وَيُذْهِبْ غَيْظَ قُلُوبِهِمْ ۗ وَيَتُوبُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ 15
Translations
And remove the fury in their [i.e., the believers'] hearts. And Allāh turns in forgiveness to whom He wills; and Allāh is Knowing and Wise.
Transliteration
Wa yudhhib ghayz qulubihim wa yatūbu Allāhu 'alā man yashā' wa Allāhu 'alīmun hakīm
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah concludes a passage about Allah's promise to remove the rage and resentment from the hearts of the believers who fought against the polytheists, replacing their anger with contentment and peace. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as Allah's mercy in healing the psychological and emotional wounds inflicted by the disbelievers' persecution, while simultaneously affirming that repentance and forgiveness are matters of Allah's sovereign will—He grants tawbah (repentance and acceptance) to whom He wills. The ayah emphasizes Allah's perfect knowledge and wisdom in His decisions regarding who receives His grace.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah At-Tawbah, which was revealed after the Battle of Tabūk (9 AH). The surah addresses the hypocrites and those who made excuses for not participating in the military expedition, while also consoling the faithful believers who endured hardship and emotional turmoil from the conflict. This specific ayah provides comfort to the believers by promising divine solace and the removal of their inner pain.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim (2675) wherein the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'None of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself' relates thematically to the purification of hearts. Additionally, Sunan At-Tirmidhi (2504) records that the Prophet taught that Allah looks at hearts before deeds, connecting to the theme of heart-cleansing mentioned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true peace comes not from worldly victory alone, but from Allah's healing of one's inner heart and the removal of destructive emotions like anger and hatred. For modern believers, it emphasizes reliance on Allah's will in matters of forgiveness and reconciliation, recognizing that healing emotional wounds requires divine intervention and submission to His wisdom.
Related Ayahs
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَا لَكُمْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ ٱنفِرُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ٱثَّاقَلْتُمْ إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ أَرَضِيتُم بِٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا مِنَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۚ فَمَا مَتَـٰعُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ
O you who have believed, what is [the matter] with you that, when you are told to go forth in the cause of Allāh, you adhere heavily to the earth? Are you satisfied with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But what is the enjoyment of worldly life compared to the Hereafter except a [very] little.
ٱلْأَعْرَابُ أَشَدُّ كُفْرًا وَنِفَاقًا وَأَجْدَرُ أَلَّا يَعْلَمُوا۟ حُدُودَ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِۦ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ
The bedouins are stronger in disbelief and hypocrisy and more likely not to know the limits of what [laws] Allāh has revealed to His Messenger. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.
كَيْفَ يَكُونُ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ عَهْدٌ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَعِندَ رَسُولِهِۦٓ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ عَـٰهَدتُّمْ عِندَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ ۖ فَمَا ٱسْتَقَـٰمُوا۟ لَكُمْ فَٱسْتَقِيمُوا۟ لَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ
How can there be for the polytheists a treaty in the sight of Allāh and with His Messenger, except for those with whom you made a treaty at al-Masjid al-Ḥarām? So as long as they are upright toward you, be upright toward them. Indeed, Allāh loves the righteous [who fear Him].
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.