Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nisa Verse 17

Mufti Taqi Usmani

The relenting taken by Allah upon Himself is for those who do evil in ignorance, then repent shortly thereafter. So, Allah relents towards them. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Allah only accepts the repentance of those who commit evil ignorantly ˹or recklessly˺ then repent soon after[[ A person’s repentance will be accepted as long as they repent any time before their death. But one should not procrastinate because they do not know when they will die.]]—Allah will pardon them. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Allah only accepts the repentance of those who commit evil out of ignorance, then repent soon thereafter; it is they to whom Allah will turn in forgiveness, for Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

A. J. Arberry

God shall turn only towards those who do evil in ignorance, then shortly repent; God will return towards those; God is All-knowing, All-wise.

Abdul Haleem

But God only undertakes to accept repentance from those who do evil out of ignorance and soon afterwards repent: these are the ones God will forgive, He is all knowing, all wise.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

With Allah is the repentance of those alone who do an evil foolishly and thereafter repent speedily, surely it is they unto whom Allah shall relent. And Allah is Knowing, Wise.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah accept the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and repent soon afterwards; to them will Allah turn in mercy; For Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom.

Abul Ala Maududi

(And remember that) Allah's acceptance of repentance is only for those who commit evil out of ignorance and then soon repent. It is towards such persons that Allah turns graciously. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Ahmed Ali

God does accept repentance, but only of those who are guilty of an evil out of ignorance yet quickly repent, and God turns to them again, for God is all-knowing and all-wise.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Undoubtedly the repentance which Allah has by His grace made obligatory upon Himself to accept, is only the repentance of those who commit sin in folly and then soon repent – towards them does Allah incline in mercy; and Allah is the All Knowing, the Wise.

Ali Quli Qarai

[Acceptance of] repentance by Allah is only for those who commit evil out of ignorance and then repent promptly. It is such whose repentance Allah will accept, and Allah is all-knowing, all-wise.

Ali Ünal

God’s acceptance of repentance is only for those who commit evil due to an instance of defeat to the evil commanding soul, and then (pull themselves together and) repent shortly afterwards. It is they whose repentance God returns with forgiveness; and God is All-Knowing (of what everyone does and why), and All-Wise.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Verily, Allâh undertakes to accept the repentance of only those who do evil through lack of knowledge, then repent soon after. Such are the person towards whom Allâh turns with mercy. And Allâh is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

English Literal

But the repentance (is) at God to those (who) make/do the bad/evil with ignorance/foolishness, then they repent from near/close, so those God forgives on them, and God was/is knowledgeable, wise/judicious.

Faridul Haque

Undoubtedly the repentance which Allah has by His grace made obligatory upon Himself to accept, is only the repentance of those who commit sin in folly and then soon repent - towards them does Allah incline in mercy; and Allah is the All Knowing, the Wise.

Hamid S. Aziz

O you who believe! It is not lawful for you to inherit women against their will; nor to restrain them so that you may take away part of what you gave them, unless they commit flagrant lewdness; but associate with them with kindness and equity, for if you dislike them, it may be that you dislike something wherein Allah has put much good for you.

Hilali & Khan

Allah accepts only the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and foolishness and repent soon afterwards; it is they to whom Allah will forgive and Allah is Ever All-Knower, All-Wise.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And as for the two of you who are guilty of it, give them both a slight punishment; then if they repent and amend, turn aside from them. Surely Allah is ever Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Repentance with Allah is only for those who do evil in ignorance, then turn (to Allah) soon, so these it is to whom Allah turns (mercifully), and Allah is ever Knowing, Wise.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Forgiveness is only incumbent on Allah toward those who do evil in ignorance (and) then turn quickly (in repentance) to Allah. These are they toward whom Allah relenteth. Allah is ever Knower, Wise.

Muhammad Sarwar

God will only accept the repentance of those who commit evil in ignorance, if they repent immediately. God is All-knowing and All-wise.

Qaribullah & Darwish

(Allah accepts) the repentance from only those who commit evil in ignorance and then quickly turn to Him in repentance. Allah will relent towards them. Allah is Knowing, Wise.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Allah accepts only the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and foolishness and repent soon [afterwards]; it is they to whom Allah will forgive and Allah is Ever All-Knower, All-Wise.

Wahiduddin Khan

But God undertakes to accept repentance only from those who do evil out of ignorance and those who repent soon after. God turns towards such people with mercy; He is all knowing and all wise.

Talal Itani

Repentance is available from God for those who commit evil out of ignorance, and then repent soon after. These—God will relent towards them. God is Knowing and Wise.

Tafsir jalalayn

The repentance that God accepts, that is, the one which He has prescribed for Himself to accept, out of His bounty, is only of those who do evil, an act of disobedience, in ignorance (bi-jahlatin, a circumstantial qualifier, in other words, `they are ignorant' while they are disobeying their Lord); then repent shortly thereafter, before the last gasps of death; God will relent to those, He will accept their repentance. And God is ever Knowing, of His creatures, Wise, in what He does with them.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Repentance is Accepted Until one Faces death

Allah

إِنَّمَا التَّوْبَةُ عَلَى اللّهِ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السُّوَءَ بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ يَتُوبُونَ مِن قَرِيبٍ

Allah accepts only the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and foolishness, and repent soon (afterwards);

Allah states that He accepts repentance of the servant who commits an error in ignorance and then repents, even just before he sees the angel who captures the soul, before his soul reaches his throat.

Mujahid and others said,

"Every person who disobeys Allah by mistake, or intentionally is ignorant, until he refrains from the sin."

Qatadah said that Abu Al-Aliyah narrated that the Companions of the Messenger of Allah used to say,

"Every sin that the servant commits, he commits out of ignorance."

Abdur-Razzaq narrated that, Ma`mar said that Qatadah said that,

"the Companions of the Messenger of Allah agreed that every sin that is committed by intention or otherwise, is committed in ignorance."

Ibn Jurayj said,

"Abdullah bin Kathir narrated to me that Mujahid said, `Every person who disobeys Allah (even willfully), is ignorant while committing the act of disobedience."'

Ibn Jurayj said,

"Ata bin Abi Rabah told me something similar."

Abu Salih said that Ibn Abbas commented,

"It is because of one's ignorance that he commits the error."

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas said about the Ayah,
ثُمَّ يَتُوبُونَ مِن قَرِيبٍ
(and repent soon (afterwards)),

"Until just before he (or she) looks at the angel of death."

Ad-Dahhak said,

"Every thing before death is `soon (afterwards)."'

Al-Hasan Al-Basri said about the Ayah,
ثُمَّ يَتُوبُونَ مِن قَرِيبٍ
(and repent soon afterwards),

"Just before his last breath leaves his throat."

Ikrimah said,

"All of this life is `soon (afterwards)."'

Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn Umar said that the Messenger said,

إِنَّ اللهَ يَقْبَلُ تَوْبَةَ الْعَبْدِمَالَمْ يُغَرْغِر

Allah accepts the repentance of the servant as long as the soul does not reach the throat.

This Hadith was also collected by At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah, and At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Gharib".

By mistake, Ibn Majah mentioned that this Hadith was narrated through Abdullah bin `Amr. However, what is correct is that Abdullah bin Umar bin Al-Khattab was the narrator.

Allah said,

فَأُوْلَـيِكَ يَتُوبُ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكَانَ اللّهُ عَلِيماً حَكِيماً



It is they to whom Allah will forgive and Allah is Ever All-Knower, All-Wise.

Surely, when hope in continued living diminishes, the angel of death comes forth and the soul reaches the throat, approaches the chest and arrives at the state where it is being gradually pulled out, then there is no accepted repentance, nor a way out of that certain end.

Hence Allah's statements