Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nisa Verse 48

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Surely, Allah does not forgive that a partner is ascribed to Him, and He forgives anything short of that for whomsoever He wills. Whoever ascribes a partner to Allah commits a terrible sin.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating others with Him ˹in worship˺,[[ A person will never be forgiven if they die as a disbeliever. But if they repent before their death and mend their ways, then their repentance will be accepted (see {25:68}-70).]] but forgives anything else of whoever He wills. And whoever associates others with Allah has indeed committed a grave sin.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Allah does not forgive associating partners with Him, but forgives anything less than that for whom He wills. Whoever associates partners with Allah has indeed committed a grave sin.

A. J. Arberry

God forgives not that aught should be with Him associated; less than that He forgives to whomsoever He will. Whoso associates with God anything, has indeed forged a mighty sin.

Abdul Haleem

God does not forgive the joining of partners with Him: anything less than that He forgives to whoever He will, but anyone who joins partners with God has concocted a tremendous sin.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Verily Allah shall not Forgive that aught be associated with Him, and He will forgive all else unto whomsoever He listeth. And whosoever associateth aught with Allah, he hath of a surety fabricated a mighty sin.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah forgiveth not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgiveth anything else, to whom He pleaseth; to set up partners with Allah is to devise a sin Most heinous indeed.

Abul Ala Maududi

Surely Allah does not forgive that a partner be ascribed to Him, although He forgives any other sins for whomever He wills. He who associates anyone with Allah in His divinity has indeed forged a mighty lie and committed an awesome sin.

Ahmed Ali

God does not forgive that compeers be ascribed to Him, though He may forgive aught else if He please. And he who ascribes compeers to God is guilty of the gravest sin.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Undoubtedly Allah does not forgive (the sin of) disbelieving in Him and forgives anything lower than it to whomever He wills; and whoever ascribes partners to Allah has invented a tremendous sin.

Ali Quli Qarai

Indeed Allah does not forgive that partners should be ascribed to Him, but He forgives anything besides that to whomever He wishes. Whoever ascribes partners to Allah has indeed fabricated [a lie] in great sinfulness.

Ali Ünal

Assuredly God does not forgive that partners be associated with Him; less than that He forgives to whomever He wills (whomever He has guided to repentance and righteousness either out of His pure grace or as a result of the person’s choosing repentance and righteousness by his free will). Whoever associates any partner with God has indeed fabricated a most heinous sin.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Surely, Allâh does not forgive (unless the sinner turns to Him with repentance) that a partner be associated with Him but He forgives everything short of it to whomsoever He will. And whoso associates a partner with Allâh has indeed committed a very great sin.

English Literal

That God does not forgive that to be shared with Him, and He forgives what (is) other than that, to who He wills/wants, and who shares with God, so he fabricated a great sin/crime.

Faridul Haque

Undoubtedly Allah does not forgive (the sin of ) of disbelieving in Him and forgives anything lower than it to whomever He wills; and whoever ascribes partners to Allah has invented a tremendous sin.

Hamid S. Aziz

Behold, how they devise lies against Allah, and that is manifest sin enough.

Hilali & Khan

Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases, and whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

O you who have been given the Book, believe in what we have revealed, verifying that which you have, before We destroy the leaders and turn them on their backs, or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath-breakers. And the command of Allah is ever executed.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Surely Allah does not forgive that anything should be associated with Him, and forgives what is besides that to whomsoever He pleases; and whoever associates anything with Allah, he devises indeed a great sin.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Lo! Allah forgiveth not that a partner should be ascribed unto Him. He forgiveth (all) save that to whom He will. Whoso ascribeth partners to Allah, he hath indeed invented a tremendous sin.

Muhammad Sarwar

God does not forgive the sin of considering others equal to Him, but He may choose to forgive other sins. Whoever believes in other gods besides Him has indulged in a great sin.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Allah does not forgive (the sin of inventing an) association with Him, but He forgives other (sins) to whomsoever He will. He who associates with Allah has invented a great sin.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that to whom He wills; and whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin.

Wahiduddin Khan

God will not forgive anyone for associating something with Him, while He will forgive whoever He wishes for anything besides that. Whoever ascribes partners to God is guilty of a monstrous sin.

Talal Itani

God does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives anything less than that to whomever He wills. Whoever associates anything with God has devised a monstrous sin.

Tafsir jalalayn

God forgives not that anything should be associated with Him. But He forgives other than, save, that, of sins, to whomever He wills, forgiveness for, by admitting him into Paradise without punishment. And whomever He wills of the believers He punishes for their sins, and then admits them into Paradise. Whoever associates anything with God, then he has indeed invented a tremendous, a great, sin.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

إِنَّ اللّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ

Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship),

meaning, He does not forgive a servant if he meets Him while he is associating partners with Him.

وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ

but He forgives except that (of sins),

لِمَن يَشَاء

to whom He wills,

of His servants.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Dharr said that the Messenger of Allah said,

إِنَّ اللهَ يَقُولُ

Allah said,

يَا عَبْدِي مَا عَبَدْتَنِي وَرَجَوْتَنِي فَإِنِّي غَافِرٌ لَكَ عَلى مَا كَانَ فِيكَ

"O My servant! As long as you worship and beg Me, I will forgive you, no matter your shortcomings.

يَا عَبْدِي إِنَّكَ إِنْ لَقِيتَنِي بِقُرَابِ الاْاَرْضِ خَطِييَةً مَا لَمْ تُشْرِكْ بِي لَقِيتُكَ بِقُرَابِهَا مَغْفِرَة

O My servant! If you meet Me with the earth's fill of sin, yet you do not associate any partners with Me, I will meet you with its fill of forgiveness."

Only Ahmad recorded this Hadith with this chain of narration.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Dharr said,

"I came to the Messenger of Allah and he said,

مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ قَالَ لَاا إِلهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ ثُمَّ مَاتَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ إِلاَّ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّة

"No servant proclaims,`There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah,' and dies on that belief, but will enter Paradise."

I said, "Even if he committed adultery and theft!"

وَإِنْ زَنَى وَإِنْ سَرَق

He said, "Even if he committed adultery and theft."

I asked again, "Even if he committed adultery and theft!"

وَإِنْ زَنَى وَإِنْ سَرَقَ ثَلَإثًا

He said, "Even if he committed adultery and theft."

The fourth time, he said,

عَلَى رَغْمِ أَنْفِ أَبِي ذَر

"Even if Abu Dharr's nose was put in the dust."

Abu Dharr departed while pulling his Izar and saying, "Even if Abu Dharr's nose was put in the dust."

Ever since that happened, Abu Dharr used to narrate the Hadith and then comment, "Even if Abu Dharr's nose was put in dust."

The Two Sahihs recorded this Hadith.

Al-Bazzar recorded that Ibn Umar said,

"We used to refrain from begging (Allah) for forgiveness for those who commit major sins until we heard our Prophet reciting,
إِنَّ اللّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ

لِمَن يَشَاء
(Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills;),

and his saying,

أَخَّرْتُ شَفَاعَتِي لاَِهْلِ الْكَبَايِرِ مِنْ أُمَّتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَة

I have reserved my intercession on the Day of Resurrection for those among my Ummah who commit major sins."

Allah's statement,

وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللّهِ فَقَدِ افْتَرَى إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا



and whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin.

is similar to His statement,

إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ

Verily, joining others in worship with Allah is a great Zulm (wrong) indeed. (31;13)

In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Ibn Mas`ud said,

"I said, `O Messenger of Allah! Which is the greatest sin?'

He said,

أَنْ تَجْعَلَ للهِ نِدًّا وَهُوَ خَلَقَك

To make a rival with Allah, while He Alone created you.