لَيْسَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ جُنَاحٌ فِيمَا طَعِمُوٓا۟ إِذَا مَا ٱتَّقَوا۟ وَّءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ ثُمَّ ٱتَّقَوا۟ وَّءَامَنُوا۟ ثُمَّ ٱتَّقَوا۟ وَّأَحْسَنُوا۟ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ 93
Translations
There is not upon those who believe and do righteousness [any] blame concerning what they have eaten [in the past] if they [now] fear Allāh and believe and do righteous deeds, and then fear Allāh and believe, and then fear Allāh and do good; and Allāh loves the doers of good.
Transliteration
Laysa alaa alladhina amanoo wa amiloo assalihati junahun fima taAAimoo itha ma ittaqaw wa amanoo wa amiloo assalihati thumma ittaqaw wa amanoo thumma ittaqaw wa ahsanoo wallahu yuhibbu almuhsineen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah absolves the believers who have faith and perform righteous deeds of any blame regarding what they have consumed, provided they maintain piety, faith, and good actions. The repetition of 'then they feared Allah and believed and did good deeds' emphasizes the continuous nature of piety and moral excellence. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi note this passage concerns those who may have unknowingly consumed unlawful food before learning of Islamic dietary laws, reassuring them that sincere repentance and steadfastness in faith removes any sin, as Allah loves those who do good (muhsineen).
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Ma'idah's discussion of halal and haram foods (5:87-93). It was revealed to clarify the ruling for new converts and believers who may have consumed forbidden foods in ignorance before accepting Islam or before learning detailed Islamic commandments. The passage reassures them that Allah's mercy extends to those who repent sincerely and commit to righteous conduct thereafter.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'Islam erases what came before it, and repentance erases what came before it' (Sahih Muslim). Also relevant is the hadith emphasizing that Allah accepts repentance: 'Whoever repents before the sun rises from the west, Allah will accept his repentance' (Sahih Muslim 2703).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that sincere believers who unknowingly commit shortcomings are pardoned when they repent and steadfastly maintain faith and righteous action. For modern readers, it emphasizes that Allah's justice is tempered with mercy, and spiritual growth is a progressive journey of continuous improvement in piety and moral excellence.
Related Ayahs
وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ يَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
And to Allāh belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. He forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills. And ever is Allāh Forgiving and Merciful.
وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ لَنُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنْهُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتِهِمْ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَحْسَنَ ٱلَّذِى كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
And those who believe and do righteous deeds - We will surely remove from them their misdeeds and will surely reward them according to the best of what they used to do.
سَابِقُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا كَعَرْضِ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ أُعِدَّتْ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو ٱلْفَضْلِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ
Race [i.e., compete] toward forgiveness from your Lord and a Garden whose width is like the width of the heavens and earth, prepared for those who believed in Allāh and His messengers. That is the bounty of Allāh which He gives to whom He wills, and Allāh is the possessor of great bounty.
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ تَابُوا۟ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ وَأَصْلَحُوا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Except for those who repent after that and correct themselves. For indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.