إِن تُبْدُوا۟ خَيْرًا أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ أَوْ تَعْفُوا۟ عَن سُوٓءٍ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا قَدِيرًا 149
Translations
If [instead] you show [some] good or conceal it or pardon an offense - indeed, Allāh is ever Pardoning and Competent.
Transliteration
In tubdū khayran aw tukhfūhu aw ta'fū 'an sū'in fa-inna Allāha kāna 'afuwwan qadīrā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah teaches that whether one displays goodness openly, conceals it, or pardons wrongdoing, Allah is ever-Forgiving and All-Powerful. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir interpret this as an encouragement toward noble conduct in all circumstances—whether visible or hidden—while assuring believers that Allah's forgiveness encompasses all actions. The ayah emphasizes that sincere intentions matter whether deeds are public or private, and that pardoning others is a virtue Allah rewards abundantly.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Medinan Surah An-Nisa, which addresses social and legal matters of the Muslim community. It falls within a section discussing ethical conduct and interpersonal dealings, emphasizing moral character as foundational to community welfare. The broader context of the surah concerns women's rights, inheritance, and justice, making this ayah's message about integrity and forgiveness integral to establishing righteous social order.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The merciful will be shown mercy by the Most Merciful. Be merciful to those on earth, and the One in the heavens will have mercy upon you' (Sunan At-Tirmidhi 1924). Additionally, the hadith 'Hide the faults of others, and Allah will hide your faults on the Day of Judgment' (Sunan Ibn Majah) relates directly to the theme of pardoning and concealing wrongdoing.
Themes
Key Lesson
Whether our good deeds are seen by others or known only to Allah, and whether we choose to forgive transgressions or expose them, we should remember that Allah's mercy and power encompass all—encouraging us toward consistent virtue and compassion regardless of circumstance. This ayah invites believers to cultivate sincere character, knowing that Allah values both the quality of our actions and the generosity of our hearts.
Related Ayahs
يَسْـَٔلُكَ أَهْلُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ أَن تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْهِمْ كِتَـٰبًا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ ۚ فَقَدْ سَأَلُوا۟ مُوسَىٰٓ أَكْبَرَ مِن ذَٰلِكَ فَقَالُوٓا۟ أَرِنَا ٱللَّهَ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ ٱلصَّـٰعِقَةُ بِظُلْمِهِمْ ۚ ثُمَّ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ ٱلْعِجْلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتُ فَعَفَوْنَا عَن ذَٰلِكَ ۚ وَءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ سُلْطَـٰنًا مُّبِينًا
The People of the Scripture ask you to bring down to them a book from the heaven. But they had asked of Moses [even] greater than that and said, "Show us Allāh outright," so the thunderbolt struck them for their wrongdoing. Then they took the calf [for worship] after clear evidences had come to them, and We pardoned that. And We gave Moses a clear authority.
۞ وَمَن يُهَاجِرْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ يَجِدْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مُرَٰغَمًا كَثِيرًا وَسَعَةً ۚ وَمَن يَخْرُجْ مِنۢ بَيْتِهِۦ مُهَاجِرًا إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ ثُمَّ يُدْرِكْهُ ٱلْمَوْتُ فَقَدْ وَقَعَ أَجْرُهُۥ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
And whoever emigrates for the cause of Allāh will find on the earth many [alternative] locations and abundance. And whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allāh and His Messenger and then death overtakes him - his reward has already become incumbent upon Allāh. And Allāh is ever Forgiving and Merciful.
يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَكُمْ وَيَهْدِيَكُمْ سُنَنَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَيَتُوبَ عَلَيْكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ
Allāh wants to make clear to you [the lawful from the unlawful] and guide you to the [good] practices of those before you and to accept your repentance. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَقْرَبُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَنتُمْ سُكَـٰرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ تَعْلَمُوا۟ مَا تَقُولُونَ وَلَا جُنُبًا إِلَّا عَابِرِى سَبِيلٍ حَتَّىٰ تَغْتَسِلُوا۟ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰٓ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَآءَ أَحَدٌ مِّنكُم مِّنَ ٱلْغَآئِطِ أَوْ لَـٰمَسْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا۟ مَآءً فَتَيَمَّمُوا۟ صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا فَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا غَفُورًا
O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying or in a state of janābah, except those passing through [a place of prayer], until you have washed [your whole body]. And if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women [i.e., had sexual intercourse] and find no water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and your hands [with it]. Indeed, Allāh is ever Pardoning and Forgiving.