إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ تَابُوا۟ وَأَصْلَحُوا۟ وَٱعْتَصَمُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَأَخْلَصُوا۟ دِينَهُمْ لِلَّهِ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ مَعَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۖ وَسَوْفَ يُؤْتِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا 146
Translations
Except for those who repent, correct themselves, hold fast to Allāh, and are sincere in their religion for Allāh, for those will be with the believers. And Allāh is going to give the believers a great reward.
Transliteration
Illa alladhina taboo wa aslahoo wa'tasamoo billahi wa akhlasoo deenahu lillahi fa-ula'ika ma'a al-mu'mineen wa sawfa yu'ti allahu al-mu'mineen ajran 'azheema
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah provides an exception to the previous verses condemning those who disbelieve and reject faith, offering hope for repentance and restoration. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, those who sincerely repent (taba), reform their actions (aslahu), hold firmly to Allah (i'tasamu), and purify their religion exclusively for Allah will be counted among the believers and shall receive a tremendous reward. The four conditions—repentance, reform, steadfastness, and sincere devotion—form a comprehensive path to redemption and acceptance.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Medinan surah addressing the hypocrisy and disbelief prevalent in Medina during the Prophet's time. The broader context (4:137-146) discusses those who waver in faith and reject belief, making this verse's message of redemption through sincere repentance particularly relevant to the Muslim community navigating challenges in the early Islamic state.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Allah accepts the repentance of His servant as long as the soul has not departed from the body' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3537). Additionally, 'Repentance wipes away all sins that came before it' (Sunan Ibn Majah 4250), emphasizing that sincere tawbah (repentance) erases past transgressions.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that no sin is unforgivable if accompanied by genuine repentance, sincere reform, and exclusive devotion to Allah—offering profound hope and motivation for spiritual transformation. It emphasizes that repentance is not merely regret but requires concrete action (islah) and unwavering commitment (i'tisam) to walk the righteous path.