لِّيُعَذِّبَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ وَٱلْمُنَـٰفِقَـٰتِ وَٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَٱلْمُشْرِكَـٰتِ وَيَتُوبَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًۢا 73
Translations
[It was] so that Allāh may punish the hypocrite men and hypocrite women and the men and women who associate others with Him and that Allāh may accept repentance from the believing men and believing women. And ever is Allāh Forgiving and Merciful.
Transliteration
Liyuʿadhdhiba Allahu al-munafiqīna wa-al-munafiqāti wa-al-mushrikīna wa-al-mushrikāti wa-yatūbu Allahu ʿalā al-muʾminīna wa-al-muʾmināti wa-kāna Allahu ghafūran rahīmā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah concludes Surah Al-Ahzab by presenting the ultimate divine justice and mercy: Allah will punish the hypocrites and polytheists (both male and female) for their rejection and deception, while accepting repentance from the believers (both male and female). Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this verse demonstrates Allah's perfect balance between justice (ʿadl) and mercy (raḥma), showing that while punishment is certain for those who persist in disbelief and hypocrisy, the door of repentance remains eternally open for sincere believers. The repeated mention of both genders underscores that divine accountability and mercy apply equally to all.
Revelation Context
This ayah concludes the Surah Al-Ahzab, revealed during the Medinan period when the Muslim community faced trials from both external enemies (the Battle of the Trench/Ahzab) and internal threats from hypocrites and those of weak faith. The surah addresses various challenges to the early Muslim society, and this final ayah encapsulates the ultimate resolution: divine justice for the disobedient and mercy for the faithful.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The gates of repentance are open so long as the sun has not risen from the west' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi, 3537). Additionally, Hadith Qudsi: 'My mercy precedes My wrath' (Sahih Bukhari, 7416) reflects the compassionate nature emphasized in this ayah's conclusion.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that while accountability before Allah is inevitable and impartial, His mercy and willingness to accept repentance are always greater—emphasizing that one should never despair of Allah's forgiveness, yet simultaneously maintain consciousness of divine justice. It reminds us that sincere faith combined with righteous action is the path to receiving Allah's boundless mercy and forgiveness.