وَٱللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَيُرِيدُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ ٱلشَّهَوَٰتِ أَن تَمِيلُوا۟ مَيْلًا عَظِيمًا 27
Translations
Allāh wants to accept your repentance, but those who follow [their] passions want you to digress [into] a great deviation.
Transliteration
Wallahu yurid an yatuba alaikum wa yureed alladhina yattabi'oon ash-shahawati an tamilu maylan adhima
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah desires to turn to you in mercy and grant you repentance, while those who follow their desires wish for you to deviate greatly from the path of righteousness. This ayah presents a stark contrast between Allah's merciful will for humanity's guidance and the malicious intentions of those enslaved by their base desires. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this verse demonstrates Allah's compassion and the danger of following lusts without restraint.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah An-Nisa's discussion of moral conduct and legal rulings. It follows verses addressing unlawful relations and sexual misconduct, warning believers that while Allah offers them the path to repentance and reformation, the enemies of truth actively conspire to lead them astray through temptation and desire.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The greatest jihad is the jihad of the soul (nafs)' - emphasizing the internal struggle against desires. Also relevant is the hadith: 'Whoever follows his desires without knowledge, his deeds will be in vain' (a principle supported by various hadith collections addressing the dangers of following whims).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that while we face constant temptation from those who wish us to abandon truth, Allah's door for repentance and reformation is always open to us. The lesson is that we must consciously resist our lower desires and seek Allah's guidance, recognizing that true strength lies in overcoming our own inclinations toward sin rather than succumbing to external pressures.