يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِن تَتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّكُمْ فُرْقَانًا وَيُكَفِّرْ عَنكُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو ٱلْفَضْلِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ 29
Translations
O you who have believed, if you fear Allāh, He will grant you a criterion and will remove from you your misdeeds and forgive you. And Allāh is the possessor of great bounty.
Transliteration
Ya ayyuha alladhina amanu in tattaqu allaha yajal lakum furqanan wa yukaffir ankum sayyiatikum wa yaghfir lakum wa allahu dhu alfadli alazim
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah promises believers that if they practice taqwa (God-consciousness and piety), Allah will grant them furqan (criterion to distinguish right from wrong, or victory), expiate their sins, and grant them forgiveness. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the furqan represents both spiritual discernment and practical victory over enemies, while the triple promise of sin-removal reflects Allah's comprehensive mercy upon those who maintain God-consciousness. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that this is a conditional promise—the benefits flow directly from sincere taqwa.
Revelation Context
Revealed in Medina during the early period after the Battle of Badr, this ayah addresses the Muslim community at a pivotal moment when they faced existential threats from Meccan opposition. It serves to strengthen the believers' resolve by assuring them that steadfast piety and God-consciousness are the true sources of protection and victory, not material strength alone. The surah itself addresses the ethics of warfare and the treatment of spoils of war.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Taqwa is here' (pointing to the heart) three times - related in Sunan Ibn Majah. Additionally, in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet stated: 'Shall I not inform you of the best of you? Those who are best in character. And the worst of you? Those who backbite and spread gossip between people' - illustrating how taqwa manifests through moral conduct.
Themes
Key Lesson
True security and success come not from material resources or military might, but from cultivating taqwa—a consciousness of Allah that transforms decision-making and conduct. For believers today, this ayah teaches that investing in spiritual development through remembrance of Allah, obedience to His commands, and avoidance of sin yields invaluable returns in both worldly guidance and eternal forgiveness.
Related Ayahs
هَـٰذَا ذِكْرٌ ۚ وَإِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ لَحُسْنَ مَـَٔابٍ
This is a reminder. And indeed, for the righteous is a good place of return -
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ وَٱخْشَوْا۟ يَوْمًا لَّا يَجْزِى وَالِدٌ عَن وَلَدِهِۦ وَلَا مَوْلُودٌ هُوَ جَازٍ عَن وَالِدِهِۦ شَيْـًٔا ۚ إِنَّ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقٌّ ۖ فَلَا تَغُرَّنَّكُمُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَلَا يَغُرَّنَّكُم بِٱللَّهِ ٱلْغَرُورُ
O mankind, fear your Lord and fear a Day when no father will avail his son, nor will a son avail his father at all. Indeed, the promise of Allāh is truth, so let not the worldly life delude you and be not deceived about Allāh by the Deceiver [i.e., Satan].
إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِۦٓ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ
When he said to his people, "Will you not fear Allāh?
وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَـٰقَكُمْ وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَكُمُ ٱلطُّورَ خُذُوا۟ مَآ ءَاتَيْنَـٰكُم بِقُوَّةٍ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ مَا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
And [recall] when We took your covenant, [O Children of Israel, to abide by the Torah] and We raised over you the mount, [saying], "Take what We have given you with determination and remember what is in it that perhaps you may become righteous."