لَا تَعْتَذِرُوا۟ قَدْ كَفَرْتُم بَعْدَ إِيمَـٰنِكُمْ ۚ إِن نَّعْفُ عَن طَآئِفَةٍ مِّنكُمْ نُعَذِّبْ طَآئِفَةًۢ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ مُجْرِمِينَ 66
Translations
Make no excuse; you have disbelieved [i.e., rejected faith] after your belief. If We pardon one faction of you - We will punish another faction because they were criminals.
Transliteration
Lā ta'tathirū qad kafartum ba'da īmānukum. In na'fu 'an tā'ifatin minkum nu'aththib tā'ifatan bi-annahum kānū mujrimīn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah sternly rejects the excuses of the hypocrites who remained behind during the Tabuk expedition, declaring that their absence constitutes disbelief after faith. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, Allah warns that while He may pardon some among them, He will certainly punish others due to their criminal conduct and hypocrisy. The ayah emphasizes that sincere repentance requires abandoning excuses and acknowledging one's wrongdoing without attempting to justify disobedience.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed during the Medinan period regarding the hypocrites (munāfiqūn) who made excuses for not participating in the Tabuk expedition (9th year of Hijra). The context shows Allah's response to their attempts to justify their absence from this critical military campaign, which was viewed as a test of faith and commitment to Islam.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari 4957: The Prophet ﷺ said regarding those who lagged behind from Tabuk, emphasizing that obedience and participation in communal obligations are essential markers of faith. Also relevant: The hadith in Sunan Abu Dawud about the conditions of hypocrisy, which include making excuses and breaking promises.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that genuine repentance requires honest self-accountability without excuses; we must recognize our faults sincerely rather than rationalizing them. It also reminds us that Allah's mercy and punishment are both real, and our actions—particularly regarding communal obligations—are concrete expressions of our faith.