In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

لَّا خَيْرَ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِّن نَّجْوَاهُمْ إِلَّا مَنْ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ أَوْ مَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ إِصْلَاحٍ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاتِ اللَّهِ فَسَوْفَ نُؤْتِيهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا
أي: لا خير في كثير مما يتناجى به الناس ويتخاطبون، وإذا لم يكن فيه خير، فإما لا فائدة فيه كفضول الكلام المباح، وإما شر ومضرة محضة كالكلام المحرم بجميع أنواعه. ثم استثنى تعالى فقال
إِلَّا مَنْ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ
من مال أو علم أو أي نفع كان، بل لعله يدخل فيه العبادات القاصرة كالتسبيح والتحميد ونحوه، كما قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم
إن بكل تسبيحة صدقة، وكل تكبيرة صدقة، وكل تهليلة صدقة، وأمر بالمعروف صدقة، ونهي عن المنكر صدقة، وفي بضع أحدكم صدقة
أَوْ مَعْرُوفٍ
وهو الإحسان والطاعة وكل ما عرف في الشرع والعقل حسنه، وإذا أطلق الأمر بالمعروف من غير أن يقرن بالنهي عن المنكر دخل فيه النهي عن المنكر، وذلك لأن ترك المنهيات من المعروف، وأيضا لا يتم فعل الخير إلا بترك الشر. وأما عند الاقتران فيفسر المعروف بفعل المأمور، والمنكر بترك المنهي.
أَوْ إِصْلَاحٍ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ
والإصلاح لا يكون إلا بين متنازعين متخاصمين، والنزاع والخصام والتغاضب يوجب من الشر والفرقة ما لا يمكن حصره، فلذلك حث الشارع على الإصلاح بين الناس في الدماء والأموال والأعراض، بل وفي الأديان كما قال تعالى
وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا
وقال تعالى: { وَإِنْ طَائِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اقْتَتَلُوا فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا فَإِنْ بَغَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا عَلَى الْأُخْرَى فَقَاتِلُوا الَّتِي تَبْغِي حَتَّى تَفِيءَ إِلَى أَمْرِ اللَّهِ ْ}
وقال تعالى
{ وَالصُّلْحُ خَيْرٌ ْ} والساعي في الإصلاح بين الناس أفضل من القانت بالصلاة والصيام والصدقة، والمصلح لا بد أن يصلح الله سعيه وعمله. كما أن الساعي في الإفساد لا يصلح الله عمله ولا يتم له مقصوده كما قال تعالى: { إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُصْلِحُ عَمَلَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ ْ}. فهذه الأشياء حيثما فعلت فهي خير، كما دل على ذلك الاستثناء. ولكن كمال الأجر وتمامه بحسب النية والإخلاص، ولهذا قال: { وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاةِ اللَّهِ فَسَوْفَ نُؤْتِيهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا ْ} فلهذا ينبغي للعبد أن يقصد وجه الله تعالى ويخلص العمل لله في كل وقت وفي كل جزء من أجزاء الخير، ليحصل له بذلك الأجر العظيم، وليتعود الإخلاص فيكون من المخلصين، وليتم له الأجر، سواء تم مقصوده أم لا، لأن النية حصلت واقترن بها ما يمكن من العمل.

Allah, The Most High, said:

لَّا خَيْرَ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِّن نَّجْوَاهُمْ إِلَّا مَنْ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ أَوْ مَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ إِصْلَاحٍ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاتِ اللَّهِ فَسَوْفَ نُؤْتِيهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا

There is no good in most of their secret talks except (in) him who orders Sadaqah (charity in Allah’s Cause), or that which is right, or conciliation between mankind, and he who does this, seeking the good Pleasure of Allah, We shall give him a great reward. [An-Nisaa 114]

Meaning: There is no good in most of secret counsels held by the people and speak about. And if there is no good in it, then either there is no benefit in it due to excessive permissible speech or evil and absolute harm, such as all types of forbidden speech. Then He, The Most High, made an exception, saying:

[ إِلَّا مَنْ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ – Except (in) him who orders Sadaqah (charity in Allah’s Cause)], such as wealth, knowledge, or any type of benefit. In fact, conceivably (hopefully), the personal acts of worship are included, such as Tasbih, Tamhid and what is similar, as the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

“Indeed, there is charity in every Tasbihah, charity in every Takbir, charity in every Tahlil; enjoining good and forbidding evil is charity, and there is charity in the sexual relations of one of you”.

[أَوْ مَعْرُوفٍ – or that which is right], (which) is kindness, obedience (to Allah and His Messenger), and everything whose goodness is known through the Shariah and sound intellect. And when the command to enjoin good is mentioned without being associated with prohibition against evil, the prohibition of evil is included, since the abandonment of what is forbidden is part of doing good. Also, the doing of good cannot be accomplished except by abandoning evil. As for when both are mentioned together, the word Al-Maruf is explained to mean doing what is commanded and Al-Munkar as abandoning what is forbidden.

[ أَوْ إِصْلَاحٍ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ – or conciliation between mankind]

Reconciliation does not take place except between disputing people (groups, factions etc). Differing and argumentation inevitably (leads to) evil and splitting that is inestimable, thus, the Ultimate Lawgiver urges towards reconciliation between the people (in matters pertaining) to bloodshed, wealth, and honour, and in fact in religion, as He, The Most High, said:

وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا

And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e. this Quran), and be not divided among yourselves.

And He, The Most High, said:

وَإِنْ طَائِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اقْتَتَلُوا فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا فَإِنْ بَغَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا عَلَى الْأُخْرَى فَقَاتِلُوا الَّتِي تَبْغِي حَتَّى تَفِيءَ إِلَى أَمْرِ اللَّهِ

If two parties among the believers should fight (each other), then make settlement between them (through the Book of Allāh). But if one of them revolts against the other (and refuses compliance with the judgement of Allāh’s Book), then fight you (all) against the one that revolts until it complies with the command of Allāh.

https://www.thenoblequran.com/q/#/search/49_9 [Footnote a]

He, The Most High, said: [وَالصُّلْحُ خَيْرٌ – and making peace is better (the best thing to do)]. [Footnote b]

The one who endevours to bring about reconciliation between the people is better than the one who is devoted to (optional) prayer, fasting, and charity. Allah will bless the efforts and actions of the reconciler, just as Allah will neither set right the action of the one who endevours to cause corruption nor will He will He make him attain his goal (or objective), as He, The Most High, said:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُصْلِحُ عَمَلَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ

Verily, Allah does not set right the work of Al-Mufsidun (the evil-doers, corrupters). [Yunus 81]

Whenever (and wherever) these matters are carried out (accomplished), they are good, as demonstrated by this exclusion (i.e. as stated in the Ayah Nisaa 114 that there is no good in most of their secret talks except (in) him who orders Sadaqah (charity in Allah’s Cause), or that which is right, or conciliation between mankind).

However, the perfection of the reward and its completeness depend on the intention and sincerity, thus, He (Allah) said:

وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاةِ اللَّهِ فَسَوْفَ نُؤْتِيهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا ْ

And he who does this, seeking the good Pleasure of Allah, We shall give him a great reward.

Therefore, it is incumbent upon a servant (of Allah) to seek the face of Allah, The Most High, sincerely devote deeds to Allah at all times and in every aspect of goodness, so that through this he may attain the great reward, cultivate sincerity and be from the sincere ones, and so that the reward will be completed (accomplished), regardless of whether the objective is achieved or not, since the intention has been accomplished and associated with the action that could be carried out. [1]

We ask Allah:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ خَشْيَتَكَ فِي الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ،

O Allah! I ask You to grant me (the blessing of having) fear of You in private and public…[2]

اللَّهُمَّ أَصْلِحْ لِي دِينِي الَّذِي هُوَ عِصْمَةُ أَمْرِي
وَأَصْلِحْ لِي دُنْيَايَ الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَاشِي
وَأَصْلِحْ لِي آخِرَتِي الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَادِي
وَاجْعَلِ الْحَيَاةَ زِيَادَةً لِي فِي كُلِّ خَيْرٍ
وَاجْعَلِ الْمَوْتَ رَاحَةً لِي مِنْ كُلِّ شَرٍّ

O Allah! Rectify my religion for me, which is the safeguard of my affairs; rectify my worldly [affairs], wherein is my livelihood; and rectify my Afterlife to which is my return; and make life for me [as a means of] increase in every good and make death for me as a rest from every evil. [Sahih Muslim. 2720] [3]

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Footnote a: Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim concerning reconciliation during conflict:

Allah commanded the reconciliation between the two warring factions initially. However, if one side oppresses the other, then the obligation shifts to fighting against the transgressor rather than seeking peace, as they are unjust. Attempting to reconcile in the face of such injustice undermines the rights of the oppressed group. Many unjust individuals who claim to be peacemakers often mediate between the powerful oppressor and the weak victim in a way that favours the powerful, believing they have achieved harmony, while in reality, they deny the oppressed their rightful claims. This is injustice; rather, the wronged party should be allowed to reclaim their rights. They can then be asked, with their consent, to forgo a portion of their rights without favouritism towards those in power, ensuring that there is no coercion involved in favouring others”.

A reconciliation that permits the forbidden and prohibits the permissible is similar to the agreement that forbids a lawful act, allows an unlawful act, enslaves a free person, alters lineage, waives an obligation, suspends a punishment, or inflicts injustice on a third party. The permissible reconciliation among Muslims is one that is based on Allāh’s Pleasure and the satisfaction of both parties involved (based on justice). This represents the most just and rightful form of settlement, grounded in knowledge and fairness. The mediator should be well-informed about the circumstances, aware of their responsibilities, and committed to justice. The merit of this role is even greater than that of the (optional) fasting and prayer of a person, as the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him, said: ‘Shall I not inform you of something more excellent in degree than (voluntary) fasting, prayer and almsgiving?’ The people replied: ‘Certainly O Prophet of Allah!’ He said: “It is working for reconciliation between people, and spoiling it is the shaver (destruction)”. [Abu Dawud 4919]

The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Whoever has wronged his brother, should ask for his pardon (before his death), as (in the Hereafter) there will be neither a Dinar nor a Dirham. (He should secure pardon in this life) before some of his good deeds are taken and paid to his brother, or, if he has done no good deeds, some of the bad deeds of his brother are taken to be loaded on him (in the Hereafter). [Al-Bukhari 6534] [4]

Footnote b: Imam As-As-Sadi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

ويؤخذ من عموم هذا اللفظ والمعنى أن الصلح بين مَن بينهما حق أو منازعة في جميع الأشياء أنه خير من استقصاء كل منهما على كل حقه، لما فيها من الإصلاح وبقاء الألفة والاتصاف بصفة السماح. وهو جائز في جميع الأشياء إلا إذا أحلّ حراما أو حرّم حلالا، فإنه لا يكون صلحا وإنما يكون جورا.

It is understood from the generality of this wording and meaning that reconciliation between parties – who owe rights to each other or are in dispute – in all matters is better than if each part persist on receiving their full rights, due to what is found in it, such as reconciliation, the maintaining of harmony and embracing the characteristic of forgiveness. It is permissible in all matters except when makes the unlawful lawful or makes what is lawful unlawful, for it it would not be regarded as reconciliation, instead it would be injustice (oppression, inequity). [5]

[1]An Excerpt from Tafseer As-Sadi. paraphrased

[2]https://salafidawahmanchester.com/2021/01/01/o-allaah-let-me-live-if-life-is-good-for-me-and-let-me-die-if-death-is-good-for-me/

[3]https://salafidawahmanchester.com/2020/12/29/o-allaah-rectify-my-religion-for-me-which-the-safeguard-of-my-affairs-a-tremendous-supplication/

[4]Excerpts from “I’laam al-Muwaqqi’een 1/84-86

[5]For further details seen Tafsir As-Sadi. Explanation of Ayah 128 Surah An-Nisaa. paraphrased