وَءَاخَرُونَ ٱعْتَرَفُوا۟ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ خَلَطُوا۟ عَمَلًا صَـٰلِحًا وَءَاخَرَ سَيِّئًا عَسَى ٱللَّهُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ 102
Translations
And [there are] others who have acknowledged their sins. They had mixed [i.e., polluted] a righteous deed with another that was bad. Perhaps Allāh will turn to them in forgiveness. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
Transliteration
Wa akhiruna'tarafu bi dhunubihim khalatu amalan salihan wa akhara sayyi'an asa Allahu an yatubu alayhim. Inna Allaha ghafurun rahimun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to those among the hypocrites and the weak believers who openly acknowledged their sins of not participating in the expedition to Tabuk, having mixed righteous deeds with evil ones. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this group demonstrated hope in Allah's mercy and repentance, placing themselves in stark contrast to those who stubbornly denied their wrongs; Allah's response emphasizes His willingness to accept their repentance through His attribute of forgiveness (Maghfirah) and mercy (Rahmah).
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the context of Surah At-Tawbah regarding the Tabuk expedition (9 AH), where some believers made excuses for not participating in this critical military campaign. The ayah discusses three groups: those who fabricated lies, those who remained silent, and this third group who admitted their faults—the latter representing those who maintained hope in divine mercy despite their shortcomings.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet ﷺ said, 'All the children of Adam are sinners, but the best of sinners are those who repent' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Additionally, in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet emphasized that Allah accepts the repentance of His servant as long as the soul has not yet reached the throat.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that sincere acknowledgment of one's faults and honest repentance opens the door to Allah's infinite mercy, regardless of past transgressions. For believers today, it emphasizes that admitting mistakes with genuine remorse is more spiritually productive than denial or pride, and that Allah's mercy encompasses all who turn to Him sincerely.
Related Ayahs
لَوْ خَرَجُوا۟ فِيكُم مَّا زَادُوكُمْ إِلَّا خَبَالًا وَلَأَوْضَعُوا۟ خِلَـٰلَكُمْ يَبْغُونَكُمُ ٱلْفِتْنَةَ وَفِيكُمْ سَمَّـٰعُونَ لَهُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
Had they gone forth with you, they would not have increased you except in confusion, and they would have been active among you, seeking [to cause] you fitnah [i.e., chaos and dissension]. And among you are avid listeners to them. And Allāh is Knowing of the wrongdoers.
لَا يَسْتَـْٔذِنُكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ أَن يُجَـٰهِدُوا۟ بِأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِٱلْمُتَّقِينَ
Those who believe in Allāh and the Last Day would not ask permission of you to be excused from striving [i.e., fighting] with their wealth and their lives. And Allāh is Knowing of those who fear Him.
إِلَّا تَنفِرُوا۟ يُعَذِّبْكُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا وَيَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ وَلَا تَضُرُّوهُ شَيْـًٔا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
If you do not go forth, He will punish you with a painful punishment and will replace you with another people, and you will not harm Him at all. And Allāh is over all things competent.
وَمَا مَنَعَهُمْ أَن تُقْبَلَ مِنْهُمْ نَفَقَـٰتُهُمْ إِلَّآ أَنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَبِرَسُولِهِۦ وَلَا يَأْتُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ إِلَّا وَهُمْ كُسَالَىٰ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَ إِلَّا وَهُمْ كَـٰرِهُونَ
And what prevents their expenditures from being accepted from them but that they have disbelieved in Allāh and in His Messenger and that they come not to prayer except while they are lazy and that they do not spend except while they are unwilling.