إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بَعْدَ إِيمَـٰنِهِمْ ثُمَّ ٱزْدَادُوا۟ كُفْرًا لَّن تُقْبَلَ تَوْبَتُهُمْ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلضَّآلُّونَ 90
Translations
Indeed, those who disbelieve [i.e., reject the message] after their belief and then increase in disbelief - never will their [claimed] repentance be accepted, and they are the ones astray.
Transliteration
Inna alladhina kafaroo ba'da imaanihim thumma izdaadoo kufran lan tuqbala tawbatuhum wa-ula'ika humu ad-daalluun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses those who reject faith after having believed and then increase in their disbelief, stating that their repentance will not be accepted and they are the ones who are astray. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this as referring to those who deliberately persist in rejection after experiencing clear faith, representing a spiritual state of hardness of heart that closes the door to divine mercy. The emphasis on 'increasing in disbelief' (izdaadoo kufran) indicates deliberate rebellion and conscious rejection rather than mere doubt or weakness of faith.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Ali 'Imran's discussion of faith and disbelief in the Medinan period. It appears in the context of verses addressing various categories of disbelievers and those who reject Islamic guidance. The broader context discusses the consequences of different spiritual states and the finality of rejection when coupled with persistent defiance and arrogance.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Verily, Allah accepts the repentance of the servant as long as the soul has not departed from the body' (Tirmidhi). Additionally, the hadith in Muslim states that Allah's mercy encompasses all things, emphasizing that repentance is accepted before death, contrasting with those who persist in disbelief.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah warns against the spiritual danger of knowingly turning away from faith and deliberately increasing in disbelief, emphasizing that such persistent rejection hardens the heart and distances one from divine mercy. For believers, it serves as a reminder to remain steadfast in faith and to repent sincerely when falling into error, recognizing that true repentance must come before one's final moment.