سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 17
إِنَّمَا ٱلتَّوْبَةُ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلسُّوٓءَ بِجَهَـٰلَةٍ ثُمَّ يَتُوبُونَ مِن قَرِيبٍ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ يَتُوبُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا ﴿17﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Allâh accepts only the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and foolishness and repent soon afterwards; it is they whom Allâh will forgive and Allâh is Ever All-Knower, All-Wise.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِنَّمَا
innamā
Only
ٱلتَّوْبَةُ
l-tawbatu
the acceptance of repentance
عَلَى
ʿalā
by
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
لِلَّذِينَ
lilladhīna
(is) for those who
يَعْمَلُونَ
yaʿmalūna
do
ٱلسُّوٓءَ
l-sūa
the evil
بِجَهَـٰلَةٍۢ
bijahālatin
in ignorance
ثُمَّ
thumma
then
يَتُوبُونَ
yatūbūna
they repent
مِن
min
from
قَرِيبٍۢ
qarībin
soon after
فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ
fa-ulāika
Then those
يَتُوبُ
yatūbu
will have forgiveness
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
(from) Allah
عَلَيْهِمْ ۗ
ʿalayhim
upon them
وَكَانَ
wakāna
and is
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
عَلِيمًا
ʿalīman
All-Knowing
حَكِيمًۭا
ḥakīman
All-Wise
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 17) ➊ {اِنَّمَا التَّوْبَةُ عَلَى اللّٰهِ:} Here, the meaning of { ”عَلَى اللّٰهِ“ } is that Allah Almighty, out of His grace and mercy, has taken upon Himself to accept the repentance of such people; otherwise, nothing is obligatory upon Allah Almighty. (Qurtubi)
➋ { ”بِجَهَالَةٍ“ } That is, if ever, being overcome by ignorance and emotions, they do commit a sin, then { ”مِنْ قَرِيْبٍ“ } means they repent soon after. Here, there is a question: if Allah Almighty only accepts the repentance of those who sin out of ignorance, does this mean that if someone does not sin out of ignorance but knowingly and deliberately commits a sin, then his repentance will not be accepted at all? The answer is that here the condition of { ”بِجَهَالَةٍ“ } is not for exclusion, but for stating the reality. Here, ignorance does not mean unawareness or lack of knowledge, but foolishness and recklessness, because every sin is committed due to ignorance and foolishness. The one who commits a sin does so only by being heedless of its consequences; if he were to keep its outcome fully in view, he would never dare to commit the sin. The meaning of {”مِنْ قَرِيْبٍ“} is that they repent before witnessing the signs of death. With these two conditions, Allah Almighty accepts their repentance. (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir)
➋ { ”بِجَهَالَةٍ“ } That is, if ever, being overcome by ignorance and emotions, they do commit a sin, then { ”مِنْ قَرِيْبٍ“ } means they repent soon after. Here, there is a question: if Allah Almighty only accepts the repentance of those who sin out of ignorance, does this mean that if someone does not sin out of ignorance but knowingly and deliberately commits a sin, then his repentance will not be accepted at all? The answer is that here the condition of { ”بِجَهَالَةٍ“ } is not for exclusion, but for stating the reality. Here, ignorance does not mean unawareness or lack of knowledge, but foolishness and recklessness, because every sin is committed due to ignorance and foolishness. The one who commits a sin does so only by being heedless of its consequences; if he were to keep its outcome fully in view, he would never dare to commit the sin. The meaning of {”مِنْ قَرِيْبٍ“} is that they repent before witnessing the signs of death. With these two conditions, Allah Almighty accepts their repentance. (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir)
