وَأَنِيبُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ وَأَسْلِمُوا۟ لَهُۥ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَكُمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ ثُمَّ لَا تُنصَرُونَ 54
Translations
And return [in repentance] to your Lord and submit to Him before the punishment comes upon you; then you will not be helped.
Transliteration
Wa anibu ila rabbikum wa aslimou lahu min qabli an ya'tiakumu al-'adhab thumma la tunsarun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands believers to turn back to Allah in repentance and submit themselves to Him before the punishment comes, after which no help will be available to them. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir emphasize that this verse addresses the urgency of repentance and the finality of Allah's judgment—once the punishment arrives, intercession and aid become impossible. The verse uses the dual command of returning to Allah (anabah) and surrendering to His will (aslama) to stress complete spiritual reorientation.
Revelation Context
Surah Az-Zumar is a Meccan surah revealed during a period of intense opposition to the Prophet (peace be upon him). This ayah comes in a section addressing those who reject Allah's signs and warnings, emphasizing that repentance has a limited window of opportunity before the Day of Judgment. The broader context warns against arrogance and delay in seeking Allah's forgiveness.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The closest the Lord comes to His servant is in the middle of the night, so if you can be among those who remember Allah at that time, do so' (Tirmidhi). This relates to the theme of turning back to Allah. Also relevant is: 'Whoever repents before the sun rises from the west, Allah accepts their repentance' (Sahih Muslim), emphasizing the limited time for sincere repentance.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that repentance must not be delayed, as the opportunity is not guaranteed—we should return to Allah sincerely today rather than postponing until calamity strikes. It also reminds us that true submission requires both internal turning (anabah) and external obedience (aslama), reflecting a holistic transformation of the heart and conduct.
Related Ayahs
قَالَا رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَآ أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ
They said, "Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers."
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ تَابُوا۟ وَأَصْلَحُوا۟ وَبَيَّنُوا۟ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَتُوبُ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ وَأَنَا ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
Except for those who repent and correct themselves and make evident [what they concealed]. Those - I will accept their repentance, and I am the Accepting of Repentance, the Merciful.
وَمَن يَعْمَلْ سُوٓءًا أَوْ يَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُۥ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرِ ٱللَّهَ يَجِدِ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
And whoever does a wrong or wrongs himself but then seeks forgiveness of Allāh will find Allāh Forgiving and Merciful.
يُوسُفُ أَعْرِضْ عَنْ هَـٰذَا ۚ وَٱسْتَغْفِرِى لِذَنۢبِكِ ۖ إِنَّكِ كُنتِ مِنَ ٱلْخَاطِـِٔينَ
Joseph, ignore this. And, [my wife], ask forgiveness for your sin. Indeed, you were of the sinful."