Khaled El-Gendy: A Genuine Apology Must Be Backed by Action

Sheikh Khaled El-Gendy, a member of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, said a genuine apology should go beyond words and include practical action that demonstrates an acknowledgment of wrongdoing.

El-Gendy described this principle by saying there is no “free apology,” stressing that an expression of regret must come with a willingness to bear the consequences of a mistake.

His remarks drew a distinction between merely offering an apology and taking responsibility. Words alone, he said, are not enough to establish that someone has truly recognized an error.

The measure of a sincere apology, in his account, is the conduct that accompanies it: action that reflects both recognition of the mistake and acceptance of its consequences.