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 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.
The right to acceptance of repentance by Allah is only for those who do evil out of ignorance and then repent soon after. It is such people whose repentance [30] Allah accepts, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
[30]
Whose Repentance is Accepted and Whose is Not:
Thus, in this verse, Allah Almighty has set two conditions for the acceptance of repentance. First, that the sin was committed out of ignorance, unawareness, or unintentionally. Second, that the wrongdoer soon realizes his mistake and repents before Allah. If, on the contrary, the sin is committed knowingly and boldly against Allah’s commands, or the sin was committed unintentionally but one deliberately delays repentance, then in such cases there is no possibility of repentance being accepted.
[30]
Whose Repentance is Accepted and Whose is Not:
Thus, in this verse, Allah Almighty has set two conditions for the acceptance of repentance. First, that the sin was committed out of ignorance, unawareness, or unintentionally. Second, that the wrongdoer soon realizes his mistake and repents before Allah. If, on the contrary, the sin is committed knowingly and boldly against Allah’s commands, or the sin was committed unintentionally but one deliberately delays repentance, then in such cases there is no possibility of repentance being accepted.
