Muslim attitudes to forgiveness
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain Muslim beliefs about forgiveness and how they are shown through repentance and restorative justice.
Key learning points
- Forgiveness involves releasing feelings of blame or resentment towards those who have caused harm.
- Some say forgiveness avoids responsibility; others see it as key to healing.
- Forgiveness is a key Islamic principle, taught in both the Qur’an and Hadith, and closely connected to Allah’s mercy.
- Muslim prison chaplains guide offenders in reflecting on their actions and give spiritual support.
- Islam supports restorative justice, when victims and offenders communicate, as it helps offenders take responsibility.
Keywords
Forgiveness - to grant pardon for a wrongdoing; to give up resentment and the desire to seek revenge against a wrongdoer
Repentance - the act of recognising that something you have done is wrong and choosing to turn away from it
Restorative justice - an approach to justice that focuses on repairing the harm caused by wrongdoing through dialogue and understanding
Common misconception
Forgiveness in Islam means the offender is not punished.
Islam allows for both justice and forgiveness. An offender may still face consequences, but forgiveness is encouraged when there is sincere taubah and efforts to make amends.
Teacher tip
Encourage discussion about why forgiveness might be difficult, even when Islamic teachings emphasise it.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What kind of evil is caused by earthquakes, hurricanes, or disease?
Q2.The belief that God allows suffering to help people grow spiritually is called...
Q3.Which philosopher is associated with the logical problem of evil?
Q4.The triad describes the contradiction between God's goodness, God's power, and the existence of evil.
Q5.Which of the following best reflects the soul-making theodicy?
Q6.According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, suffering entered the world through sin.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of the following is one of Allah’s names that reflects forgiveness?
Q2.Muslims believe that sincere is required in order to receive Allah’s forgiveness.
Q3.What is the main purpose of restorative justice?
Q4.According to the Qur’an, those who others will receive Allah’s mercy.
Q5.Which Qur’an verse teaches Muslims not to despair of Allah’s mercy?
Q6.Islamic teachings support {[}} that includes both accountability and mercy.
To help you plan your 11 religious education lesson on: Muslim attitudes to forgiveness, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 religious education lesson on: Muslim attitudes to forgiveness, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 religious education lessons from the Issues of Good and Evil unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.