سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ

Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 48

The Women · Medinan · Juz 5 · Page 86

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إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِۦ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱفْتَرَىٰٓ إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا ﴿48﴾

Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

Verily, Allâh forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills; and whoever sets up partners with Allâh in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin.

Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning

إِنَّ inna Indeed
ٱللَّهَ l-laha Allah
لَا lā (does) not
يَغْفِرُ yaghfiru forgive
أَن an that
يُشْرَكَ yush'raka partners be associated
بِهِۦ bihi with Him
وَيَغْفِرُ wayaghfiru but He forgives
مَا mā from
دُونَ dūna other than
ذَٰلِكَ dhālika that
لِمَن liman for whom
يَشَآءُ ۚ yashāu He wills
وَمَن waman And whoever
يُشْرِكْ yush'rik associates partners
بِٱللَّهِ bil-lahi with Allah
فَقَدِ faqadi then surely
ٱفْتَرَىٰٓ if'tarā he has fabricated
إِثْمًا ith'man a sin
عَظِيمًا ʿaẓīman tremendous

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

(Ayah 48) ➊ {اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ … :} After warning and rebuking the Jews, it is indicated in this verse that this warning is due to their refusal to believe and because of disbelief and shirk, otherwise other sins are forgivable and are under Allah’s will; whomever Allah wills, He will forgive, and whomever He wills, He will punish and then release, but shirk is not forgiven, because Allah has made Paradise forbidden for the polytheist. (See Ma’idah: 72) Nominal Muslims, like the Jews and Christians, who commit such shirk that takes a person out of the fold of Islam, who call upon others besides Allah in times of distress, constantly recite their names, fast in their names, worship their graves, slaughter animals in their names, and make vows to them, they too are subject to this warning. See also Surah Hajj (31), Surah Luqman (13), Surah An’am (88), Surah Zumar (65), and Surah Nisa (116).

➋ { فَقَدِ افْتَرٰۤى اِثْمًا عَظِيْمًا:} What greater lie can there be than claiming that Allah has a partner? It is said: «{ اِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيْمٌ }» [ لقمان: ۱۳] “Indeed, shirk is surely a great injustice.”

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

48. 1. That is, such sins from which a believer dies without repenting, Allah, if He wills for someone, will forgive without any kind of punishment, and many will be forgiven due to the intercession of the Prophet ﷺ. But shirk will not be forgiven in any case because Allah has made Paradise forbidden for the polytheist. (2) In another place it is said (اِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيْمٌ) 31:13 "Shirk is a great injustice." In the hadith, it is declared the greatest sin. Akbar al-kabair al-shirk billah.

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

48. Surely Allah does not forgive that partners be associated with Him [80], but He forgives anything less than that for whom He wills. And whoever associates partners with Allah has indeed fabricated a tremendous sin and committed a grave offense.

[80]
Shirk is an Unforgivable Crime:

Shirk is mentioned here because both the Jews and the Christians were polytheists. Although they claimed monotheism, shirk is the greatest of all sins, regarding which Allah Almighty has definitively warned that it is an unforgivable crime. Now, consider a few hadiths related to shirk:
1. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud ؓ narrates that I asked, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Which is the greatest sin?" He ﷺ replied, "That you associate a partner with Allah, while He created you."
[بخاری، کتاب المحاربین۔ باب اثم الزناۃ، مسلم کتاب الایمان باب بیان کون الشرک اقبح الذنوب]
2. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ says that the Prophet ﷺ said, "I am most free from needing any partners. Whoever does an act in which he associates others with Me, I abandon him and his act (says Allah, the Exalted)."
[بخاری، کتاب الزکوٰۃ، باب قول اللہ تعالیٰ : __QUR_0__ مسلم، کتاب الزہد۔ باب تحریم الربٰو]
3. The Prophet ﷺ said that Allah Almighty says, "Whoever meets Me with sins as much as the earth, but has not associated anything with Me, I will meet him with as much forgiveness." [مسلم، كتاب الذكر، باب فضل الذ كر والدعاء]
4. The Prophet ﷺ said that Allah Almighty will say to the person in Hell with the least punishment, "If you had all the things of the earth, would you give them to be saved from this punishment?" He will say, 'Yes!' Allah Almighty will say, "I had asked you for something much easier than this when you were in the loins of Adam: that you should not associate anything with Me, but you did not refrain from shirk."
[بخاری، کتاب بدء الخلق۔ باب __QUR_1__ صفۃ القیامۃ، باب طلب الکافر الفداء]
In this verse, in fact, there are two proclamations. One is that Allah Almighty will never forgive shirk, as is also clear from the aforementioned hadiths. And the second proclamation is that all other sins besides shirk are forgivable. Therefore, O People of the Book! Even now, if you refrain from shirk and abandon stubbornness and obstinacy and accept Islam, Allah will forgive all your sins.
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