وَعَلَى ٱلثَّلَـٰثَةِ ٱلَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا۟ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَظَنُّوٓا۟ أَن لَّا مَلْجَأَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّآ إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَتُوبُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ 118
Translations
And [He also forgave] the three who were left alone [i.e., boycotted, regretting their error] to the point that the earth closed in on them in spite of its vastness and their souls confined [i.e., anguished] them and they were certain that there is no refuge from Allāh except in Him. Then He turned to them so they could repent. Indeed, Allāh is the Accepting of Repentance, the Merciful.
Transliteration
Wa 'ala ath-thalaathati alladhina khullifoo hatta idha daqat 'alayhimu al-ardu bima rahubat wa daqat 'alayhim anfusuhum wa zannoo an la maljaa mina Allah illa ilayh thumma taba 'alayhim liyatubu. Inna Allah huwa at-tawwabu ar-raheem.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the three Companions (identified as Ka'b ibn Malik, Hilal ibn Umayyah, and Murarah ibn Rabi'ah) who remained behind during the Tabuk expedition without valid excuse. Their repentance narrative exemplifies Allah's mercy toward sincere servants: despite their initial transgression, they experienced profound spiritual anguish—the earth closing in upon them despite its vastness, and their souls constricting—until they recognized that no refuge existed except in turning to Allah. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that Allah's acceptance of their repentance came only after they genuinely felt remorse and hopelessness, demonstrating that true tawbah (repentance) requires complete submission and awareness of one's dependence on divine mercy.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the context of Surah At-Tawbah (9 AH), which addresses those who made excuses for not participating in the Tabuk expedition—a critical military campaign during the Prophet's lifetime. The specific incident involves three sincere Companions who lagged behind without legitimate excuse, experienced profound isolation and regret, and eventually confessed their fault. The Prophet initially prohibited speaking with them, creating a period of public disapproval that intensified their spiritual distress before divine revelation confirmed Allah's acceptance of their repentance.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim record the detailed account of Ka'b ibn Malik's repentance. Ka'b himself narrated: 'When the Prophet turned away from us, by Allah, no one was as disliked to us as the messenger of Allah.' This hadith demonstrates the profound psychological impact of the Prophet's disapproval and validates the intense emotional struggle described in this ayah. Additionally, the hadith collection in At-Tirmidhi records related accounts of this incident showing the three companions' sincere repentance.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that genuine repentance requires both sincere remorse and the realization that Allah alone is one's ultimate refuge—material circumstances and social standing cannot protect us from spiritual accountability. For modern believers, it emphasizes that no sin is too great for Allah's forgiveness when accompanied by authentic intention to reform, and that the psychological and spiritual distress one experiences may itself be a mercy that guides the soul back toward divine obedience.
Related Ayahs
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَهَاجَرُوا۟ وَجَـٰهَدُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ بِأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْفَآئِزُونَ
The ones who have believed, emigrated and striven in the cause of Allāh with their wealth and their lives are greater in rank in the sight of Allāh. And it is those who are the attainers [of success].
وَمَا مَنَعَهُمْ أَن تُقْبَلَ مِنْهُمْ نَفَقَـٰتُهُمْ إِلَّآ أَنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَبِرَسُولِهِۦ وَلَا يَأْتُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ إِلَّا وَهُمْ كُسَالَىٰ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَ إِلَّا وَهُمْ كَـٰرِهُونَ
And what prevents their expenditures from being accepted from them but that they have disbelieved in Allāh and in His Messenger and that they come not to prayer except while they are lazy and that they do not spend except while they are unwilling.
ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقُونَ وَٱلْمُنَـٰفِقَـٰتُ بَعْضُهُم مِّنۢ بَعْضٍ ۚ يَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَقْبِضُونَ أَيْدِيَهُمْ ۚ نَسُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ فَنَسِيَهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ هُمُ ٱلْفَـٰسِقُونَ
The hypocrite men and hypocrite women are of one another. They enjoin what is wrong and forbid what is right and close their hands. They have forgotten Allāh, so He has forgotten them [accordingly]. Indeed, the hypocrites - it is they who are the defiantly disobedient.
لَّقَد تَّابَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىِّ وَٱلْمُهَـٰجِرِينَ وَٱلْأَنصَارِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُ فِى سَاعَةِ ٱلْعُسْرَةِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا كَادَ يَزِيغُ قُلُوبُ فَرِيقٍ مِّنْهُمْ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِهِمْ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Allāh has already forgiven the Prophet and the Muhājireen and the Anṣār who followed him in the hour of difficulty after the hearts of a party of them had almost inclined [to doubt], and then He forgave them. Indeed, He was to them Kind and Merciful.