لَّا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِٱللَّغْوِ فِىٓ أَيْمَـٰنِكُمْ وَلَـٰكِن يُؤَاخِذُكُم بِمَا كَسَبَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ 225
Translations
Allāh does not impose blame upon you for what is unintentional in your oaths, but He imposes blame upon you for what your hearts have earned. And Allāh is Forgiving and Forbearing.
Transliteration
Lā yu'ākhidhukumu -llāhu bi-l-laghwi fī aymānkum wa-lākin yu'ākhidhukum bimā kasabat qulūbukum wa-llāhu ghafūrun halīm
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that Allah does not hold people accountable for vain or unintentional oaths (laghw - thoughtless words spoken without deliberate intention), but rather He holds them accountable for what their hearts have genuinely intended and earned. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir explain that laghw refers to oaths made without conscious thought or deliberation, such as casual exclamations (e.g., 'by Allah' in everyday conversation), which carry no legal consequence. The ayah emphasizes Allah's divine wisdom in distinguishing between accidental utterances and intentional transgressions, reflecting His attribute as Al-Ghafūr (The Forgiving) and Al-Halīm (The Forbearing).
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the Medinan period to address the confusion among Muslims regarding the legal status of casual oaths and unintentional vows. It comes within the broader context of Surah Al-Baqarah's discussion of laws governing oaths and vows (ayahs 2:224-226), clarifying that Islamic jurisprudence distinguishes between intentional and unintentional speech.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari (6665): The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said regarding unintentional oaths: 'Allah does not punish you for unintentional oaths, but He punishes you for oaths made with intention of the heart.' Additionally, in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet clarified that laghw in oaths are those spoken without deliberate intent.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims that Allah judges actions based on sincere intention (niyyah) rather than careless words, encouraging believers to guard their hearts and intentions while finding solace in Allah's mercy toward honest mistakes. For modern readers, it reinforces that faith is rooted in heartfelt commitment rather than rigid literalism of speech.
Related Ayahs
أَمْ كُنتُمْ شُهَدَآءَ إِذْ حَضَرَ يَعْقُوبَ ٱلْمَوْتُ إِذْ قَالَ لِبَنِيهِ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِنۢ بَعْدِى قَالُوا۟ نَعْبُدُ إِلَـٰهَكَ وَإِلَـٰهَ ءَابَآئِكَ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ إِلَـٰهًا وَٰحِدًا وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُسْلِمُونَ
Or were you witnesses when death approached Jacob, when he said to his sons, "What will you worship after me?" They said, "We will worship your God and the God of your fathers, Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac - one God. And we are Muslims [in submission] to Him."
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
Allāh - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursī extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ يَعْرِفُونَهُۥ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَآءَهُمْ ۖ وَإِنَّ فَرِيقًا مِّنْهُمْ لَيَكْتُمُونَ ٱلْحَقَّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
Those to whom We gave the Scripture know him [i.e., Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ)] as they know their own sons. But indeed, a party of them conceal the truth while they know [it].
لِّلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ وَإِن تُبْدُوا۟ مَا فِىٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ يُحَاسِبْكُم بِهِ ٱللَّهُ ۖ فَيَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
To Allāh belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. Whether you show what is within yourselves or conceal it, Allāh will bring you to account for it. Then He will forgive whom He wills and punish whom He wills, and Allāh is over all things competent.