وَٱلَّذِينَ عَمِلُوا۟ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ ثُمَّ تَابُوا۟ مِنۢ بَعْدِهَا وَءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهَا لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ 153
Translations
But those who committed misdeeds and then repented after them and believed - indeed your Lord, thereafter, is Forgiving and Merciful.
Transliteration
Wa alladhīna 'amilū as-sayyiāt thumma tābū min ba'dihā wa āmanū inna rabbaka min ba'dihā la-ghafūrun rahīm
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses those who have committed sins but subsequently repent sincerely and believe in Allah, assuring them of Allah's forgiveness and mercy. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this verse establishes the principle that sincere repentance (tawbah) wipes away sins, regardless of their severity, as long as the repentance is genuine and followed by righteous action. The placement of this ayah in the narrative of the golden calf incident demonstrates Allah's willingness to forgive even grave transgressions when met with true repentance and renewed faith.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-A'raf's discussion of the Children of Israel and their covenant with Allah. It follows the account of those who worshipped the golden calf, providing a merciful conclusion that emphasizes repentance as a path to redemption rather than eternal condemnation.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Repentance erases all sins that came before it' (Tirmidhi). Additionally, Hadith Qudsi states: 'I am as My servant thinks of Me, and I am with him when he remembers Me' (Sahih Bukhari), reflecting Allah's response to sincere repentance and faith.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah offers profound hope to all believers that no sin is too great for Allah's forgiveness if one sincerely repents, reforms their behavior, and renews their faith. It teaches that our relationship with Allah is not defined by our past mistakes, but by our genuine effort to return to righteousness and maintain belief in His guidance.
Related Ayahs
وَإِن كَانَ طَآئِفَةٌ مِّنكُمْ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱلَّذِىٓ أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِۦ وَطَآئِفَةٌ لَّمْ يُؤْمِنُوا۟ فَٱصْبِرُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَحْكُمَ ٱللَّهُ بَيْنَنَا ۚ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ ٱلْحَـٰكِمِينَ
And if there should be a group among you who has believed in that with which I have been sent and a group that has not believed, then be patient until Allāh judges between us. And He is the best of judges."
وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٌ ۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمْ لَا يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً ۖ وَلَا يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ
And for every nation is a [specified] term. So when their time has come, they will not remain behind an hour, nor will they precede [it].
كِتَـٰبٌ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ فَلَا يَكُن فِى صَدْرِكَ حَرَجٌ مِّنْهُ لِتُنذِرَ بِهِۦ وَذِكْرَىٰ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
[This is] a Book revealed to you, [O Muḥammad] - so let there not be in your breast distress therefrom - that you may warn thereby and as a reminder to the believers.
وَٱلْوَزْنُ يَوْمَئِذٍ ٱلْحَقُّ ۚ فَمَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ
And the weighing [of deeds] that Day will be the truth. So those whose scales are heavy - it is they who will be the successful.