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
قَدْ سَأَلَهَا قَوْمٌ مِّن قَبْلِكُمْ ثُمَّ أَصْبَحُوا۟ بِهَا كَـٰفِرِينَ
A people asked such [questions] before you; then they became thereby disbelievers.
وَإِذَا جَآءُوكُمْ قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَقَد دَّخَلُوا۟ بِٱلْكُفْرِ وَهُمْ قَدْ خَرَجُوا۟ بِهِۦ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْتُمُونَ
And when they come to you, they say, "We believe." But they have entered with disbelief [in their hearts], and they have certainly left with it. And Allāh is most knowing of what they were concealing.
وَقَالَتِ ٱلْيَهُودُ يَدُ ٱللَّهِ مَغْلُولَةٌ ۚ غُلَّتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَلُعِنُوا۟ بِمَا قَالُوا۟ ۘ بَلْ يَدَاهُ مَبْسُوطَتَانِ يُنفِقُ كَيْفَ يَشَآءُ ۚ وَلَيَزِيدَنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنْهُم مَّآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ طُغْيَـٰنًا وَكُفْرًا ۚ وَأَلْقَيْنَا بَيْنَهُمُ ٱلْعَدَٰوَةَ وَٱلْبَغْضَآءَ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۚ كُلَّمَآ أَوْقَدُوا۟ نَارًا لِّلْحَرْبِ أَطْفَأَهَا ٱللَّهُ ۚ وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَسَادًا ۚ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ
And the Jews say, "The hand of Allāh is chained." Chained are their hands, and cursed are they for what they say. Rather, both His hands are extended; He spends however He wills. And that which has been revealed to you from your Lord will surely increase many of them in transgression and disbelief. And We have cast among them animosity and hatred until the Day of Resurrection. Every time they kindled the fire of war [against you], Allāh extinguished it. And they strive throughout the land [causing] corruption, and Allāh does not like corrupters.
يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَخْرُجُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ وَمَا هُم بِخَـٰرِجِينَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّقِيمٌ
They will wish to get out of the Fire, but never are they to emerge therefrom, and for them is an enduring punishment.