قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِى فَٱغْفِرْ لِى فَغَفَرَ لَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ 16
Translations
He said, "My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me," and He forgave him. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
Transliteration
Qala Rabbi inni zalamtu nafsee faghfir lee faghfara lahu, innahu huwa al-Ghafuru ar-Raheem
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes Prophet Musa's immediate repentance after unintentionally killing an Egyptian, acknowledging his wrongdoing and seeking Allah's forgiveness with humility and sincerity. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that Musa's swift admission of guilt and supplication demonstrates the proper manner of repentance—acknowledging the sin, taking responsibility without excuses, and seeking Allah's mercy—to which Allah responded immediately with forgiveness. This passage illustrates that sincere tawbah (repentance) is always accepted by Allah, regardless of the gravity of the sin, as long as it comes from a contrite heart.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Musa's early life after he fled Egypt following the incident where he struck and killed a Coptic man in defense of an Israelite being oppressed. The surah 'Al-Qasas' (The Stories) narrates the stories of the prophets, particularly focusing on Musa's journey. This verse demonstrates how even prophets, though divinely guided, are not infallible in their actions, yet their sincere repentance is accepted by Allah.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Repentance wipes away all sins before it,' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Also relevant is the hadith: 'Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than one of you would be pleased with finding his lost camel in the desert,' (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that sincere repentance—acknowledging our faults without self-deception and turning back to Allah with genuine remorse—is a path always open to us, regardless of our mistakes. It reminds us that true repentance requires both verbal admission and a contrite heart, and that Allah's mercy encompasses all who turn to Him sincerely.