فَتَلَقَّىٰٓ ءَادَمُ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ كَلِمَـٰتٍ فَتَابَ عَلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ 37
Translations
Then Adam received from his Lord [some] words, and He accepted his repentance. Indeed, it is He who is the Accepting of Repentance, the Merciful.
Transliteration
Fatallaqqa Adamu mir rabbihee kalimaatin fataba alayh. Innahu huwa al-Tawwabu al-Raheem.
Tafsir (Explanation)
After Adam (peace be upon him) ate from the forbidden tree, he received words of repentance from his Lord and sincerely repented, whereupon Allah accepted his repentance. This ayah demonstrates Allah's infinite mercy and willingness to forgive those who turn back to Him in genuine repentance. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note that the 'words' Adam received were likely 'La ilaha illallah' (There is no deity but Allah) or a supplication acknowledging his sin, establishing the foundation for the concept of tawbah (repentance) in Islam.
Revelation Context
This ayah concludes the narrative of Adam's creation and his test in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:34-37), which addresses the incident of Adam and Hawa eating from the forbidden tree. The passage appears in a Medinan surah and serves as a lesson to the Muslim community about the consequences of disobedience and the gates of mercy through repentance.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'All the sons of Adam are sinners, but the best of sinners are those who repent.' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Additionally, 'Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than one of you would be pleased with finding his lost camel in the desert.' (Sahih Muslim)
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that no sin is too great for Allah's mercy when met with sincere repentance and that every believer should harbor hope in Allah's forgiveness rather than despair. It establishes that repentance is always available to those who turn back to their Lord with genuine hearts, making it a source of spiritual resilience for Muslims facing their own struggles.