Surah Az-Zumar 39:53: One of the greatest verses of Hope "āyāt al-rajāʾ " for servants of Allah (Al Qur'an)

A sin is an act of disobedience to our Creator Who has strictly prohibited all forms of evil and usurping rights of others. Sin is also a violation of our moral limits, and a living conscience may naturally feel guilt and inner unrest after committing it. Islam, however, does not want a sinner to remain imprisoned in guilt: the way out is sincere tawbah—stop the wrongdoing, regret it, seek Allah’s forgiveness, resolve not to return to it, and, if another person’s rights were harmed, restore those rights. 

Allah assures even those who have greatly wronged themselves: “Do not despair of the mercy of Allah” (39:53). Thus, remorse should lead not to despair but to reform; once sincerely repented, a sin can become the beginning of humility, spiritual renewal, and peace with Allah.

We now share the 53rd verse from Surah Az Zumar mentioned above and find out how can we cleanse our soul from the blackened heart of our hearts.

The Verse 

Surah Az-Zumar 39:53 is one of the Qur’an’s greatest declarations of hope, repentance and Allah’s limitless mercy:

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

“Say, ‘O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Surely Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, He alone is the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’” — 39:53

What makes the verse extraordinary is who Allah is addressing. He does not say, “O My perfectly righteous servants.” Instead He says:

الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ “Those who have exceeded all limits against themselves.”

Even after serious sin, Allah still calls them “My servants.”

Context of the verse

Surah Az-Zumar is a Makkan Surah emphasizing Tawḥīd, sincerity in worship, accountability and the Hereafter. Verse 53 comes at a point where, after repeated warnings, Allah suddenly opens an enormous door of hope.

A report from Ibn ʿAbbās, cited by al-Bukhārī and recorded by Ibn Kathīr, says that some people who had committed many murders and many acts of zina approached the Prophet ﷺ. They found his message beautiful but wondered whether people with such terrible pasts could possibly be forgiven. This verse was revealed as reassurance that the way back to Allah remained open.

Thus the verse addresses precisely the person who thinks: “I have gone too far.” Allah answers: “Do not despair.”

Why does Allah say they wronged “themselves”?

This is spiritually significant. Sin certainly may hurt other people, but the sinner ultimately damages his own soul. When we lie, cheat, commit adultery, steal, oppress, neglect prayer or disobey Allah, we do not diminish Allah in any way. We damage our own character, conscience and ultimate future.

So Allah says: أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ You have committed excess against yourselves. It is almost compassionate language: you have harmed yourselves—but you can still return.

Scholarly Interpretation

1.    Ibn Kathīr: no sin is too great for sincere repentance

Ibn Kathīr calls 39:53 an invitation to all sinners, including unbelievers, to repent and return to Allah. He explicitly says that however great or numerous the sins—even if they were like the foam of the sea—Allah can forgive them when the person genuinely repents.

But Ibn Kathīr adds a crucial qualification: “Allah forgives all sins” does not mean that one may deliberately persist in every sin without repentance.

For example, the Qur’an elsewhere states that dying upon un-repented shirk is not forgiven (4:48). So 39:53 must be read with 39:54, which immediately says:

وَأَنِيبُوا إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ وَأَسْلِمُوا لَهُ “Turn back to your Lord and submit yourselves to Him…”

The sequence therefore is: Do not despair → return to Allah → submit to Him → change your life.

2.    Maududi: the verse removes despair, not responsibility

Maududi strongly emphasizes the same point. He interprets the verse as a universal invitation, particularly comforting those who had committed major crimes during the age of ignorance and thought there could no longer be forgiveness for them.

But forgiveness requires turning sincerely toward Allah and obedience to His guidance. The verse does not create permission to continue knowingly in wrongdoing while merely relying upon divine mercy.

This distinction is vital: Hope in Allah is faith. Presuming upon Allah while refusing to change is complacency.

3.    Maʿārif al-Qurʾān: one of the Qur’an’s greatest verses of hope

Maʿārif al-Qurʾān records that ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar regarded this as among the Qur’an's strongest verses of hope for sinners. It explains that sincere repentance made before death can erase even extremely serious sins, including disbelief and shirk when a person truly returns to Allah.

This is why Muslim scholars have often treated 39:53 as one of the great āyāt al-rajāʾ — verses of hope.

But does “Allah forgives all sins” include violations of other people's rights?

Here an important distinction must be made. If the sin was purely between a person and Allah, sincere tawbah involves: stopping the sin, regretting it, and sincerely resolving not to return to it.

But if the sin involved another person's rights, repentance also requires rectifying that injustice where possible.

For example:

• If I stole money, repentance requires returning it.
• If I unlawfully took inheritance, I must restore the rightful share.
• If I usurped someone's property, I cannot simply say Astaghfirullah and continue possessing it.
• If I owe someone money, I should repay it.
• If I have wrongfully damaged someone's reputation, some form of rectification may be required depending on the circumstances.

This is particularly important in light of what we have been discussing about halal and haram: Allah's mercy is immense, but repentance does not convert another person's property into ours. Mercy therefore does not abolish justice.

Therefore, this verse should never be understood as: “Do whatever you want because Allah forgives everything.”

The very next verses prevent that misunderstanding:

Connecting this verse with thefollowing verses that complete the loope:

• 39:53 — Do not despair.
• 39:54 — Return and submit to Allah.
• 39:55 — Follow what Allah has revealed.
• 39:56–59 — Do not wait until regret comes too late.
• So Allah's mercy produces transformation, not indifference.

Why this verse is profoundly relevant today

Many people today live between two unhealthy extremes.

• One extreme is: “I have sinned so much that Allah will never forgive me.”
• The other is: “Allah is Merciful, so my sins do not really matter.”

39:53–55 rejects both

• To the first person it says: Never despair.
• To the second it says: Return, submit and change before it becomes too late.

Let us elaborate it for better understanding:

1. For someone carrying a sinful past

• A person may have spent years neglecting prayer.
• Another may have committed adultery.
• Another may have been dishonest in business.
• Someone may have abused alcohol or drugs.
• Another may have lived far from religion for decades.

The verse says: Do not allow your past to become a barrier between you and Allah. Remember, Your worst chapter does not have to be your final chapter.'

2. For people who repeatedly fall into the same weakness

• Sometimes a person repents, falls again, repents again and begins thinking: “Allah must be tired of forgiving me.”
• That is projecting human limitations onto Allah.
• The proper response is not to become comfortable with sin but to keep returning sincerely while fighting the weakness.
• Failure should produce renewed tawbah—not despair.

3. For older people who think it is too late

This verse is particularly powerful late in life.

• Someone may think: “I wasted forty years.”
• The Qur’an does not say: “You should have come earlier, therefore the door is closed.”
• It says: لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ “Do not despair of Allah’s mercy.”

As long as genuine repentance remains possible, the believer should return.

4. For a society obsessed with permanent condemnation

Modern culture can sometimes declare a person permanently defined by the worst thing he ever did.

The Qur’anic worldview is different. 

• Wrongdoing must be acknowledged.
• Victims' rights must be protected.
• Justice must be done.

But human beings can morally transform. Islam leaves room for repentance because without the possibility of moral rehabilitation there would be little incentive for the wrongdoer to change.

5. For those trapped by shame

There is an important difference between guilt and despair.

• Healthy guilt says: “I did something wrong; I must return to Allah.”
• Despair says: “I am beyond Allah’s mercy.”

The first can lead to repentance - The second can push someone further into sin.

That is precisely why Satan may benefit from both the original sin and the despair that follows it.

39:53 breaks that cycle.  The astonishing tenderness of “O My servants” Perhaps the most moving feature of the verse is that Allah does not say: “O criminals.” - Instead He says: يَا عِبَادِي “O My servants.”

We must understand that after: sin, disobedience, neglect, and excess, the relationship has not been closed. It is almost as though the verse says: You may have moved far away from Me, but you have not moved beyond My mercy.

How should we act upon 39:53?

The verse should lead not merely to emotional comfort but to tawbah. A practical repentance involves:

• Recognize the wrong — stop justifying it.
• Regret it sincerely — allow conscience to awaken.
• Stop the sin.
• Ask Allah for forgiveness.
• Resolve sincerely not to return.
• If another person's rights were violated, restore them.
• Thereafter, Follow the wrong with good deeds.

This connects beautifully with 25:70, where Allah says that for those who repent, believe and do righteous deeds, He can even replace their evil deeds with good deeds. That is more than forgiveness. It is transformation.

Why despair itself is spiritually dangerous

When one has sinned, one may generally get into depression and a state of despair that whether his repentance will work or not. In that state:

• Despair says: “My sin is greater than Allah's mercy.”
• But 39:53 tells us that this is fundamentally wrong.
• No matter how large the sin appears from the human side, Allah's forgiveness is greater.

But the verse does not tell us to underestimate sin. It tells us never to underestimate Allah.

The central lesson

Surah Az-Zumar 39:53 does not teach: “Your sins do not matter.” - rather it teaches something far more powerful: “Your sins matter—but they are never greater than Allah’s mercy when you sincerely return to Him.”

And when read together with verses 54–55, the complete message becomes:

Never despair of your past, but never become complacent about your future. Return to Allah now, repair what you have wronged, follow His guidance, and let repentance become the beginning of a changed life.

That is why 39:53 remains one of the Qur’an’s most hopeful verses for every generation—especially for anyone who has ever wondered: “After everything I have done, can I still come back to Allah?” The Qur’anic answer is unequivocally: Yes—come back.

The verse is telling servants of Allah that they should not seek the support of others while losing hope in God. If they repent after confessing their sin, He will forgive even the greatest of sins.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may refer to more Selected Verses from Sürah 39. Az-Zumar (The Throngs) already published

You may also refer to our exclusive reference pages: 

• Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.
• Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects
• Selected Verses from the Qur'an. 

You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of Al-Qurʾān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In addition, other sources which have been explored and views of other scholars have been incorporated while explaining meaning of a verse. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Supplication attributed to Prophet ʿĪsā (Jesus) عیسٰی عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ as mentioned in Al Qur'an

AL Qur'an, the last of the Divine Scripturas from the Lord of the World, mentions supplications from many a eminent and prominent of prophets chosen by Allah, a number of which we have already published in our blog. Today, we share an invocation attributed to Prophet Eesa (Jesus, may peace be upon him) which he along with his trusted disciples made to the One True God, affirming that they believed in the God and that they may be counted among those who believed and bore witness.

This invocation is mentioned in Āyah 53 of Sūrah Āl ʿImrān (3:53) whcih we will discuss along with the context, meaning, and its lessons for us today.

Arabic Text (Surah Āl ʿImrān 3:53):

رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا بِمَا أَنْزَلْتَ وَاتَّبَعْنَا الرَّسُولَ فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ

Translation (Meaning)

“Our Lord, we have believed in what You revealed and followed the Messenger, so write us down among those who bear witness.” (Qur’an 3:53)

Context of Revelation

This verse comes as part of the story of Prophet ʿĪsā (Jesus) عليه السلام and his disciples (al-Ḥawāriyyūn). Prophet ʿĪsā was sent to the Children of Israel with clear miracles and divine guidance. But when Prophet ʿĪsā became conscious of their rejection of the faith, he asked: “Who will be my helpers in the cause of God?” [ This was the stage when many of his people rejected him and plotted against him. But a small group — his true disciples — responded to his call with faith and sincerity.] This when asked for the allegiance, the loyal disciples replied: “We are [your] helpers in God’s cause. We believe in God. Bear you witness that we have surrendered ourselves to Him. Our Lord, we believe in what You have bestowed from on high, and we follow the messenger, so write us down among those who bear witness [to the truth].” (Verses 52-53)

In the verse just before this (3:52), in verse 52 Allah says:

“But when ʿĪsā sensed disbelief from them, he said, ‘Who are my helpers in the cause of Allah?’ The disciples said, ‘We are Allah’s helpers; we believe in Allah, and bear witness that we are Muslims (submit to Him).’”

Then, in verse 53, they turn directly to Allah with this heartfelt duʿā — affirming their faith and asking Allah to count them among the witnesses to truth.

Detailed Explanation (Tafsīr)

1. رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا بِمَا أَنْزَلْتَ “Our Lord, we have believed in what You revealed…”

• This is a declaration of īmān (faith) in Allah’s revelation — in the Injīl (Gospel) that Allah revealed to Prophet ʿĪsā, and by extension, belief in all divine scriptures.
• They are acknowledging that guidance only comes from Allah and that whatever He reveals is the truth.
• Lesson: True believers submit wholeheartedly to Allah’s revelation — not picking and choosing, but accepting His message in full.

2. وَاتَّبَعْنَا الرَّسُولَ “And we followed the Messenger…”

• They declare that their faith is not only verbal, but shown through obedience — following the Messenger of Allah (ʿĪsā عليه السلام). 
• Faith without action is incomplete; true īmān requires following the messenger sent by Allah.
• Lesson: Every believer must follow their Prophet’s example — and for us, that means following the teachings and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ faithfully.

3. فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ “So record us among those who bear witness.”

They ask Allah to include them among the shāhidīn (witnesses) — those who:

• Bear witness to the truth of Allah’s Oneness (Tawḥīd),
• Bear witness to the truth of His prophets, and
• Will testify on the Day of Judgment that they believed and lived by the truth.

According to Tafsir Ibn Kathīr, the disciples prayed to be among those who would testify to the truth of all prophets — including Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, whose coming ʿĪsā had foretold (see 61:6).

So this duʿā also contains a longing for unity with all true believers across time.

• Lesson: Muslims should also desire to be counted among those who bear witness — by living Islam, speaking truth, and defending it with sincerity.

Spiritual Lessons from the Verse

• True faith includes both belief and action:
• The disciples said: “We have believed and followed.”
• Faith in the heart must be reflected in obedience in life.
• The believers are always few, but sincere. Just like the disciples of ʿĪsā, those who truly stand for truth may be few — yet Allah honors them eternally.
• Prayer strengthens faith. After declaring belief, they supplicate — asking Allah for firmness and acceptance. This shows humility and recognition that faith needs divine support.
• We must strive to be witnesses of truth. Not just by words, but by living as examples of honesty, justice, and submission to Allah.
• Unity of the prophetic message. This verse beautifully connects the followers of ʿĪsā and the followers of Muhammad ﷺ — all sincere believers share the same creed: submission to Allah.

Practical Reflection (for Us Today)

You can recite this verse as a duʿā to renew your īmān and commitment:

رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا بِمَا أَنْزَلْتَ وَاتَّبَعْنَا الرَّسُولَ فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ

“Our Lord, we have believed in what You revealed and followed the Messenger; so write us down among those who bear witness.”

Say it with sincerity — meaning: “O Allah, I believe in Your Book, I follow Your Messenger (Muhammad ﷺ), so count me among those who testify to the truth and live by it.”

It is a prayer worthy of careful study by everyone who claim to surrender himself to God. This is indeed the meaning of Islam as understood by the disciples and as understood by true Muslims, who actually surrender themselves to God. Anyone who suppresses his testimony and is reluctant to give it in favour of his religion is a sinner at heart. If he claims to be a Muslim but chooses a lifestyle other than that of Islam, or tries to live according to Islam within his own private life but not in the generality of this social life, or does not strive to establish a Divine method in the life of his society either to evade hardship or to spare his own life at the cost of his faith, then he is one who does not give full testimony to this religion, or, indeed, he gives a testimony against it. In so doing, he makes a testimony which deters others from accepting this faith. Can we contemplate the fate of a person who deters others from accepting the Divine faith through his own claim that he is a believer when actually he is not?

No invocation / supplication or even simple verse in Qur'an is without reflection by the believers. We must ponder over each, and try to be close to Allah by remembering Him in the same words that revered prophets of Allah remembered Him. And if these invocations are made with utter sincerity, let there be no doubt that these will not be accepted by Allah.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

For more Rabbana themed supplications, please refer to our reference page: Selected Invocations (Dua / دُعا) from Qur’an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

Reading the Holy Quran should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from the following sources: reference to which are given below:

Photo | Tafsir / Explanation References: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Don't let the Satan win

The life of believers is a severe test of test of tug of war between the good and the evil. No matter how pious a believer may be be, the Satanic enticements are so tempting and luring, that one sometimes slips and falls into the trap of evil by sinning. But remember, the Satan does not win by luring you to commit a sin, he wins when you think that Allah will not show His mercy to you and forgive you, even if you repent and seek Divine forgiveness.

In the Qur'an, and in many a Hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, believers are time and again reminded not to despair if they have sinned and always seek mercy of Allah and be rest assured that Allah will forgive their sins if His mercy is invoked, for Allah is Al-Ghafur (الغفور) - The Forgiving, The Pardoner and Ar Rahim (الرحيم) - The Most Merciful.

We share today the 53rd verse from Surah 39 Az Zumar, in which Allah directs His messenger, Muhammad ﷺ, to tell the believers never to despair of Allah's mercy for He would forgive their sins no matter whatever the size or enormity, for He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful. This verse is meant to one should not seek the support of others while losing hope in God. If they repent after confessing their sin, He will forgive even the greatest of sins.

قُلۡ يٰعِبَادِىَ الَّذِيۡنَ اَسۡرَفُوۡا عَلٰٓى اَنۡفُسِهِمۡ لَا تَقۡنَطُوۡا مِنۡ رَّحۡمَةِ اللّٰهِ​ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَغۡفِرُ الذُّنُوۡبَ جَمِيۡعًا​ ؕ اِنَّهٗ هُوَ الۡغَفُوۡرُ الرَّحِيۡمُ‏ 

(39:53) Tell them, (O Prophet): “My servants who have committed excesses against themselves, do not despair of Allah's Mercy. Surely Allah forgives all sins. He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.

The address here is to all mankind. There is no weighty argument to regard only the believers as the addressees. As has been observed by 'Allama Ibn Kathir, to address such a thing to the common men does not mean that Allah forgives all sins without repentance, but Allah Himself has explained in the following verses that sins are forgiven only when the sinner turns to Allah's worship and service and adopts obedience to the message sent down by Him. As a matter of fact, this verse brought a message of hope for those people who had committed mortal sins like murder, adultery, theft, robbery, etc. in the days of ignorance, and had despaired whether they would ever be forgiven. To them it has been said: "Do not despair of Allah's mercy: whatever you might have done in the past, if you sincerely turn to your Lord's obedience, you will be forgiven every sin." The same interpretation of this verse has been given by Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah, Mujahid and Ibn Zaid. (Ibn Jarir, Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Da'ud, Tirmidhi). For further explanation, see AI-Furqan: 70-71 and the E.N.'s thereof. 

Note: 

Some commentators have given a strange interpretation to these words. They say that Allah Himself has commanded the Holy Prophet to address the people as "My servants" therefore, all men are the servants of the Holy Prophet. This interpretation is no interpretation at all but a worst distortion of the meaning of the Qur'an and indeed tampering with the Word of Allah. If this interpretation were correct, it would falsify and negate the whole Qur'an.

For the Qur'an, from the beginning to the end, establishes the concept that men are the servants of Allah alone, and its whole message revolves around the point that they should serve none but One Allah alone. The Holy Prophet (upon whom be Allah's peace) himself was Allah's servant. Allah had sent him not as rabb (sustainer, providence) but as a Messenger so that he should himself serve Him and teach the other people also to serve Him alone. After all, how can a sensible person believe that the Holy Prophet might have one day stood up before the disbelieving Quraish of Makkah and made the sudden proclamation: "You are in fact the slaves of Muhammad and not of al- `Uzzah and ash-Shams." (We seek Allah's refuge from this) 

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

Verse 53 opens with the words: قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَ‌فُوا (0 servants of Mine who have acted recklessly against their own selves, do not despair of Allah's mercy. Surely, Allah will forgive all sins.). Taba` i, Said Ibn Jubayr reports from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ that there were some people who had killed a lot of people unjustly and had committed a lot of shameful acts. They came to the Holy Prophet ﷺ and submitted before him, 'The religion you invite us to is, no doubt, very good, but we have a problem. We think about all those major sins we have already committed. Now if we were to become Muslims, do you hope that our repentance will be accepted?' Thereupon, Allah Ta’ ala revealed this verse to the Holy Prophet ﷺ - reported by al-Bukhari in that sense (al-Qurtubi).

Therefore, the outcome of the subject taken up in the verse comes to be that, well before death arrives, the repentance made from sins, no matter how serious, even from kufr (disbelief) and shirk (ascribing of partners to Allah), gets to be accepted. And by virtue of a genuine taubah (repentance), all sins will be forgiven, therefore, no one should lose hope in the mercy of Allah.

Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar ؓ said that, out of all verses of the Qur'an, this verse brings the strongest message of hope for sinners. But, Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ said that the strongest such verse is: إِنَّ رَ‌بَّكَ لَذُو مَغْفِرَ‌ةٍ لِّلنَّاسِ عَلَىٰ ظُلْمِهِمْ (And surely, your Lord is the lord of forgiveness for the people against their wrongdoings - Ar-Ra'd, 13:6)

Qur'an Wiki explanation:

It is divine mercy that will erase every transgression, whatever it happens to be. It is an invitation to all those who have gone far into error and led a life that has taken them far astray, telling them hope still remains available and God’s mercy and forgiveness are not far from them. God is most merciful to His servants. He knows their weaknesses and the factors that work on them, whether these are within themselves or in society. He is aware that Satan sets traps for them at every corner, using a great variety of forces, never tiring of his attempt to seduce them. Moreover, God knows that man can easily fall when he lets his bond to the truth weaken, and that his desires and aspirations can easily disturb his equilibrium, pulling him this way or that, leading him into error.

As God knows all this about man, He provides him with ample help, opening the gates of His mercy. He does not take him to task for his sin until He has facilitated for him all the ways and means to rectify his error and mend his ways. Nevertheless, when man goes deep into sin, thinking that he is totally rejected by God and that all is lost, he hears at this point of utter despair a fine address expressing the unlimited mercy available to him: “Say: [Thus speaks God]: You servants of Mine who have transgressed against their own souls! Do not despair of God’s mercy: God forgives all sins; He alone is Much-Forgiving, Merciful.” (Verse 53)

This means that despite his repeated sins, going far into disobedience of God, all he needs to receive God’s grace that revives all that is good in him is to repent. All he needs to do is turn back to God through the gate that is left wide open, without a guard, and with no need for any special permission.

Alhamdulillah, we have such a forgiving and merciful Lord. His Mercy extends to all who seek it. Even the most hardened sinner is told to never lose hope in Allah’s Infinite Mercy.

You may refer to more Selected Verses from Sürah 39. Az-Zumar (The Throngs) already published.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may  read the explanation of the same verse by other scholars in one of our earlier posts 39:53. You may read more posts on similar theme in our series of posts related to: Compiled verses on specific subjects from Qur'an: Repentance and Seeking Divine Forgiveness

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from the following sources: 

• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Yusuf Ali Translation
• Translation Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Qur'an Wiki
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
• Towards Understanding the Quran

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

The Divine Call to repent before the Punishment comes

Man is born to err, and so did Adam when he was enticed by the Devil and violated the Divine Commandment. But there is always a way back if one pleads to his Lord, the Master of the Entire Universe, in repentance, asking for forgiveness of his sins and wrongdoings. The Lord, Who is Ever Merciful and Forgiving, promises His servants that He will accept their repentance and forgive them. 

However, there is a condition laid out: Repent before the Punishment comes!! That is one must repent before the final countdown begins to click and one knows that the end has come, for seeing the death knocking at the door will not then save a sinner from the punishment. Even Pharoah, when he was drowning, cried out that he believed in God. But God replied that then it was too late to repent. 

(Surah 10 Yusuf (Jospeh):90) And We led the Children of Israel across the sea. Then Pharaoh and his hosts pursued them in iniquity and transgression until Pharaoh cried out while he was drowning: 'I believe that there is no god but Allah in Whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am also one of those who submit to Allah.

(10:91) (Thereupon came the response): 'Now you believe, although you disobeyed earlier and were one of the mischief-makers. (10:92) We shall now save your corpse that you may serve as a sign of warning for all posterity, although many men are heedless of Our signs.

This is just one example from Qur'an which shows importance of seeking repentance before one's time runs out. The verse we have selected in our series of posts on repentance and seeking forgiveness is the 53rd verse from Surah 39 Az Zumar (The Troops) in which Divine Call is made to repent before the dreadful punishment arrives for those who sinned and did not felt remorse over their actions, like Pharoah, and did not repent. In fact, verses 53-63 are meant for those who have transgressed against their souls and have been promised by Allah that they should not despair of Allah's mercy, they should repent while they can so that they should be forgiven:

قُلۡ يٰعِبَادِىَ الَّذِيۡنَ اَسۡرَفُوۡا عَلٰٓى اَنۡفُسِهِمۡ لَا تَقۡنَطُوۡا مِنۡ رَّحۡمَةِ اللّٰهِ​ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَغۡفِرُ الذُّنُوۡبَ جَمِيۡعًا​ ؕ اِنَّهٗ هُوَ الۡغَفُوۡرُ الرَّحِيۡمُ‏ 

(39:53) Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, verily, Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.'

The address here is to all mankind. There is no weighty argument to regard only the believers as the addressees. As has been observed by 'Allama Ibn Kathir, to address such a thing to the common men does not mean that Allah forgives all sins without repentance, but Allah Himself has explained in the following verses that sins are forgiven only when the sinner turns to Allah's worship and service and adopts obedience to the message sent down by Him. As a matter of fact, this verse brought a message of hope for those people who had committed mortal sins like murder, adultery, theft, robbery, etc. in the days of ignorance, and had despaired whether they would ever be forgiven. To them it has been said: "Do not despair of Allah's mercy: whatever you might have done in the past, if you sincerely turn to your Lord's obedience, you will be forgiven every sin." The same interpretation of this verse has been given by Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah, Mujahid and Ibn Zaid. (Ibn Jarir, Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Da'ud, Tirmidhi). For further explanation, see AI-Furqan: 70-71 and the E.N.'s thereof. 

The next two Ayats/verses supplement the Divine Call for repentance in which our Lord says: (39:54) Turn to your Lord and surrender yourselves to Him before the chastisement overtakes you; for then you will receive no help, and

(39:55) Follow the best of what has been revealed to you from your Lord before the chastisement suddenly comes upon you without you even being aware of it.

Ta:fsir Ibn-Kathir 

This Ayah is a call to all sinners, be they disbelievers or others, to repent and turn to Allah. This Ayah tells us that Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, will forgive all the sins of those who repent to Him and turn back to Him, no matter what or how many his sins are, even if they are like the foam of the sea. This cannot be interpreted as meaning that sins will be forgiven without repentance, because Shirk can only be forgiven for the one who repents from it. Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said that some of the people of Shirk killed many people and committed Zina (illegal sexual acts) to a great extent; they came to Muhammad and said, "What you are saying and calling us to is good; if only you could tell us that there is an expiation for what we have done.'' 

Then the following Ayat were revealed: (And those who invoke not any other god along with Allah, nor kill such person as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse) (25:68).

What is meant by the first Ayah (25:68) is: (Except those who repent and believe, and do righteous deeds) (25:70). 

Imam Ahmad recorded that Asma' bint Yazid, said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah reciting, (verily, his work is unrighteous) (11:46). And I heard him say: (قُلْ يَاعِبَادِي الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللهِ إِنَّ اللهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا وَلَا يُبَالِي إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ) (Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, verily, Allah forgives all sins He does not reckon him Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful).'' This was also recorded by Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi. All of these Hadiths indicate that what is meant is that Allah forgives all sins provided that a person repents. Additionally, one must not despair of the mercy of Allah even if his sins are many and great, for the door of repentance and mercy is expansive. 

Allah says:

(Know they not that Allah accepts repentance from His servants) (9:104).

(And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allah's forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (4:110). 

Concerning the hypocrites, Allah says: (Verily, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depth (grade) of the Fire; no helper will you find for them. Except those who repent, and do righteous good deeds) (4:145-146). And Allah says:

(Surely, disbelievers are those who said: "Allah is the third of the three (in a Trinity).'' But there is no god but One. And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall on the disbelievers among them.) (5:73). 

Then He says:(Will they not turn in repentance to Allah and ask His forgiveness For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (5:74) 

And Allah says: (Verily, those who put into trial the believing men and believing women (by torturing them), and then do not turn in repentance (to Allah)) (85: 10). Al-Hasan Al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on him, said, "Look at this generosity and kindness! They killed His close friends but He still called them to repentance and forgiveness.'' There are many Ayat on this topic. The Two Sahihs record the Hadith of Abu Sa`id, may Allah be pleased with him, from Messenger of Allah about the man who killed ninety-nine people. Later on, he regretted it and asked a worshipper among the Children of Israel whether he could repent. He told him no, so he killed him, thus completing one hundred. Then he asked one of their scholars whether he could repent. He said, "What is stopping you from repenting'' Then he told him to go to a town where Allah was worshipped. He set out for that town, but death came to him while he was on the road. The angels of mercy and the angels of punishment disputed over him, so Allah commanded them to measure the distance between the two towns; whichever he was closer to was the one to which he belonged. They found that he was closer to the town he was heading for, so the angels of mercy took him. It was said that when he was dying, he moved himself (towards that town), and Allah commanded the good town to move closer to him and the other town to move away. This is basic meaning of the Hadith; we have quoted it in full elsewhere. 

`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, commented on the Ayah: (Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, verily, Allah forgives all sins...'') Allah invites all to His forgiveness; those who claim that the Messiah is God, those who claim that the Messiah is the son of God, those who claim that `Uzayr is the son of God, those who claim that Allah is poor, those who claim that the Hand of Allah is tied up, and those who say that Allah is the third of three ﴿Trinity﴾. 

Allah says to all of these: (Will they not turn in repentance to Allah and ask His forgiveness For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (5:74). And He calls to repentance the one who says something even worse than that, the one who says, `I am your Lord most high,' and says, ("I know not that you have a god other than me.'') (28:38). Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Anyone who makes the servants of Allah despair of His mercy after this, has rejected the Book of Allah, but a person cannot repent until Allah decrees that he should repent.'' 

At-Tabarani recorded that Shutayr bin Shakal said, "I heard Ibn Mas`ud say, 

`The greatest Ayah in the Book of Allah is: (Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists) (2:255). 

The most comprehensive Ayah in the Qur'an concerning good and evil is: (Verily, Allah enjoins justice and Al-Ihsan) (16:90).

The Ayah in the Qur'an which brings the most relief is in Surat Az-Zumar: (Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah.') 

And the clearest Ayah in the Qur'an about reliance on Allah is: (And whosoever has Taqwa of Allah, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine) (65:2-3).' Masruq said to him; `You have spoken the truth.'

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

"whenever the sinner repents and turns to Him": cf., for instance, 6:54 - "Your Sustainer has willed upon Himself the law of grace and mercy - so that if any of you does a bad deed out of ignorance, and thereafter repents and lives righteously, He shall be [found] much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace"; or 4:110 - "he who does evil or [otherwise] sins against himself, and thereafter prays God to forgive him, shall find God much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace".

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

In Ayat 10 (…and the earth of God is spacious…) there is abundant evidence that this Surah was sent down before the migration to Abyssinia. Some hadith provide the explanation that this verse was sent down in respect of Ja’far bin Abi Talib and his companions when they made up their mind to emigrate to Abyssinia.

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمْ ۚ لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا فِي هَـٰذِهِ الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةٌ ۗ وَأَرْضُ اللَّـهِ وَاسِعَةٌ ۗ إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى الصَّابِرُونَ أَجْرَهُم بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ  "Say, "O My servants who have believed, fear your Lord. For those who do good in this world is good, and the earth of Allah is spacious. Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account." (39:10) 

In Surah al-Ankabut (29) - there is a similar Ayat, يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّ أَرْضِي وَاسِعَةٌ فَإِيَّايَ فَاعْبُدُونِ "O My servants who have believed, indeed My earth is spacious, so worship only Me." (29:56)

Please listen to explanation of the Ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

You may refer to more Selected Verses from Sürah 39. Az-Zumar (The Throngs) already published.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from the following sources: 

• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Yusuf Ali Translation
• Translation Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Qur'an Wiki
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
• Towards Understanding the Quran

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

The Verse of Mercy: Those who have committed excesses should not despair of Allah's Mercy - Surely Allah forgives all sins

If sinners and wrong doers have been warned to be ready to be thrown into the hell fire, there is still glad tidings for those wrong doers who instantly repent their misdeeds and ask for forgiveness of their Creator. Allah in all His Might and being the Most Merciful has promised to forgive all sins on sincere repentance and amendment of conduct. 

Qur'an is replete with such promises, one such is made in the 53rd verse of Surah 39. Az Zumar. OWing to the promise of mercy made in this verse, this ayat is called The Verse of Mercy:

قُلۡ يٰعِبَادِىَ الَّذِيۡنَ اَسۡرَفُوۡا عَلٰٓى اَنۡفُسِهِمۡ لَا تَقۡنَطُوۡا مِنۡ رَّحۡمَةِ اللّٰهِ​ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَغۡفِرُ الذُّنُوۡبَ جَمِيۡعًا​ ؕ اِنَّهٗ هُوَ الۡغَفُوۡرُ الرَّحِيۡمُ‏ 

(39:53) Tell them, (O Prophet): “My servants who have committed excesses against themselves, do not despair of Allah's Mercy. Surely Allah forgives all sins. He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Some commentators have given a strange interpretation to these words. They say that Allah Himself has commanded the Prophet (peace be upon him) to address the people as “My servants” therefore, all men are the servants of the Prophet (peace be upon him). This interpretation is no interpretation at all but a worst distortion of the meaning of the Quran and indeed tampering with the Word of Allah. If this interpretation were correct, it would falsify and negate the whole Quran. For the Quran, from the beginning to the end, establishes the concept that men are the servants of Allah alone, and its whole message revolves around the point that they should serve none but One Allah alone. The Prophet (peace be upon him) himself was Allah’s servant. Allah had sent him not as rabb (sustainer, providence) but as a Messenger so that he should himself serve Him and teach the other people also to serve Him alone. After all, how can a sensible person believe that the Prophet (peace be upon him) might have one day stood up before the disbelieving Quraish of Makkah and made the sudden proclamation: You are in fact the slaves of Muhammad and not of al-Uzzah and ash- Shams. (We seek Allah’s refuge from this).

The address here is to all mankind. There is no weighty argument to regard only the believers as the addressees. As has been observed by Allama Ibn Kathir, to address such a thing to the common men does not mean that Allah forgives all sins without repentance, but Allah Himself has explained in the following verses that sins are forgiven only when the sinner turns to Allah’s worship and service and adopts obedience to the message sent down by Him. As a matter of fact, this verse brought a message of hope for those people who had committed mortal sins like murder, adultery, theft, robbery, etc. in the days of ignorance, and had despaired whether they would ever be forgiven. To them it has been said: Do not despair of Allah’s mercy; whatever you might have done in the past, if you sincerely turn to your Lord’s obedience, you will be forgiven every sin. The same interpretation of this verse has been given by Ibn Abbas, Qatadah, Mujahid and Ibn Zaid. (Ibn Jarir, Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Daud, Tirmidhi). 

For further explanation, see (Surah Al-Furqan, Ayats 70-71), the explanation reproduced herein under:

This is a good news for those people who repented and reformed themselves, for they will have the benefit of the general amnesty contained in (verse 70). This was regarded as a great blessing by the true servants because very few of those who embraced Islam had been free from those vices during their ignorance, and were terrified by the threat contained in (verses 63-69), but this amnesty not only redeemed them but filled them with hope.

Many instances of such people, who sincerely repented and reformed their lives, have been related in the traditions. For instance, Ibn Jarir and Tabarani have related an incident from Abu Hurairah, who says: One day when 1 returned home after offering the lsha prayer in the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) Mosque, I saw a woman standing at my door. I saluted her and walked into my room, closed the door and busied myself in voluntary worship. After a while she knocked at the door. I opened the door and asked what she wanted. She said that she had come with a problem: She had committed zina, had become pregnant, given birth to a child and then killed it. She wanted to know if there was any chance of her sin being forgiven. I replied in the negative. She went back grief-stricken, exclaiming, Ah! this beautiful body was created for the fire! The next morning, after the prayer, when I related the night’s incident before the Prophet (peace be upon him), he said: You gave a very wrong answer, Abu Hurairah: Haven’t you read the Quranic verse which says: (Those) who do not invoke any deity other than Allah...except the one who may have repented (after those sins) and have believed and done righteous deeds? Hearing this from the Prophet (peace be upon him), I went out in search of the woman, and had her traced again at the Isha time. I gave her the good news and told her what the Prophet (peace be upon him) had said in reply to her question. She immediately fell prostrate on the ground and thanked Allah, Who had opened a way for her forgiveness. Then she offered repentance and set a slave-girl, along with her son, free.

A similar incident about an old man has been related in the traditions. He came before the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, all my life has passed in sin, there is no sin which I have not committed; so much so that if my sins were to be distributed over the people of the whole world, they would all be doomed. Is there any way out for my forgiveness? The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked him: Have you embraced Islam? He said: I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Go back, Allah is All-Forgiving and has the power to change your evil deeds into good deeds. He asked: Is it about all my crimes and errors? The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: Yes, it is about all your crimes and errors. (Ibn Kathir).

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: The Call to repent before Punishment comes

This Ayah is a call to all sinners, be they disbelievers or others, to repent and turn to Allah. This Ayah tells us that Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, will forgive all the sins of those who repent to Him and turn back to Him, no matter what or how many his sins are, even if they are like the foam of the sea. This cannot be interpreted as meaning that sins will be forgiven without repentance, because Shirk can only be forgiven for the one who repents from it. Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said that some of the people of Shirk killed many people and committed Zina (illegal sexual acts) to a great extent; they came to Muhammad and said, "What you are saying and calling us to is good; if only you could tell us that there is an expiation for what we have done.'' 

Then the following Ayat were revealed: 

(And those who invoke not any other god along with Allah, nor kill such person as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse) (25:68).

(Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah.) This was also recorded by Muslim, Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i. 

What is meant by the first Ayah (25:68) is: (Except those who repent and believe, and do righteous deeds) (25:70). 

Imam Ahmad recorded that Asma' bint Yazid, said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah reciting, (إِنَّهُ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَـلِحٍ verily, his work is unrighteous) (11:46). And I heard him say: (قُلْ يَاعِبَادِي الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللهِ إِنَّ اللهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا وَلَا يُبَالِي إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ) (Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, verily, Allah forgives all sins He does not reckon him Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful).'' This was also recorded by Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi. All of these Hadiths indicate that what is meant is that Allah forgives all sins provided that a person repents. Additionally, one must not despair of the mercy of Allah even if his sins are many and great, for the door of repentance and mercy is expansive. 

Allah says: 

(Know they not that Allah accepts repentance from His servants) (9:104).

(And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allah's forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (4:110). 

Concerning the hypocrites, Allah says: Verily, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depth (grade) of the Fire; no helper will you find for them. Except those who repent, and do righteous good deeds) (4:145-146). 

(Surely, disbelievers are those who said: "Allah is the third of the three (in a Trinity).'' But there is no god but One. And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall on the disbelievers among them.) (5:73). 

(Will they not turn in repentance to Allah and ask His forgiveness For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (5:74) 

(Verily, those who put into trial the believing men and believing women (by torturing them), and then do not turn in repentance (to Allah)) (85: 10). 

Al-Hasan Al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on him, said, "Look at this generosity and kindness! They killed His close friends but He still called them to repentance and forgiveness.'' There are many Ayat on this topic. The Two Sahihs record the Hadith of Abu Sa`id, may Allah be pleased with him, from Messenger of Allah about the man who killed ninety-nine people. Later on, he regretted it and asked a worshipper among the Children of Israel whether he could repent. He told him no, so he killed him, thus completing one hundred. Then he asked one of their scholars whether he could repent. He said, "What is stopping you from repenting' Then he told him to go to a town where Allah was worshipped. He set out for that town, but death came to him while he was on the road. The angels of mercy and the angels of punishment disputed over him, so Allah commanded them to measure the distance between the two towns; whichever he was closer to was the one to which he belonged. They found that he was closer to the town he was heading for, so the angels of mercy took him. It was said that when he was dying, he moved himself (towards that town), and Allah commanded the good town to move closer to him and the other town to move away. This is basic meaning of the Hadith; we have quoted it in full elsewhere. 

`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, commented on the Ayah: (Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, verily, Allah forgives all sins...'') Allah invites all to His forgiveness; those who claim that the Messiah is God, those who claim that the Messiah is the son of God, those who claim that `Uzayr is the son of God, those who claim that Allah is poor, those who claim that the Hand of Allah is tied up, and those who say that Allah is the third of three ﴿Trinity﴾. 

Allah says to all of these: 

(Will they not turn in repentance to Allah and ask His forgiveness For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (5:74). And He calls to repentance the one who says something even worse than that, the one who says, `I am your Lord most high,' and says: ("I know not that you have a god other than me.'') (28:38). 

Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Anyone who makes the servants of Allah despair of His mercy after this, has rejected the Book of Allah, but a person cannot repent until Allah decrees that he should repent.'' 

At-Tabarani recorded that Shutayr bin Shakal said, "I heard Ibn Mas`ud say, `The greatest Ayah in the Book of Allah is: ( اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَىُّ الْقَيُّومُ Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists) (2:255).

The most comprehensive Ayah in the Qur'an concerning good and evil is: 

( إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالإْحْسَانِ Verily, Allah enjoins justice and Al-Ihsan) (16:90).

And the Ayah in the Qur'an which brings the most relief is in Surat Az-Zumar: 

(قُلْ يعِبَادِىَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُواْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لاَ تَقْنَطُواْ مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah.') 

And the clearest Ayah in the Qur'an about reliance on Allah is: 

(وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجاًوَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لاَ يَحْتَسِبُ and whosoever has Taqwa of Allah, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine) (65:2-3).' Masruq said to him; `You have spoken the truth.'

Muhammad Asad Explanation: Sc... "whenever the sinner repents and turns to Him": cf., for instance, 6:54 - "Your Sustainer has willed upon Himself the law of grace and mercy - so that if any of you does a bad deed out of ignorance, and thereafter repents and lives righteously, He shall be [found] much forgiving, a dispenser of grace"; or 4:110 - "he who does evil or [otherwise] sins against himself, and thereafter prays God to forgive him, shall find God much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace". 

Tafsir Ibnu Kastir: [5] Said Ibn ‘Abbas: “This was revealed about the people of Mecca who said: ‘Muhammad claims that whoever has worshipped idols and killed souls which Allah has made inviolable will not be forgiven; how are we expected to embrace Islam and migrate when we have in the past worshipped other deities besides Allah and killed souls which Allah has made inviolable?’ And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse”. 

Said Ibn ‘Umar: “This verse was revealed about ‘Ayyash ibn Abi Rabi‘ah, al-Walid ibn al-Walid and a group of people who had accepted Islam but later on renounced it after being tortured and tried. We used to say: ‘Allah will never accept the repentance or return of these people; people who renounced their religion because of some torture they faced’. And so this verse was revealed. ‘Umar was a scribe. He wrote the verse and sent it to ‘Ayyash ibn Abi Rabi‘ah, al-Walid ibn al-Walid and those people. They embraced Islam and migrated to Medina”. 

‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad al-Sarraj informed us, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Kazari, ‘Ali ibn‘Abd al-‘Aziz, al-Qasim ibn Salam> Hajjaj, Ibn Jurayj, Ya‘la ibn Muslim, Sa‘id ibn Jubayr, Ibn ‘Abbas who related that some idolaters who had killed a great number of people and committed adultery numerous times went to the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, and said: “What you say and call people to is fine, if only you inform us that there is an expiation for the wrongs that we have committed. And so this verse was revealed (Say: O My slaves who have been prodigal to their own hurt! Despair not of the mercy of Allah)”. This was narrated by Bukhari, Ibrahim ibn Musa, Hisham ibn Yusuf, Ibn Jurayj. Abu Ishaq al-Muqri’ informed us, Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Husayn ibn Muhammad al-Dinawari, Abu Bakr ibn Khurjah>Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Sulayman, Muhammad ibn al-‘Ala’, Yunus ibn Bukayr, Muhammad ibnIshaq, Nafi‘, Ibn ‘Umar. ‘Umar who said: “When we gathered for migration, myself, ‘Ayyash ibn AbiRabi‘ah and Hisham ibn al-‘As ibn Wa’il set an appointment between us. We said: ‘We shall meet at al-Manasif, Banu Ghifar’s site for entering Ihram. If some of us do not make it, it means they have been stopped and the others should proceed ahead’. ‘Ayyash and I made it but Hisham was stopped and was tortured until he renounced Islam. We then made it to Medina. We used to say: ‘Allah will never accept the repentance of these people: they have known Allah and His Messenger but then renounced their faith because of a worldly affliction that has befallen them’. But Allah, exalted is He, revealed (Say: O My slaves who have been prodigal to their own hurt! Despair not of the mercy of Allah) up to His words (Is not the home of the scorners in Hell?) [39:60]”. ‘Umar said: “I wrote these verses with my own hands and sent them to Hisham”. Hisham said: “When I received the verses, I went to Tuwa and prayed ‘O Allah, grant me understanding of these verses. I knew then that they were revealed about us; I therefore mounted my camel and joined the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace”. 

It is also related that this verse was revealed about Wahshiyy, the killer of Hamzah, may Allah’s mercy and good pleasure be with him. We have already mentioned this at the end of Surah al-Furqan. 

May Allah help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. Aameen.

You may refer to more Selected Verses from Sürah 39. Az-Zumar (The Throngs) already published.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

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Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that:

• The plain translation has been taken from the Qur'ān officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [1]
• The exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi. [2]  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided by [2], additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition the references of  other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

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