فَإِن تَابُوا۟ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ فَإِخْوَٰنُكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ ۗ وَنُفَصِّلُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ 11
Translations
But if they repent, establish prayer, and give zakāh, then they are your brothers in religion; and We detail the verses for a people who know.
Transliteration
Fa-in tabu wa aqamū aṣ-ṣalāh wa ātaw az-zakāh fa-ikhwānukum fī ad-dīn wa nufaṣṣil al-āyāt li-qawm ya'lamūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that if the polytheists and hypocrites repent, establish prayer, and give zakat, they become brethren in faith with the believers, with all the rights and obligations that entails. Ibn Kathir explains this demonstrates Islam's mercy and openness to acceptance—true faith is defined by sincere repentance and righteous action, not by former disbelief. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that this verse elevates the status of those who return to Allah, erasing their past transgressions and integrating them fully into the Muslim community.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the context of Surah At-Tawbah (Chapter 9), which was revealed in the 9th year of Hijrah and addresses the status of those who refused to join the Prophet Muhammad's military campaign to Tabuk. The surah deals with hypocrites and those who broke their covenants, yet this verse presents the door of repentance as always open, reflecting a period when Islamic authority was consolidating and conditions for sincere participation in the community were being clarified.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: 'Islam wipes away all sins that came before it, and repentance wipes away all sins that came before it' (Sahih Muslim 121). Additionally, 'The similitude of believers in regard to mutual love, affection, fellow-feeling is that of one body; when any limb of it aches, the whole body aches' (Sahih Bukhari 6011) relates to the brotherhood affirmed in this verse.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that Islam is fundamentally a religion of second chances—past mistakes do not define one's future if accompanied by sincere repentance and commitment to righteous action through prayer and charity. For modern believers, it teaches that we should welcome those who sincerely repent and reform, embracing them as full members of the community rather than holding grudges, reflecting the Prophet's merciful example.