إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ تَابُوا۟ مِن قَبْلِ أَن تَقْدِرُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ۖ فَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ 34
Translations
Except for those who return [repenting] before you overcome [i.e., apprehend] them. And know that Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
Transliteration
Illa alladhina taboo min qabli an taqdiroo alayhim, fa'lamoo anna Allaha ghafoorun raheem
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah provides an exception to the prescribed punishment for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger (mentioned in 5:33), stating that those who repent before being captured are exempt from that punishment. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this demonstrates Allah's mercy and encourages sincere repentance, as the door to forgiveness remains open even for grave sins until one is apprehended. The ayah concludes by affirming that Allah is Forgiving and Merciful, highlighting that repentance accepted before capture nullifies the legal punishment.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the broader legal passage in Surah Al-Ma'idah (5:33-34) addressing the punishment for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger (muharibun). The Medinan context reflects the establishment of Islamic law and justice in the Muslim community, emphasizing both accountability and the opportunity for sincere repentance before legal consequences are executed.
Related Hadiths
The principle is supported by the general hadith from Sahih Muslim wherein the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated that repentance is accepted as long as the soul has not reached the throat. Additionally, the story of Wahshi (the slave who killed Hamza) demonstrates this principle—he repented before capture and his repentance was accepted.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that sincere repentance before facing the consequences of one's actions remains a path to Allah's forgiveness, encouraging believers to turn back to Allah promptly rather than persist in wrongdoing, while also affirming that divine mercy encompasses even serious transgressions when met with genuine remorse.
Related Ayahs
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ هَمَّ قَوْمٌ أَن يَبْسُطُوٓا۟ إِلَيْكُمْ أَيْدِيَهُمْ فَكَفَّ أَيْدِيَهُمْ عَنكُمْ ۖ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۚ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ
O you who have believed, remember the favor of Allāh upon you when a people determined to extend their hands [in aggression] against you, but He withheld their hands from you; and fear Allāh. And upon Allāh let the believers rely.
وَمِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا نَصَـٰرَىٰٓ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَـٰقَهُمْ فَنَسُوا۟ حَظًّا مِّمَّا ذُكِّرُوا۟ بِهِۦ فَأَغْرَيْنَا بَيْنَهُمُ ٱلْعَدَاوَةَ وَٱلْبَغْضَآءَ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۚ وَسَوْفَ يُنَبِّئُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَصْنَعُونَ
And from those who say, "We are Christians" We took their covenant; but they forgot a portion of that of which they were reminded. So We caused among them animosity and hatred until the Day of Resurrection. And Allāh is going to inform them about what they used to do.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ شَهَـٰدَةُ بَيْنِكُمْ إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَكُمُ ٱلْمَوْتُ حِينَ ٱلْوَصِيَّةِ ٱثْنَانِ ذَوَا عَدْلٍ مِّنكُمْ أَوْ ءَاخَرَانِ مِنْ غَيْرِكُمْ إِنْ أَنتُمْ ضَرَبْتُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَأَصَـٰبَتْكُم مُّصِيبَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۚ تَحْبِسُونَهُمَا مِنۢ بَعْدِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ فَيُقْسِمَانِ بِٱللَّهِ إِنِ ٱرْتَبْتُمْ لَا نَشْتَرِى بِهِۦ ثَمَنًا وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَا قُرْبَىٰ ۙ وَلَا نَكْتُمُ شَهَـٰدَةَ ٱللَّهِ إِنَّآ إِذًا لَّمِنَ ٱلْـَٔاثِمِينَ
O you who have believed, testimony [should be taken] among you when death approaches one of you at the time of bequest - [that of] two just men from among you or two others from outside if you are traveling through the land and the disaster of death should strike you. Detain them after the prayer and let them both swear by Allāh if you doubt [their testimony, saying], "We will not exchange it [i.e., our oath] for a price [i.e., worldly gain], even if he should be a near relative, and we will not withhold the testimony of [i.e., ordained by] Allāh. Indeed, we would then be of the sinful."
ٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Know that Allāh is severe in penalty and that Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.