إِن تَجْتَنِبُوا۟ كَبَآئِرَ مَا تُنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ نُكَفِّرْ عَنكُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمْ وَنُدْخِلْكُم مُّدْخَلًا كَرِيمًا 31
Translations
If you avoid the major sins which you are forbidden, We will remove from you your lesser sins and admit you to a noble entrance [into Paradise].
Transliteration
In tajtniboo kaba'ira ma tunhawna anhu nukaффir ankum sayyia'atikum wa nudkhilkum mudkhalan kareem
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that avoiding major sins (kabā'ir) results in the expiation of minor sins and entry into Paradise. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that while major sins require sincere repentance, abstaining from them demonstrates true piety and leads to Allah's forgiveness of lesser transgressions. This ayah reflects the Quranic principle of divine mercy balanced with accountability—those who avoid grievous offenses are granted honor and dignity in the Hereafter.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah An-Nisa (a Medinan chapter dealing with social law and ethics) and follows verses establishing moral boundaries for the Muslim community. It addresses the believers' concerns about sins and provides reassurance about Allah's mercy, contextualizing the importance of moral discipline within Islamic jurisprudence.
Related Hadiths
Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'The five daily prayers, Friday to Friday, and Ramadan to Ramadan expiate the sins between them, provided the major sins are avoided' (Sahih Muslim 233). Additionally, the Prophet stated: 'Avoid the seven destructive sins' (Sahih Bukhari 2766), emphasizing the significance of avoiding kabā'ir.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims that spiritual success is achievable through conscious avoidance of major transgressions and sincere commitment to righteousness, offering hope that Allah's mercy encompasses those who genuinely strive to purify themselves. For modern readers, it emphasizes that perfection is not required—rather, intentional effort to avoid grievous wrongs while seeking forgiveness for minor lapses constitutes the path to divine acceptance.
Related Ayahs
إِنَّا نَطْمَعُ أَن يَغْفِرَ لَنَا رَبُّنَا خَطَـٰيَـٰنَآ أَن كُنَّآ أَوَّلَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
Indeed, we aspire that our Lord will forgive us our sins because we were the first of the believers."
لَا تَعْتَذِرُوا۟ قَدْ كَفَرْتُم بَعْدَ إِيمَـٰنِكُمْ ۚ إِن نَّعْفُ عَن طَآئِفَةٍ مِّنكُمْ نُعَذِّبْ طَآئِفَةًۢ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ مُجْرِمِينَ
Make no excuse; you have disbelieved [i.e., rejected faith] after your belief. If We pardon one faction of you - We will punish another faction because they were criminals.
إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِى يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا فَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ
Indeed, there was a party of My servants who said, 'Our Lord, we have believed, so forgive us and have mercy upon us, and You are the best of the merciful.'
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ جَآءُوكَ فَٱسْتَغْفَرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ ٱلرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابًا رَّحِيمًا
And We did not send any messenger except to be obeyed by permission of Allāh. And if, when they wronged themselves, they had come to you, [O Muḥammad], and asked forgiveness of Allāh and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allāh Accepting of Repentance and Merciful.