Al-Qur'an Surah Nuh Verse 4

Mufti Taqi Usmani

and Allah will forgive you your sins, and will respite you to an appointed term. Indeed when Allah’s term comes, it is not deferred, if you only know!”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

He will forgive your sins, and delay your end until the appointed time.[[ Meaning, it is out of Allah’s mercy that He does not hasten your punishment but allows you more time to repent.]] Indeed, when the time set by Allah comes, it cannot be delayed, if only you knew!”

Ruwwad Translation Center

He will forgive you some of your sins and grant you respite until an appointed term. Indeed, when Allah’s appointed term comes, it cannot be delayed, if you only knew!”

A. J. Arberry

and He will forgive you your sins, and defer you to a stated term; God's term, when it comes, cannot be deferred, did you but know."'

Abdul Haleem

He will forgive you your sins and spare you until your appointed time––when God’s appointed time arrives it cannot be postponed. If only you understood!’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

He will forgive you your sins, and will defer you to an appointed term. Verily the term of Allah when it cometh shall not be deferred, if ye but knew.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"So He may forgive you your sins and give you respite for a stated Term; for when the Term given by Allah is accomplished, it cannot be put forward; if ye only knew."

Abul Ala Maududi

He will forgive your sins and will grant you respite until an appointed term. Indeed when Allah's appointed term comes, it cannot be deferred; if you only knew!”

Ahmed Ali

That He may forgive some of your sins and prolong your term till an appointed time. Surely when God's appointed time is come it will not be put off, if only you knew!

Ahmed Raza Khan

“He will forgive you some of your sins, and give you respite up to an appointed term; indeed the promise of Allah cannot be averted when it arrives; if only you knew.”

Ali Quli Qarai

that He may forgive you some of your sins and respite you until a specified time. Indeed when Allah’s [appointed] time comes, it cannot be deferred, if you know.’

Ali Ünal

"So that He may forgive you your sins (which you have committed so far) and grant you respite until a term appointed by Him (instead of destroying you because of your sins). The term appointed by God, when it comes, is never deferred. If you but knew!"

Amatul Rahman Omar

`(If you do so,) He will protect you from (the commitment of sins and also the punishment of) your sins. And (by prolonging your lives) He will grant you reprieve till an appointed term. Verily, the time (of the divine decree) appointed by Allâh cannot be held back once it falls due. If only you had been possessor of true knowledge (you would have known this).´

English Literal

He forgives for you from your crimes, and He delays you to a named/identified (specified) term/time, that truly God`s term/time if (it) came (it) does not be delayed, if you were knowing .

Faridul Haque

“He will forgive you some of your sins, and give you respite up to an appointed term; indeed the promise of Allah cannot be averted when it arrives; if only you knew.”

Hamid S. Aziz

"He will forgive you some of your faults and grant you a delay for an appointed term; surely the term of Allah when it comes is not postponed; did you but know?

Hilali & Khan

"He (Allah) will forgive you of your sins and respite you to an appointed term. Verily, the term of Allah when it comes, cannot be delayed, if you but knew."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

But my call has only made them flee the more.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

He will forgive you some of your faults and grant you a delay to an appointed term; surely the term of Allah when it comes is not postponed; did you but know!

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

That He may forgive you somewhat of your sins and respite you to an appointed term. Lo! the term of Allah, when it cometh, cannot be delayed, if ye but knew.

Muhammad Sarwar

He will forgive your sins and give you a respite for an appointed time. When the time which God has appointed arrives, none will be able to postpone it. Would that you knew this!"

Qaribullah & Darwish

He will forgive you your sins and respite you till an appointed term. When the term of Allah arrives it cannot be deferred; if you but knew'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

"He will forgive you of your sins and respite you to an appointed term. Verily, the term of Allah when it comes, cannot be delayed, if you but know."

Wahiduddin Khan

He will forgive your sins and will grant you respite till an appointed time. When the time appointed by God arrives, it cannot be postponed, if you only knew."

Talal Itani

And He will forgive you of your sins, and reprieve you until a stated term. God’s term cannot be deferred once it has arrived, if you only knew.”

Tafsir jalalayn

that He may forgive you some of your sins (min dhunbikum, `some of your sins'; min may be taken as extra, because submission to God (islm) expunges everything [of sin that was committed] previous to it; or it [min] may be understood as partitive, to point out that which is due to [those who were already God's] servants) and defer you, without chastising [you], until an appointed term, the term for death. Indeed when God's term, for your chastisement -- should you not believe -- comes, it cannot be deferred, if only you knew', this, you would believe.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

يَغْفِرْ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ

He will forgive you of your sins,

meaning, `if you do what I command you to do and you believe in what I have been sent with to you, then Allah will forgive you for your sins. '

وَيُوَخِّرْكُمْ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى

and respite you to an appointed term.

meaning, `He will extend your life span and protect you from the torment that He would have made befall you if you did not stay away from His prohibitions.'

This Ayah is used as proof by those who say that obedience (to Allah), righteousness and maintaining the family ties truly increase the life span of a person.

This is like that which has been reported in the Hadith,

صِلَةُ الرَّحِمِ تَزِيدُ فِي الْعُمُر

Maintaining the family ties increases the life span.

Concerning Allah's statement,

إِنَّ أَجَلَ اللَّهِ إِذَا جَاء لَا يُوَخَّرُ لَوْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ




Verily, the term of Allah when it comes, cannot be delayed, if you but know.

means, hasten to the obedience (of Allah) before the coming of His vengeance. For verily, if He commands that to happen, it cannot be repulsed or prevented. For He is the Great One Who compels everything, and He is the Almighty Whose might all of creation succumbs to