قُل لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِن يَنتَهُوا۟ يُغْفَرْ لَهُم مَّا قَدْ سَلَفَ وَإِن يَعُودُوا۟ فَقَدْ مَضَتْ سُنَّتُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ 38
Translations
Say to those who have disbelieved [that] if they cease, what has previously occurred will be forgiven for them. But if they return [to hostility] - then the precedent of the former [rebellious] peoples has already taken place.
Transliteration
Qul lilladhīna kafarū in yantahū yughfar lahum mā qad salaf wa-in yaʿūdū faqad madat sunnat al-awwalīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah commands the Prophet (ﷺ) to announce to the disbelievers that if they cease their opposition and disbelief, their past sins will be forgiven; however, if they persist in their rejection, they will face the same destructive consequences that befell the nations before them. This ayah reflects the divine mercy extended even to those actively opposing Islam, while also warning of the immutable pattern of Allah's punishment for those who reject His signs. Ibn Kathir emphasizes that this offer of forgiveness was sincere, demonstrating Allah's patience and desire for their repentance before judgment.
Revelation Context
Revealed in the Medinan period within Surah Al-Anfal, which addresses the aftermath and lessons from the Battle of Badr. This ayah is part of Allah's instruction to the Prophet on how to address the Quraysh and other disbelievers—offering them a path to repentance while warning them of inevitable consequences if they persist in their rejection of the message.
Related Hadiths
The principle reflected here connects to the hadith: 'The best of you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it' (Sahih Bukhari 5027), emphasizing the importance of conveying Allah's message of repentance. Also related is the concept found in various hadiths about sincere repentance erasing previous sins, as in Sunan Ibn Majah regarding major and minor sins being forgiven through proper tawbah (repentance).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that genuine repentance and turning away from falsehood can absolve all past transgressions, offering hope even to those deeply entrenched in disbelief, while simultaneously reminding us that those who persist in rejecting truth will inevitably face consequences—a balance between mercy and justice that should inspire both hope in Allah's forgiveness and fear of His accountability.
Related Ayahs
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ نَتَقَبَّلُ عَنْهُمْ أَحْسَنَ مَا عَمِلُوا۟ وَنَتَجَاوَزُ عَن سَيِّـَٔاتِهِمْ فِىٓ أَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلْجَنَّةِ ۖ وَعْدَ ٱلصِّدْقِ ٱلَّذِى كَانُوا۟ يُوعَدُونَ
Those are the ones from whom We will accept the best of what they did and overlook their misdeeds, [their being] among the companions of Paradise. [That is] the promise of truth which they had been promised.
فَـَٔامَنُوا۟ فَمَتَّعْنَـٰهُمْ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ
And they believed, so We gave them enjoyment [of life] for a time.
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ جَزَآؤُهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَجَنَّـٰتٌ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ وَنِعْمَ أَجْرُ ٱلْعَـٰمِلِينَ
Those - their reward is forgiveness from their Lord and gardens beneath which rivers flow [in Paradise], wherein they will abide eternally; and excellent is the reward of the [righteous] workers.
لَّيْسَ عَلَى ٱلضُّعَفَآءِ وَلَا عَلَى ٱلْمَرْضَىٰ وَلَا عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَجِدُونَ مَا يُنفِقُونَ حَرَجٌ إِذَا نَصَحُوا۟ لِلَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ ۚ مَا عَلَى ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ مِن سَبِيلٍ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
There is not upon the weak or upon the ill or upon those who do not find anything to spend any discomfort [i.e., guilt] when they are sincere to Allāh and His Messenger. There is not upon the doers of good any cause [for blame]. And Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.