam and Eve. This is stated in verses of the Qur’an as follows:
“Then Satan whispered to them that he might manifest unto them that which was hidden from them of their shame, and he said: Your Lord forbade you from this tree only lest you should become angels or become of the immortals. And he swore unto them (saying): Lo! I am a sincere adviser unto you. Thus did he lead them on with guile. And when they tasted of the tree their shame was manifest to them and they began to hide (by heaping) on themselves some of the leaves of the Garden. And their Lord called them, (saying): Did I not forbid you from that tree and tell you: Lo! Satan is an open enemy to you?” (al-A’raf 7; 20-22)
“We had already, beforehand, taken the Covenant of Adam, but he forgot: and we found on his part no firm resolve.” (Taha 20; 115)
It is said that the word “insan or human being” has come from two different roots. The first one is “nisyan” meaning forgetfulness. As it is expressed in the verse, Adam (PBUH) forgot his covenant with Allah. The second root is “unsiyah” or familiarity and being on friendly terms with someone; because human beings can easily establish friendship and get accustomed to their surroundings. Both qualities increase the possibility of making mistakes and commiting sins.
Allah’s Messenger (pbuh), who knew the characteristics of human beings very well, treated his audience within very sensitive measures and tried to correct them by using the best methods. The Prophet’s sole aim was to guide people to the straight path. This is why he did everything he could to reach everybody. He did not cast anybody away because of his mistakes; on the contrary, he educated him using prophetic methods of education.
Below we will enumerate the Prophet’s principal methods for correcting people’s mistakes: