Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Anfal Verse 33

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And Allah was not to send scourge upon them while you (O Prophet), were in their midst, nor would Allah send scourge upon them while they are seeking forgiveness.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

But Allah would never punish them while you ˹O Prophet˺ were in their midst. Nor would He ever punish them if they prayed for forgiveness.

Ruwwad Translation Center

But Allah would not punish them while you [O Prophet] are among them, nor would Allah punish them as long as they seek forgiveness.

A. J. Arberry

But God would never chastise them, with thee among them; God would never chastise them as they begged forgiveness.

Abdul Haleem

But God would not send them punishment while you [Prophet] are in their midst, nor would He punish them if they sought forgiveness,

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And Allah is not one to chastise them whilst thou art in their midst, nor was Allah going to chastise them while they were asking forgiveness.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

But Allah was not going to send them a penalty whilst thou wast amongst them; nor was He going to send it whilst they could ask for pardon.

Abul Ala Maududi

But Allah was not to chastise them while you are in their midst; nor was Allah going to chastise them while they sought His forgiveness.

Ahmed Ali

But God would not choose to punish them while you are in their midst, nor afflict them when they are seeking forgiveness.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And it is not for Allah to punish them while you O dear Prophet (Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) are amongst them; and Allah will not punish them as long as they are seeking forgiveness. (Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him – is a mercy unto mankind.)

Ali Quli Qarai

But Allah will not punish them while you are in their midst, nor will Allah punish them while they plead for forgiveness.

Ali Ünal

But God would not punish them so long as you were among them; and God is not to punish them (or other people) while they implore Him for forgiveness for their sins.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Allâh was not going to punish them so long as you (O Prophet!) were among them, nor would He punish them while they were seeking His protection.

English Literal

And God was not to torture them and (while) you are in (between) them, and God was not torturing them and (while) they are asking for forgiveness.

Faridul Haque

And it is not for Allah to punish them while you O dear Prophet (Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him) are amongst them; and Allah will not punish them as long as they are seeking forgiveness. (Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him – is a mercy unto mankind.)

Hamid S. Aziz

But Allah would not torment them while you were amongst them; nor will He punish them while they seek forgiveness.

Hilali & Khan

And Allah would not punish them while you (Muhammad SAW) are amongst them, nor will He punish them while they seek (Allah's) Forgiveness.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And when they said: O Allah, if this is indeed the truth from Thee, then rain down on us stones from heaven or inflict on us a painful chastisement.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

But Allah was not going to chastise them while you were among them, nor is Allah going to chastise them while yet they ask for forgiveness.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

But Allah would not punish them while thou wast with them, nor will He punish them while they seek forgiveness.

Muhammad Sarwar

God would not punish them while you were among them nor while they were asking for forgiveness.

Qaribullah & Darwish

But Allah was not to punish them whilst you were living in their midst. Nor would Allah punish them if they repeatedly ask forgiveness of Him.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And Allah would not punish them while you (Muhammad) are among them, nor will He punish them while they seek (Allah's) forgiveness.

Wahiduddin Khan

But God would not punish them while you [Prophet] were in their midst, nor would He punish them so long as they sought forgiveness.

Talal Itani

But God would not punish them while you are amongst them. And God would not punish them as long as they seek forgiveness.

Tafsir jalalayn

God then says; But God was not about to chastise them, for what they requested, while you were among them, for when chastisement is sent down it is all-encompassing, and no community was ever chastised except after its prophet and the believers had departed from it; nor was God about to chastise them while they sought forgiveness, crying, as they performed the circumambulations; `Your forgiveness! Your forgiveness!'; it is also said that this [last clause] refers to those oppressed believers among them, similar to where God says Had they been clearly separated, verily We would have chastised the disbelievers among them with a painful chastisement [Q. 48;25].

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

And Allah would not punish them while you are among them, nor will He punish them while they seek (Allah's) forgiveness.

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn Abbas said,

"Pagans used to go around the House in Tawaf and proclaim, `We rush to Your obedience, O Allah, there is no partner with You,' and the Prophet would tell them,

قَدٍ قَد

Enough, enough.

But they would go on, `We rush to Your obedience, O Allah, there is no partner with You except a partner who is with You, You own Him but he does not own!

They also used to say, `O Allah, Your forgiveness, Your forgiveness.'

Allah revealed this verse;
وَمَا كَانَ اللّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنتَ فِيهِمْ
(And Allah would not punish them while you are among them...)."'

Ibn Abbas commented,

"They had two safety shelters;

the Prophet, and

their seeking forgiveness (from Allah).

The Prophet went away, and only seeking forgiveness remained."

At-Tirmidhi recorded that Abu Musa said that the Messenger of Allah said,

أَنْزَلَ اللهُ عَلَيَّ أَمَانَيْنِ لاُِمَّتِي

"Allah sent down to me two safe shelters for the benefit of my Ummah.

وَمَا كَانَ اللّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنتَ فِيهِمْ وَمَا كَانَ اللّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ


And Allah would not punish them while you are among them, nor will He punish them while they seek (Allah's) forgiveness.

فَإِذَا مَضَيْتُ تَرَكْتُ فِيهِمُ الاْإسْتِغْفَارَ إِلَى يَومِ الْقِيَامَة

When I die, I will leave the seeking of forgiveness with them, until the Day of Resurrection.

What testifies to this Hadith, is the Hadith that Ahmad recorded in his Musnad and Al-Hakim in his Mustadrak, that Abu Sa`id narrated that the Messenger of Allah said,

إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ قَالَ وَعِزَّتِكَ يَا رَبِّ لَا أَبْرَحُ أَغْوِي عِبَادَكَ مَا دَامَتْ أَرْوَاحُهُمْ فِي أَجْسَادِهِمْ

فَقَالَ الرَّبُّ وَعِزَّتِي وَجَلَلِي لَا أَزَالُ أَغْفِرُ لَهُمْ مَا اسْتَغْفَرُونِي
Shaytan said, `By Your might, O Lord! I will go on luring Your servants as long as their souls are still in their bodies.'

The Lord said, `By My might and majesty! I will keep forgiving them, as long as they keep invoking Me for forgiveness.'

Al-Hakim said, "Its chain is Sahih and they did not record it.