إِلَّا مَن ظَلَمَ ثُمَّ بَدَّلَ حُسْنًۢا بَعْدَ سُوٓءٍ فَإِنِّى غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ 11
Translations
Otherwise, he who wrongs, then substitutes good after evil - indeed, I am Forgiving and Merciful.
Transliteration
Illa man zalama thumma baddala husnan ba'da su'in fa'inni ghafurun rahimun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah concludes Allah's reassurance to Prophet Musa (Moses) by clarifying that His mercy extends to all except those who persist in wrongdoing without repentance. However, even for those who commit injustice, if they subsequently replace their evil deeds with righteous conduct, Allah's forgiveness and mercy are guaranteed. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this verse demonstrates Allah's attribute of Rahmah (mercy) and His desire to accept sincere repentance, establishing that no sin is unforgivable for the one who genuinely turns back to Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah An-Naml, a Meccan surah that recounts stories of the prophets and divine mercy. The verse is part of Allah's dialogue with Musa, following His command to call Pharaoh to monotheism. The context emphasizes that despite the burden of prophetic mission and the apparent power of oppressors, Allah's mercy encompasses all who repent, providing solace to the Prophet and the early Muslim community facing persecution.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The one who repents from sin is like one who has no sin' (Sunan Ibn Majah). Additionally, 'Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His slave than one of you would be pleased with finding his lost camel in the desert' (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim), highlighting the theme of Allah's eagerness to accept repentance.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that no one is beyond redemption if they sincerely turn away from wrongdoing and reform themselves; the door to Allah's forgiveness remains open throughout one's life. For modern believers, this provides profound hope and encouragement to seek repentance without despair, knowing that Allah's mercy supersedes His punishment for those who genuinely change.
Related Ayahs
رَبُّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْغَفَّـٰرُ
Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, the Exalted in Might, the Perpetual Forgiver."
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَءَامِنُوا۟ بِرَسُولِهِۦ يُؤْتِكُمْ كِفْلَيْنِ مِن رَّحْمَتِهِۦ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ نُورًا تَمْشُونَ بِهِۦ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
O you who have believed, fear Allāh and believe in His Messenger; He will [then] give you a double portion of His mercy and make for you a light by which you will walk and forgive you; and Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
ثُمَّ يَتُوبُ ٱللَّهُ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Then Allāh will accept repentance after that for whom He wills; and Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
وَلَقَدْ صَدَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَعْدَهُۥٓ إِذْ تَحُسُّونَهُم بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فَشِلْتُمْ وَتَنَـٰزَعْتُمْ فِى ٱلْأَمْرِ وَعَصَيْتُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَآ أَرَىٰكُم مَّا تُحِبُّونَ ۚ مِنكُم مَّن يُرِيدُ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَمِنكُم مَّن يُرِيدُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ ۚ ثُمَّ صَرَفَكُمْ عَنْهُمْ لِيَبْتَلِيَكُمْ ۖ وَلَقَدْ عَفَا عَنكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
And Allāh had certainly fulfilled His promise to you when you were killing them [i.e., the enemy] by His permission until [the time] when you lost courage and fell to disputing about the order [given by the Prophet (ﷺ)] and disobeyed after He had shown you that which you love. Among you are some who desire this world, and among you are some who desire the Hereafter. Then He turned you back from them [defeated] that He might test you. And He has already forgiven you, and Allāh is the possessor of bounty for the believers.