Al-Qur'an Surah Az-Zumar Verse 53

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Say (on My behalf), “O servants of Mine who have acted recklessly against their own selves, do not despair of Allah’s mercy. Surely, Allah will forgive all sins. Surely, He is the One who is the Most-Forgiving, the Very-Merciful.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Say, ˹O Prophet, that Allah says,˺ “O My servants who have exceeded the limits against their souls! Do not lose hope in Allah’s mercy, for Allah certainly forgives all sins.[[ No matter how big someone’s sins are, they cannot be bigger than Allah’s mercy. Based on {4:48}, the only unforgivable sin in Islam is if someone dies while disbelieving in Allah or associating others with Him in worship. In an authentic narration collected by At-Tirmiⱬi, the Prophet (ﷺ) reports that Almighty Allah says, O children of Adam! As long as you call upon Me, putting your hope in Me, I will forgive you for what you have done, and I will not mind. O  children of Adam! If your sins were to reach the clouds of the sky and then you sought My forgiveness, I would ˹still˺ forgive you. O  children of Adam! If you were to come to Me with sins filling the whole world and then you came to Me without associating other gods with Me, I would certainly match your sins with forgiveness. ]] He is indeed the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Say [Allah says], “O My slaves who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of Allah’s mercy, for indeed Allah forgives all sins. He is indeed the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

A. J. Arberry

Say: 'O my people who have been prodigal against yourselves, do not despair of God's mercy; surely God forgives sins altogether; surely He is the All-forgiving, the All-compassionate.

Abdul Haleem

Say, ‘[God says], My servants who have harmed yourselves by your own excess, do not despair of God’s mercy. God forgives all sins: He is truly the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Say thou: my bondmen who have committed extravagance against themselves despair not of the mercy of Allah; verily Allah will forgive the sins altogether. Verily He! He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Say; "O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah; for Allah forgives all sins; for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Abul Ala Maududi

Tell them, (O Prophet): “My servants who have committed excesses against themselves, do not despair of Allah's Mercy. Surely Allah forgives all sins. He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Ahmed Ali

Say: "O creatures of God, those of you who have acted against your own interests should not be disheartened of the mercy of God. Surely God forgives all sins. He is all-forgiving and all-merciful.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Proclaim (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “O my* slaves, who have wronged themselves, do not lose hope in Allah’s mercy; indeed Allah forgives all sins; indeed He only is the Oft Forgiving, the Most Merciful.” (All Muslims are truly the slaves of Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him.)

Ali Quli Qarai

Say [that Allah declares,] ‘O My servants who have committed excesses against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed Allah will forgive all sins. Indeed, He is the All-forgiving, the All-merciful.

Ali Ünal

Say: "(God gives you hope): ‘O My servants who have been wasteful (of their God-given opportunities and faculties) against (the good of) their own souls! Do not despair of God’s Mercy. Surely God forgives all sins. He is indeed the All-Forgiving, the All-Compassionate.’ "

Amatul Rahman Omar

Say, `O My servants who have committed excesses against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of Allâh. Surely, Allâh forgives all sins. Verily, He is the Great Protector, the Ever Merciful.´

English Literal

Say: "You my worshippers/slaves those who neglected/ignored on themselves, do not despair from God`s mercy, that truly God forgives the crimes all/all together, that truly He is the forgiving, the merciful."

Faridul Haque

Proclaim (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “O my * slaves, who have wronged themselves, do not lose hope in Allah’s mercy; indeed Allah forgives all sins; indeed He only is the Oft Forgiving, the Most Merciful.” (All Muslims are truly the slaves of Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him.)

Hamid S. Aziz

Say, "O my servants! Who have acted extravagantly (transgressed) against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of Allah; surely Allah forgives all faults; surely He is the Forgiving the Merciful.

Hilali & Khan

Say: "O 'Ibadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Know they not that Allah gives ample subsistence to whom He pleases, and He straitens; surely there are signs in this for a people who believe.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Say: O my servants! who have acted extravagantly against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of Allah; surely Allah forgives the faults altogether; surely He is the Forgiving the Merciful.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Say: O My slaves who have been prodigal to their own hurt! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, Who forgiveth all sins. Lo! He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Muhammad Sarwar

(Muhammad), tell my servants who have committed injustice to themselves, "Do not despair of the mercy of God. God certainly forgives all sins. He is All-forgiving and All-merciful."

Qaribullah & Darwish

Say: 'O My worshipers, who have sinned excessively against themselves, do not despair of the Mercy of Allah, surely, Allah forgives all sins. He is theForgiver, the Most Merciful.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, verily, Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

Wahiduddin Khan

Say, [God says] "O My servants, who have committed excesses against their own souls, do not despair of God's mercy, for God surely forgives all sins. He is truly the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Talal Itani

Say, “O My servants who have transgressed against themselves: do not despair of God’s mercy, for God forgives all sins. He is indeed the Forgiver, the Clement.”

Tafsir jalalayn

Say [that God declares]; `O My servants who have been prodigal against their own souls, do not despair (read taqnit, taqnat, or taqnut), do not give up hope, of God's mercy. Truly God forgives all sins, for those who repent from idolatry. Truly He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Call to repent before the Punishment comes

Allay says,

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًاِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

Say;"O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, verily, Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

This Ayah is a call to all sinners, be they disbelievers or others, to repent and turn to Allah. This Ayah tells us that Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, will forgive all the sins of those who repent to Him and turn back to Him, no matter what or how many his sins are, even if they are like the foam of the sea.

This cannot be interpreted as meaning that sins will be forgiven without repentance, because Shirk can only be forgiven for the one who repents from it.

Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said that some of the people of Shirk killed many people and committed Zina (illegal sexual acts) to a great extent; they came to Muhammad and said,

"What you are saying and calling us to is good; if only you could tell us that there is an expiation for what we have done."

Then the following Ayat were revealed;

وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَـهَا ءَاخَرَ وَلَا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِى حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا يَزْنُونَ

And those who invoke not any other god along with Allah, nor kill such person as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse. (25;68)

Allay says,

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ

Say;"O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah.

This was also recorded by Muslim, Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i.

What is meant by the first Ayah (25;68) is;

إِلاَّ مَن تَابَ وَءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلً صَـلِحاً

Except those who repent and believe, and do righteous deeds, (25;70)

Imam Ahmad recorded that Asma' bint Yazid, said,

"I heard the Messenger of Allah reciting,
إِنَّهُ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَـلِحٍ
(verily, his work is unrighteous) (11;46), and I heard him say;

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًاِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

Say;"O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, verily, Allah forgives all sins He does not reckon him Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

This was also recorded by Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi.

All of these Hadiths indicate that what is meant is that Allah forgives all sins provided that a person repents. Additionally, one must not despair of the mercy of Allah even if his sins are many and great, for the door of repentance and mercy is expansive.

Allah says;

أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ

Know they not that Allah accept repentance from His servants? (9;104)

وَمَن يَعْمَلْ سُوءاً أَوْ يَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرِ اللَّهَ يَجِدِ اللَّهَ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً

And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allah's forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (4;110)

Concerning the hypocrites, Allah says;

إِنَّ الْمُنَـفِقِينَ فِى الدَّرْكِ الاٌّسْفَلِ مِنَ النَّارِ وَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُمْ نَصِيراً إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ تَابُواْ وَأَصْلَحُواْ

Verily, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depth (grade) of the Fire; no helper will you find for them. Except those who repent, and do righteous good deeds, (4;145-146)

And Allah says;

لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ ثَـلِثُ ثَلَـثَةٍ وَمَا مِنْ إِلَـهٍ إِلاَّ إِلَـهٌ وَحِدٌ وَإِن لَّمْ يَنتَهُواْ عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

Surely, disbelievers are those who said;"Allah is the third of the three (in a Trinity)." But there is no god but One. And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall on the disbelievers among them. (5;73)

Then He says;

أَفَلَ يَتُوبُونَ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَهُ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

Will they not turn in repentance to Allah and ask His forgiveness For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (5;74)

And Allah says;

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ فَتَنُواْ الْمُوْمِنِينَ وَالْمُوْمِنَـتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَتُوبُواْ

Verily, those who put into trial the believing men and believing women (by torturing them), and then do not turn in repentance (to Allah). (85;10)

Al-Hasan Al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on him, said,

"Look at this generosity and kindness! They killed His close friends but He still called them to repentance and forgiveness."

There are many Ayat on this topic.

The Two Sahihs record the Hadith of Abu Sa`id, may Allah be pleased with him, from Messenger of Allah about the man who killed ninety-nine people.

Later on, he regretted it and asked a worshipper among the Children of Israel whether he could repent.

He told him no, so he killed him, thus completing one hundred.

Then he asked one of their scholars whether he could repent.

He said, "What is stopping you from repenting?" Then he told him to go to a town where Allah was worshipped.

He set out for that town, but death came to him while he was on the road. The angels of mercy and the angels of punishment disputed over him, so Allah commanded them to measure the distance between the two towns; whichever he was closer to was the one to which he belonged. They found that he was closer to the town he was heading for, so the angels of mercy took him.

It was said that when he was dying, he moved himself (towards that town), and Allah commanded the good town to move closer to him and the other town to move away. This is basic meaning of the Hadith; we have quoted it in full elsewhere.

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, commented on the Ayah;

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا

Say;"O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, verily, Allah forgives all sins..."

Allah invites all to His forgiveness; those who claim that the Messiah is God, those who claim that the Messiah is the son of God, those who claim that `Uzayr is the son of God, those who claim that Allah is poor, those who claim that the Hand of Allah is tied up, and those who say that Allah is the third of three (Trinity). Allah says to all of these;

أَفَلَ يَتُوبُونَ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَهُ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

Will they not turn in repentance to Allah and ask His forgiveness For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (5;74)

And He calls to repentance the one who says something even worse than that, the one who says, `I am your Lord most high,' and says,

مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُمْ مِّنْ إِلَـهٍ غَيْرِى

"I know not that you have a god other than me." (28;38)

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

"Anyone who makes the servants of Allah despair of His mercy after this, has rejected the Book of Allah, but a person cannot repent until Allah decrees that he should repent."

At-Tabarani recorded that Shutayr bin Shakal said, "I heard Ibn Mas`ud say,

`The greatest Ayah in the Book of Allah is;

اللَّهُ لَا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَىُّ الْقَيُّومُ

Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists, (2;255)

The most comprehensive Ayah in the Qur'an concerning good and evil is;

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالاْحْسَانِ

Verily, Allah enjoins justice and Al-Ihsan, (16;90)

The Ayah in the Qur'an which brings the most relief is in Surah Az-Zumar;

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ

Say;"O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah."

And the clearest Ayah in the Qur'an about reliance on Allah is;

وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجاًوَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ

And whosoever has Taqwa of Allah, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. (65;2-3)

Masruq said to him; `You have spoken the truth."'

Hadiths which tell us not to despair

Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

"I heard the Messenger of Allah, say;

وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ أَخْطَأْتُمْ حَتْى تَمْلَاَ خَطَايَاكُمْ مَا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالاْاَرْضِ ثُمَّ اسْتَغْفَرْتُمُ اللهَ تَعَالَى لَغَفَرَ لَكُمْ

وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍبِيَدِهِ لَوْ لَمْ تُخْطِيُوا لَجَاءَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِقَوْمٍ يُخْطِيُونَ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ اللهَ فَيَغْفِرُ لَهُم

By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, if you were to commit sin until your sins filled the space between heaven and earth, then you were to ask Allah for forgiveness, He would forgive you.

By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, if you did not commit sin, Allah would bring other people who would commit sins and then ask Allah for forgiveness so that He could forgive them."

This was recorded only by Ahmad.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Ayub Al-Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him, said, as he was on his deathbed,

"I have concealed something from you that I heard from the Messenger of Allah; he said;

لَوْلَا أَنَّكُمْ تُذْنِبُونَ لَخَلَقَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَوْمًا يُذْنِبُونَ فَيَغْفِرُ لَهُم

If you did not commit sins, Allah would create people who would sin so that He could forgive them."

This was recorded by Imam Ahmad; it was also recorded by Muslim in his Sahih, and by At-Tirmidhi.

Allah encourages His servants to hasten to repent, as He says;