سَوَآءٌ عَلَيْهِمْ أَسْتَغْفَرْتَ لَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ لَن يَغْفِرَ ٱللَّهُ لَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ 6
Translations
It is all the same for them whether you ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them; never will Allāh forgive them. Indeed, Allāh does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.
Transliteration
Sawāʾun ʿalayhim astaghfarta lahum am lam tastaghfir lahum lan yaghfira -llāhu lahum ʾinna -llāha lā yahdī -lqawma -lfāsiqīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah declares that Allah's forgiveness is withheld from the hypocrites regardless of whether the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) seeks forgiveness for them or not, as their hearts are sealed in disbelief and rebellion against Allah. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this verse demonstrates Allah's ultimate justice—those who persistently reject faith and combine it with outward pretense have placed themselves beyond the scope of divine mercy. The hypocrites' condition is irreversible because their transgression (fisq) stems from a deliberate choice to reject guidance, not from weakness of faith.
Revelation Context
This surah was revealed in Medina regarding the hypocrites of Madinah who outwardly professed Islam while harboring disbelief and enmity toward the Prophet and believers. The specific context relates to the hypocrites' attempts to undermine the Muslim community, and this ayah reinforces that no intercession—not even from the Prophet—can benefit those who have sealed their hearts against truth. The thematic focus is on the hopelessness of the hypocrites' spiritual state due to their deliberate rejection.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim records that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The example of the believer is like a standing grain whose leaves and branches bend with the wind but the grain itself remains upright; similarly, the believer faces trials but remains steadfast.' Additionally, in Surah 9:80, Allah forbade the Prophet from seeking forgiveness for the hypocrites, which contextualizes this verse's directive.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that spiritual salvation depends fundamentally on sincere intention and openness to divine guidance—external appearances or even the intercession of the righteous cannot benefit those who willfully reject truth. For believers, it serves as a sobering reminder to examine the sincerity of their faith and to guard against hypocrisy, recognizing that true belief must be reflected in both heart and action.