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
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.
ثُمَّ يَتُوبُ ٱللَّهُ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Then Allāh will accept repentance after that for whom He wills; and Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
وَقُلِ ٱعْمَلُوا۟ فَسَيَرَى ٱللَّهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۖ وَسَتُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَـٰلِمِ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
And say, "Do [as you will], for Allāh will see your deeds, and [so will] His Messenger and the believers. And you will be returned to the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, and He will inform you of what you used to do."
۞ إِنَّمَا ٱلسَّبِيلُ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَسْتَـْٔذِنُونَكَ وَهُمْ أَغْنِيَآءُ ۚ رَضُوا۟ بِأَن يَكُونُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلْخَوَالِفِ وَطَبَعَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
The cause [for blame] is only upon those who ask permission of you while they are rich. They are satisfied to be with those who stay behind, and Allāh has sealed over their hearts, so they do not know.