سُوْرَةُ النَّحْلِ
Surah An-Nahl (16) — Ayah 119
ثُمَّ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لِلَّذِينَ عَمِلُوا۟ ٱلسُّوٓءَ بِجَهَـٰلَةٍ ثُمَّ تَابُوا۟ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ وَأَصْلَحُوٓا۟ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهَا لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿119﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Then, verily! Your Lord - for those who do evil (commit sins and are disobedient to Allâh) in ignorance and afterward repent and do righteous deeds, verily, your Lord thereafter, (to such) is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ثُمَّ
thumma
Then
إِنَّ
inna
indeed
رَبَّكَ
rabbaka
your Lord
لِلَّذِينَ
lilladhīna
to those who
عَمِلُوا۟
ʿamilū
did
ٱلسُّوٓءَ
l-sūa
evil
بِجَهَـٰلَةٍۢ
bijahālatin
in ignorance
ثُمَّ
thumma
then
تَابُوا۟
tābū
repented
مِنۢ
min
after
بَعْدِ
baʿdi
after
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
that
وَأَصْلَحُوٓا۟
wa-aṣlaḥū
and corrected themselves
إِنَّ
inna
indeed
رَبَّكَ
rabbaka
your Lord
مِنۢ
min
after that
بَعْدِهَا
baʿdihā
after that
لَغَفُورٌۭ
laghafūrun
(is) surely Oft-Forgiving
رَّحِيمٌ
raḥīmun
Most Merciful
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.
(Ayah119){ثُمَّ اِنَّ رَبَّكَ لِلَّذِيْنَ عَمِلُوا السُّوْٓءَ … :} In this verse, Allah Almighty has given the glad tidings of boundless forgiveness and mercy to all sinners—whether they are Jews, Christians, polytheists, or Muslims—after repentance and reform. Remember that here the meaning of "ignorance" is not lack of knowledge, but rather foolishness and stubbornness, which cause a person to commit senseless acts, as mentioned in the lengthy supplication for leaving the house: [ اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ أَنْ… أَجْهَلَ أَوْ يُجْهَلَ عَلَيَّ ] "O Allah! I seek refuge in You from... acting ignorantly towards anyone or anyone acting ignorantly towards me." [ أبوداوٗد، الأدب، باب ما یقول إذا خرج من بیتہ : ۵۰۹۴۔ ابن ماجہ : ۳۸۸۴، و صححہ الألباني ] And Amr bin Kulthum said:
{ أَلَا لَا يَجْهَلَنْ أَحَدٌ عَلَيْنَا ¤ فَنَجْهَلْ فَوْقَ جَهْلِ الْجَاهِلِيْنَا}
"Beware! Let no one ever act ignorantly towards us, otherwise we will act with even greater ignorance than the ignorant." From this hadith and poem, the meaning of "ignorance" intended here becomes clear. In reality, whether a sin is committed out of lack of knowledge or deliberately, it is always due to foolishness and ignorance; that is why the era before Islam is called the Age of Ignorance. See Surah Al-An'am (54), An-Nisa (18, 19), and Surah Al-Furqan (63).
{ أَلَا لَا يَجْهَلَنْ أَحَدٌ عَلَيْنَا ¤ فَنَجْهَلْ فَوْقَ جَهْلِ الْجَاهِلِيْنَا}
"Beware! Let no one ever act ignorantly towards us, otherwise we will act with even greater ignorance than the ignorant." From this hadith and poem, the meaning of "ignorance" intended here becomes clear. In reality, whether a sin is committed out of lack of knowledge or deliberately, it is always due to foolishness and ignorance; that is why the era before Islam is called the Age of Ignorance. See Surah Al-An'am (54), An-Nisa (18, 19), and Surah Al-Furqan (63).
