لَا تَعْتَذِرُوا۟ قَدْ كَفَرْتُم بَعْدَ إِيمَـٰنِكُمْ ۚ إِن نَّعْفُ عَن طَآئِفَةٍ مِّنكُمْ نُعَذِّبْ طَآئِفَةًۢ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ مُجْرِمِينَ 66
Translations
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.
Transliteration
Lā ta'tathirū qad kafartum ba'da īmānukum. In na'fu 'an tā'ifatin minkum nu'aththib tā'ifatan bi-annahum kānū mujrimīn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah sternly rejects the excuses of the hypocrites who remained behind during the Tabuk expedition, declaring that their absence constitutes disbelief after faith. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, Allah warns that while He may pardon some among them, He will certainly punish others due to their criminal conduct and hypocrisy. The ayah emphasizes that sincere repentance requires abandoning excuses and acknowledging one's wrongdoing without attempting to justify disobedience.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed during the Medinan period regarding the hypocrites (munāfiqūn) who made excuses for not participating in the Tabuk expedition (9th year of Hijra). The context shows Allah's response to their attempts to justify their absence from this critical military campaign, which was viewed as a test of faith and commitment to Islam.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari 4957: The Prophet ﷺ said regarding those who lagged behind from Tabuk, emphasizing that obedience and participation in communal obligations are essential markers of faith. Also relevant: The hadith in Sunan Abu Dawud about the conditions of hypocrisy, which include making excuses and breaking promises.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that genuine repentance requires honest self-accountability without excuses; we must recognize our faults sincerely rather than rationalizing them. It also reminds us that Allah's mercy and punishment are both real, and our actions—particularly regarding communal obligations—are concrete expressions of our faith.
Related Ayahs
۞ قَدْ يَعْلَمُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُعَوِّقِينَ مِنكُمْ وَٱلْقَآئِلِينَ لِإِخْوَٰنِهِمْ هَلُمَّ إِلَيْنَا ۖ وَلَا يَأْتُونَ ٱلْبَأْسَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
Already Allāh knows the hinderers among you and those [hypocrites] who say to their brothers, "Come to us," and do not go to battle, except for a few,
وَلَوْ دُخِلَتْ عَلَيْهِم مِّنْ أَقْطَارِهَا ثُمَّ سُئِلُوا۟ ٱلْفِتْنَةَ لَـَٔاتَوْهَا وَمَا تَلَبَّثُوا۟ بِهَآ إِلَّا يَسِيرًا
And if they had been entered upon from all its [surrounding] regions and fitnah [i.e., disbelief] had been demanded of them, they would have done it and not hesitated over it except briefly.
۞ 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.
مُّذَبْذَبِينَ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ لَآ إِلَىٰ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ وَلَآ إِلَىٰ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ ۚ وَمَن يُضْلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُۥ سَبِيلًا
Wavering between them, [belonging] neither to these [i.e., the believers] nor to those [i.e., the disbelievers]. And whoever Allāh sends astray - never will you find for him a way.