ٱسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ أَوْ لَا تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ إِن تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً فَلَن يَغْفِرَ ٱللَّهُ لَهُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ 80
Translations
Ask forgiveness for them, [O Muḥammad], or do not ask forgiveness for them. If you should ask forgiveness for them seventy times - never will Allāh forgive them. That is because they disbelieved in Allāh and His Messenger, and Allāh does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.
Transliteration
Istighfir lahum aw laa tastighfir lahum in tastighfir lahum saba'eena marratan falan yaghfira Allahu lahum. Dhalika bi-annahum kafaroo bi-Allahi wa rasoolih. Wa-Allahu laa yahdee al-qawma al-fasiqeen.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses the hypocrites (munafiqun) of Madinah who outwardly professed Islam while concealing disbelief. Allah declares that whether the Prophet (ﷺ) seeks forgiveness for them seventy times or not, Allah will never forgive them because their rejection of Allah and His Messenger is rooted in deliberate hypocrisy and spiritual corruption. Ibn Kathir notes that the number "seventy" is idiomatic in Arabic speech denoting repetition and abundance, signifying that no amount of intercession will avail those who persist in disbelief and hypocrisy. This establishes the principle that Allah's forgiveness is contingent upon sincere repentance and true faith, not merely external profession or intercessory supplication.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the context of Surah At-Tawbah, which addresses the hypocrites of Madinah during the period of the Tabuk expedition (9 AH). The immediate context relates to the Prophet's concern for certain hypocrites, illustrating that even the Prophet's compassion and intercession cannot override the Divine decree for those who deliberately reject faith and persist in hypocrisy.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari 4968: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Whoever dies while associating partners with Allah will enter the Fire.' Also relevant is the hadith in Sunan Ibn Majah concerning the seventy times, where 'A'ishah asked the Prophet about the hypocrites, and he confirmed that such people are beyond forgiveness. Sahih Muslim contains relevant narrations on the state of hypocrites on the Day of Judgment.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that mere outward conformity to religion without sincere faith in the heart cannot earn divine forgiveness, and that true repentance requires abandoning hypocrisy and embracing genuine belief. For believers today, it serves as a reminder to examine the sincerity of our faith and to avoid the spiritual disease of hypocrisy, understanding that Allah sees the truth of our hearts regardless of what we present outwardly.