Surah Az-Zumar (39) — Ayah 53

(Ayah 53) ➊ {قُلْ … :} From the beginning of the Surah up to this point, there has been a long sequence of refutations of polytheism in various ways and warnings to the polytheists, which apparently the disbelievers and polytheists do not care about. However, it is natural for fear to arise in their hearts from such powerful speech of Allah, and if it exceeds the limit, it results in despair and hopelessness. Therefore, Allah always mentions glad tidings along with warnings, so that His servants do not become so hopeless that they lose the courage to turn to Him. And along with glad tidings and encouragement, He also mentions warnings and threats, so that they do not become fearless, just as a surgeon both cuts with a scalpel and applies ointment, then emphasizes caution and warns of the consequences of carelessness. He said: «نَبِّئْ عِبَادِيْۤ اَنِّيْۤ اَنَا الْغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْمُ (49) وَ اَنَّ عَذَابِيْ هُوَ الْعَذَابُ الْاَلِيْمُ» [ الحجر : ۴۹، ۵۰ ] “Inform My servants that indeed I am the Most Forgiving, Most Merciful. And that My punishment is the painful punishment.” And He said: «وَ اِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَذُوْ مَغْفِرَةٍ لِّلنَّاسِ عَلٰى ظُلْمِهِمْ وَ اِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَشَدِيْدُ الْعِقَابِ» [ الرعد : ۶ ] “And indeed, your Lord is surely the Possessor of great forgiveness for the people despite their wrongdoing, and indeed, your Lord is surely severe in punishment.” Here too, after a long sequence of warnings, He instilled hope in His servants for His mercy with {’’ لَا تَقْنَطُوْا ‘‘}, and in the following verses, by urging them to repent quickly, He warned them of the time slipping away.

➋ {يٰعِبَادِيْ:} Whether the servants are believers or disbelievers, all are Allah’s servants. Therefore, in the Noble Qur’an, the word {’’عِبَادِيْ‘‘} is used for both, as He has called both believers and disbelievers His servants: «اِنَّهٗ كَانَ فَرِيْقٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِيْ يَقُوْلُوْنَ رَبَّنَاۤ اٰمَنَّا» [ المؤمنون : ۱۰۹ ] “Indeed, there were among My servants some who said: ‘Our Lord! We have believed.’” And He called the disbelievers His servants: «وَ يَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ وَ مَا يَعْبُدُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ فَيَقُوْلُ ءَاَنْتُمْ اَضْلَلْتُمْ عِبَادِيْ هٰۤؤُلَآءِ اَمْ هُمْ ضَلُّوا السَّبِيْلَ» [ الفرقان : ۱۷ ] “And the Day He will gather them and those they worshipped besides Allah, then He will say: ‘Did you mislead these My servants, or did they themselves stray from the way?’” And see Surah Az-Zumar (16). However, its most frequent use is for Allah’s sincere and believing servants, as He said: «اِنَّ عِبَادِيْ لَيْسَ لَكَ عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطٰنٌ» [ الحجر : ۴۲ ] “Indeed, My servants, you have no authority over them.”

➌ {الَّذِيْنَ اَسْرَفُوْا عَلٰۤى اَنْفُسِهِمْ :} In this verse, by {’’ يٰعِبَادِيْ‘‘} are meant, contrary to the Qur’an’s usual usage, the disbelievers and polytheists. The evidence is in the following verses, as He said: «وَ اَسْلِمُوْا لَهٗ مِنْ قَبْلِ اَنْ يَّاْتِيَكُمُ الْعَذَابُ ثُمَّ لَا تُنْصَرُوْنَ» [الزمر : ۵۴ ] “And submit to Him before the punishment comes upon you, then you will not be helped.” And their saying: «وَ اِنْ كُنْتُ لَمِنَ السّٰخِرِيْنَ» [ الزمر : ۵۶ ] “And indeed, I was among those who mocked.” And this verse: «بَلٰى قَدْ جَآءَتْكَ اٰيٰتِيْ فَكَذَّبْتَ بِهَا وَ اسْتَكْبَرْتَ وَ كُنْتَ مِنَ الْكٰفِرِيْنَ» [ الزمر : ۵۹ ] “Yes, certainly My verses came to you, but you denied them and were arrogant and were among the disbelievers.”

In Sahih Bukhari, it is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) that these verses were revealed about some polytheists. Thus, he said: [ أَنَّ نَاسًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الشِّرْكِ كَانُوْا قَدْ قَتَلُوْا وَ أَكْثَرُوْا، وَ زَنَوْا وَ أَكْثَرُوْا، فَأَتَوْا مُحَمَّدًا صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ سَلَّمَ فَقَالُوْا إِنَّ الَّذِيْ تَقُوْلُ وَ تَدْعُوْ إِلَيْهِ لَحَسَنٌ لَوْ تُخْبِرُنَا أَنَّ لِمَا عَمِلْنَا كَفَّارَةً، فَنَزَلَ : «وَ الَّذِيْنَ لَا يَدْعُوْنَ مَعَ اللّٰهِ اِلٰهًا اٰخَرَ وَ لَا يَقْتُلُوْنَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِيْ حَرَّمَ اللّٰهُ اِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَ لَا يَزْنُوْنَ» [الفرقان : ۶۸] And it was revealed: « قُلْ يٰعِبَادِيَ الَّذِيْنَ اَسْرَفُوْا عَلٰۤى اَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوْا مِنْ رَّحْمَةِ اللّٰهِ» [الزمر : ۵۳] ] [ بخاري، التفسیر، باب قولہ : «یا عبادی الذین أسرفوا…» : ۴۸۱۰ ] “Some of the polytheists who had committed murders, and had committed many, and had committed adultery, and had committed much, then they came to Muhammad (peace be upon him) and said: ‘What you say and what you call to is indeed very good. If you could tell us, is there any expiation for what we have done?’ Then this verse was revealed: «وَ الَّذِيْنَ لَا يَدْعُوْنَ مَعَ اللّٰهِ اِلٰهًا اٰخَرَ وَ لَا يَقْتُلُوْنَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِيْ حَرَّمَ اللّٰهُ اِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَ لَا يَزْنُوْنَ » [ الفرقان : ۶۸ ] ‘And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity, nor kill the soul which Allah has forbidden except by right, nor commit adultery.’ (That is, in the following verses: « اِلَّا مَنْ تَابَ وَ اٰمَنَ وَ عَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَاُولٰٓىِٕكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللّٰهُ سَيِّاٰتِهِمْ حَسَنٰتٍ وَ كَانَ اللّٰهُ غَفُوْرًا رَّحِيْمًا » [ الفرقان : ۷۰ ] ‘Except for those who repent, believe, and do righteous deeds, for them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good, and Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.’) And this verse was revealed: « قُلْ يٰعِبَادِيَ الَّذِيْنَ اَسْرَفُوْا عَلٰۤى اَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوْا مِنْ رَّحْمَةِ اللّٰهِ» ‘Say: O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Do not despair of the mercy of Allah.’”

➍ “Israf” means to exceed the limit in anything. Generally, it is used in spending, as He said: «وَ الَّذِيْنَ اِذَاۤ اَنْفَقُوْا لَمْ يُسْرِفُوْا وَ لَمْ يَقْتُرُوْا» [ الفرقان : ۶۷ ] “And those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor stingy.” Here, it means wronging and oppressing oneself by disbelief and polytheism. The meaning of {’’ عَلٰۤى اَنْفُسِهِمْ ‘‘} is that the harm of your excesses is only to yourselves, not to Allah or anyone else. Therefore, you yourselves should be concerned about remedying this excess, as He said: « يٰۤاَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اِنَّمَا بَغْيُكُمْ عَلٰۤى اَنْفُسِكُمْ » [ یونس : ۲۳ ] “O people! Your rebellion is only against yourselves.”

➎ {لَا تَقْنَطُوْا مِنْ رَّحْمَةِ اللّٰهِ : ’’قَنِطَ يَقْنَطُ قُنُوْطًا‘‘} (ع، ض) To despair. In this verse, Allah has instilled hope for forgiveness of sins in His servants in several ways. Tafsir Razi has mentioned ten reasons:

(1) {’’ يٰعِبَادِيْ ‘‘} (O My servants!) “Abd” means slave. A slave is helpless, weak, and needy. His helplessness and poverty make him deserving of the mercy and kindness of the Master.

(2) Allah said {’’ يٰعِبَادِيْ‘‘} (O My servants!) attributing them to Himself, and whoever Allah calls His own has no reason to despair.

(3) {’’ اَسْرَفُوْا عَلٰۤى اَنْفُسِهِمْ ‘‘} means that the sins they committed only harmed themselves; nothing of Allah was diminished by it. Therefore, there is no reason why He should not accept their repentance.

(4) In {’’ لَا تَقْنَطُوْا مِنْ رَّحْمَةِ اللّٰهِ ‘‘}, He explicitly forbade despair.

(5) After addressing with {’’ يٰعِبَادِيْ‘‘} (O My servants!), the context would have required: {’’لَا تَقْنَطُوْا مِنْ رَّحْمَتِيْ‘‘} (Do not despair of My mercy), but instead of {’’مِنْ رَّحْمَتِيْ‘‘}, He said: {’’ مِنْ رَّحْمَةِ اللّٰهِ ‘‘} (Do not despair of the mercy of Allah), because the word {’’ اللّٰهِ ‘‘} is the greatest of Allah’s names and encompasses all His attributes. To despair of the One who possesses all attributes of perfection is never permissible.

(6) It would have sufficed to say {اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ جَمِيْعًا :} (Indeed, He forgives all sins), but again He mentioned His name: {’’ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ جَمِيْعًا ‘‘} (Indeed, Allah forgives all sins), and by emphasizing with {’’ اِنَّ ‘‘}, He expressed exaggeration in the promise of forgiveness.

(7) In {جَمِيْعًا : ’’ الذُّنُوْبَ ‘‘}, the “al” is for totality, so for the promise of forgiveness of all sins, {’’ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ ‘‘} would have sufficed, but with {’’ جَمِيْعًا ‘‘}, He further emphasized that Allah, with repentance, forgives all sins, even the greatest of all, like shirk, as will be clarified in the next verse with words like {’’اَنِيْبُوْۤا ‘‘} and {’’ اَسْلِمُوْا ‘‘}.

(8) The original meaning of {اِنَّهٗ هُوَ الْغَفُوْرُ:’’ الْغَفُوْرُ ‘‘ ’’غَفَرَ يَغْفِرُ‘‘} is to cover, and {’’ الْغَفُوْرُ ‘‘} is an intensive form, meaning Allah greatly covers the sins of His servants. This points to the removal of things that cause punishment.

(9) {’’ الرَّحِيْمُ ‘‘ ’’رُحْمٌ‘‘} is also an intensive form, meaning He is extremely merciful. This points to the blessings granted as a result of mercy after forgiveness. Sha’rawi tried to clarify the difference between the two with an example, though it is not complete. For example, someone catches a thief stealing. Now, he can punish him or have him punished, but due to the thief’s pleading and promise not to do it again, he covers up his theft and does not inform anyone—this is forgiveness. Then, feeling pity for his condition, he gives him some money to help him start a business—this is mercy.

(10) In {’’ اِنَّهٗ هُوَ الْغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْمُ ‘‘}, the pronoun of separation and the definite article in the predicate {’’ الْغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْمُ ‘‘} create emphasis and exclusivity in the statement. That is, besides Him, there is none who is Forgiving or Merciful, expressing the perfection of Allah’s forgiveness and mercy. All these reasons indicate the perfection of Allah’s forgiveness and mercy and that His servants should never despair of it under any circumstances. May Allah grant us a large share of it by His grace and kindness. (Ameen)

➏ It is clear from {اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ جَمِيْعًا … : ’’ وَ اَنِيْبُوْۤا اِلٰى رَبِّكُمْ ‘‘} and the following verses that this promise is only for those who repent. Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) also adopted this interpretation, because if someone is a disbeliever or polytheist, there is no question of his forgiveness without repenting from disbelief and polytheism and accepting Islam. And if he is a Muslim, then the promise of forgiveness for all his sins is with repentance or with deeds that take its place; otherwise, his forgiveness depends on Allah’s will—He will forgive whom He wills, as He said: « اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ اَنْ يُّشْرَكَ بِهٖ وَ يَغْفِرُ مَا دُوْنَ ذٰلِكَ لِمَنْ يَّشَآءُ» [ النساء : ۱۱۶ ] “Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating partners with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills.” If it is said that all the sins of every Muslim will be forgiven without repentance, then the rulings of Shariah would lose their significance. However, there is no doubt that Allah will forgive the sins of any Muslim He wills without punishment, and He will punish whom He wills, but in the end, every monotheistic Muslim will be taken out of Hell. At that time, the disbelievers will wish that they too were Muslims, even of the lowest degree, because Allah has forbidden the blessings of Paradise to the disbelievers. See the commentary of Surah Al-Hijr, verse (2). If forgiveness here means that eventually all Muslims will enter Paradise, then from {’’ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ جَمِيْعًا ‘‘} (Indeed, Allah forgives all sins), only the disbelievers will be excluded, for their sins will not be forgiven without repentance.

➐ From this verse and the following verses, one can estimate the boundless mercy of Allah, that He is so forgiving to those who repent. In Surah Al-Furqan (69, 70), after mentioning those who commit shirk, murder, and adultery, He promised that after repentance, faith, and righteous deeds, He will replace their past evils with good deeds. Therefore, no servant should despair of Allah’s mercy, even if his sins fill the earth and sky. One only needs to turn to Allah and, after admitting before Him, repent; He will forgive all sins, because He loves His servants’ repentance very much. Thus, He said: « اَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوْۤا اَنَّ اللّٰهَ هُوَ يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهٖ » [ التوبۃ : ۱۰۴ ] “Do they not know that Allah accepts repentance from His servants?” And He said: « وَ مَنْ يَّعْمَلْ سُوْٓءًا اَوْ يَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهٗ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرِ اللّٰهَ يَجِدِ اللّٰهَ غَفُوْرًا رَّحِيْمًا » [ النساء : ۱۱۰ ] “And whoever does evil or wrongs himself, then seeks forgiveness from Allah, he will find Allah Forgiving, Merciful.” Regarding the hypocrites, He said: « اِنَّ الْمُنٰفِقِيْنَ فِي الدَّرْكِ الْاَسْفَلِ مِنَ النَّارِ وَ لَنْ تَجِدَ لَهُمْ نَصِيْرًا (145) اِلَّا الَّذِيْنَ تَابُوْا» [ النساء : ۱۴۵، ۱۴۶ ] “Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire, and you will not find for them any helper. Except for those who repent.” And He said: « لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِيْنَ قَالُوْۤا اِنَّ اللّٰهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلٰثَةٍ وَ مَا مِنْ اِلٰهٍ اِلَّاۤ اِلٰهٌ وَّاحِدٌ وَ اِنْ لَّمْ يَنْتَهُوْا عَمَّا يَقُوْلُوْنَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ اَلِيْمٌ » [ المائدۃ : ۷۳ ] “They have certainly disbelieved who say, ‘Allah is the third of three,’ while there is no deity except one deity. And if they do not desist from what they are saying, there will surely afflict those of them who disbelieved a painful punishment.” Then regarding them, He said: « اَفَلَا يَتُوْبُوْنَ اِلَى اللّٰهِ وَ يَسْتَغْفِرُوْنَهٗ وَ اللّٰهُ غَفُوْرٌ رَّحِيْمٌ » [ المائدۃ : ۷۴ ] “So will they not repent to Allah and seek His forgiveness? And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”

Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated with an authentic chain from Ali ibn Abi Talhah from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) in the explanation of {’’ قُلْ يٰعِبَادِيَ الَّذِيْنَ اَسْرَفُوْا عَلٰۤى اَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوْا مِنْ رَّحْمَةِ اللّٰهِ ‘‘} that he said: “Allah invited to His forgiveness those who said ‘The Messiah is Allah Himself,’ and those who said ‘The Messiah is the son of Allah,’ and those who said ‘Uzair is the son of Allah,’ and those who said ‘Allah is poor,’ and those who said ‘Allah’s hand is tied,’ and those who said ‘Allah is the third of three’—to all of them Allah said: «اَفَلَا يَتُوْبُوْنَ اِلَى اللّٰهِ وَ يَسْتَغْفِرُوْنَهٗ وَ اللّٰهُ غَفُوْرٌ رَّحِيْمٌ » [ المائدۃ : ۷۴ ] ‘So will they not repent to Allah and seek His forgiveness? And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.’ Then He also invited to repentance the one who said an even greater thing than these: « اَنَا رَبُّكُمُ الْاَعْلٰى » [ النازعات : ۲۴ ] ‘I am your highest Lord.’ And the one who said: «مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُمْ مِّنْ اِلٰهٍ غَيْرِيْ » [ القصص : ۳۸ ] ‘I do not know for you any god other than myself.’ Thus, He said: « وَ اِنِّيْ لَغَفَّارٌ لِّمَنْ تَابَ وَ اٰمَنَ وَ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا ثُمَّ اهْتَدٰى » [ طٰہٰ : ۸۲ ] ‘And indeed, I am surely the Most Forgiving to whoever repents, believes, and does righteous deeds, then remains guided.’ Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) said: ‘Whoever, after this, makes Allah’s servants despair of repentance has denied the Book of Allah, but a servant cannot repent until Allah has mercy on him.’” Regarding those who threw the believers into the fire-filled trenches (the people of the ditch), He said: « اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ فَتَنُوا الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ وَ الْمُؤْمِنٰتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَتُوْبُوْا فَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ وَ لَهُمْ عَذَابُ الْحَرِيْقِ » [ البروج : ۱۰ ] “Indeed, those who persecuted the believing men and believing women and then did not repent, for them is the punishment of Hell and for them is the punishment of burning.” Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Look at this generosity and kindness! They killed His friends, and He is inviting them to repentance and forgiveness.” (Ibn Kathir)

There are many verses in the Noble Qur’an about Allah’s mercy and forgiveness. In the authentic hadiths, the story of the killer of ninety-nine men, and then a hundredth, whose repentance was accepted as he was on his way to the land of the righteous, is well known. [ دیکھیے مسلم، التوبۃ، باب قبول توبۃ القاتل، إن کثر قتلہ : ۲۷۶۶ ] Similarly, it is mentioned that Allah is even more pleased with His servant’s repentance than a man who, in the intensity of joy at finding his lost camel, exclaims to Allah, “O Allah! You are my servant and I am Your Lord,” and makes a mistake out of extreme happiness. [ دیکھیے مسلم، التوبۃ، باب في الحض علی التوبۃ والفرح بھا : ۲۷۴۷ ] Similarly, there is mention of the man who instructed his sons that after his death, they should burn his body and scatter some of his ashes in water and some in the air. Allah resurrected him and asked why he did so. He replied, “O Allah! Out of fear of You.” So Allah forgave him. [ دیکھیے مسلم، التوبۃ، باب في سعۃ رحمۃ اللہ تعالیٰ… : ۲۷۵۶ ] Then, it is also Allah’s grace that no matter how many times a servant sins, if he repents each time, He forgives him. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ أَذْنَبَ عَبْدٌ ذَنْبًا فَقَالَ اللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ ذَنْبِيْ فَقَالَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالٰی أَذْنَبَ عَبْدِيْ ذَنْبًا فَعَلِمَ أَنَّ لَهُ رَبًّا يَغْفِرُ الذَّنْبَ وَ يَأْخُذُ بِالذَّنْبِ ثُمَّ عَادَ فَأَذْنَبَ فَقَالَ أَيْ رَبِّ! اغْفِرْ لِيْ ذَنْبِيْ فَقَالَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالٰی عَبْدِيْ أَذْنَبَ ذَنْبًا فَعَلِمَ أَنَّ لَهُ رَبًّا يَغْفِرُ الذَّنْبَ وَ يَأْخُذُ بِالذَّنْبِ ثُمَّ عَادَ فَأَذْنَبَ فَقَالَ أَيْ رَبِّ! اغْفِرْ لِيْ ذَنْبِيْ فَقَالَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالٰی أَذْنَبَ عَبْدِيْ ذَنْبًا فَعَلِمَ أَنَّ لَهُ رَبًّا يَغْفِرُ الذَّنْبَ وَ يَأْخُذُ بِالذَّنْبِ اعْمَلْ مَا شِئْتَ فَقَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَكَ ] [ مسلم، التوبۃ، باب قبول التوبۃ من الذنوب… : ۲۷۵۸ ] “A servant committed a sin and then said: ‘O my Lord! Forgive me my sin.’ So Allah said: ‘My servant has committed a sin, then he knew that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for sin.’ Then he sinned again and said: ‘O my Lord! Forgive me my sin.’ So Allah, Blessed and Exalted, said: ‘My servant has committed a sin, then he knew that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for sin.’ Then once more he sinned and said: ‘O my Lord! Forgive me my sin.’ So Allah, Blessed and Exalted, said: ‘My servant has committed a sin, then he knew that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for sin. (My servant!) Do as you wish, I have forgiven you.’”