وَٱلَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبَـٰٓئِرَ ٱلْإِثْمِ وَٱلْفَوَٰحِشَ وَإِذَا مَا غَضِبُوا۟ هُمْ يَغْفِرُونَ 37
Translations
And those who avoid the major sins and immoralities, and when they are angry, they forgive,
Transliteration
Wa alladhīna yajtanibūna kabā'ira al-ithmī wa al-fawāhisha wa idhā mā ghaḍibū hum yaghfirūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the characteristics of the righteous servants of Allah who abstain from major sins and indecencies, and crucially, when they become angry, they exercise self-control and forgive others. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this represents a pinnacle of moral virtue—controlling one's anger despite provocation—while Al-Qurtubi notes that forgiveness in the state of anger demonstrates true spiritual strength and adherence to divine guidance, as anger naturally inclines one toward retaliation.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within a passage (42:36-39) describing the attributes of those who have understood the message of Ash-Shuraa. The surah, revealed in Mecca during a period of Qureshi opposition to the Prophet Muhammad, emphasizes patience, consultation, and moral excellence as responses to adversity. This particular ayah contextualizes forgiveness as a direct response to anger, addressing the spiritual struggle of early believers facing persecution.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The strong man is not the one who overcomes people by his strength, but the strong man is the one who controls himself when angry' (Sahih Bukhari 6114). Additionally, Tirmidhi reports that controlling anger and forgiving others is among the qualities that grant one entry into Paradise.
Themes
Key Lesson
In our modern context, this ayah teaches that true strength lies not in suppressing anger or denying its existence, but in channeling it toward forgiveness and compassion—a practice that transforms personal disputes into opportunities for spiritual growth and reflects the mercy of Allah. For contemporary believers, this is a call to cultivate emotional intelligence and respond to provocation with the grace that Allah demonstrates toward His servants.
Related Ayahs
وَمَا تَفَرَّقُوٓا۟ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْعِلْمُ بَغْيًۢا بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى لَّقُضِىَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُورِثُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ لَفِى شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ مُرِيبٍ
And they did not become divided until after knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves. And if not for a word that preceded from your Lord [postponing the penalty] until a specified time, it would have been concluded between them. And indeed, those who were granted inheritance of the Scripture after them are, concerning it, in disquieting doubt.
أَوْ يُوبِقْهُنَّ بِمَا كَسَبُوا۟ وَيَعْفُ عَن كَثِيرٍ
Or He could destroy them for what they earned; but He pardons much.
۞ وَلَوْ بَسَطَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلرِّزْقَ لِعِبَادِهِۦ لَبَغَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَـٰكِن يُنَزِّلُ بِقَدَرٍ مَّا يَشَآءُ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِعِبَادِهِۦ خَبِيرٌۢ بَصِيرٌ
And if Allāh had extended [excessively] provision for His servants, they would have committed tyranny throughout the earth. But He sends [it] down in an amount which He wills. Indeed He is, of His servants, Aware and Seeing.
ٱللَّهُ لَطِيفٌۢ بِعِبَادِهِۦ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَآءُ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْقَوِىُّ ٱلْعَزِيزُ
Allāh is Subtle with His servants; He gives provision to whom He wills. And He is the Powerful, the Exalted in Might.