Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Anfal Verse 38

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Say to those who disbelieve that if they desist (from infidelity), they shall be forgiven for what has passed (of their sins), and if they repeat, then, the precedent of the earlier people is already established (that the infidels are punished).

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Tell the disbelievers that if they desist, their past will be forgiven. But if they persist, then they have an example in those destroyed before them.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Say to those who disbelieve that if they desist, their past will be forgiven, but if they persist, then they have a precedent in those who have passed before them.

A. J. Arberry

Say to the unbelievers, if they give over He will forgive them what is past; but if they return, the wont of the ancients is already gone!

Abdul Haleem

[Prophet], tell the disbelievers that if they desist their past will be forgiven, but if they persist, they have an example in the fate of those who went before.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Say thou unto those who have disbelieved: if they desist, that which is past shall be forgiven them, and if they return, then already gone forth is the dispensation of the ancients.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Say to the Unbelievers, if (now) they desist (from Unbelief), their past would be forgiven them; but if they persist, the punishment of those before them is already (a matter of warning for them).

Abul Ala Maududi

[O Prophet!] Tell the unbelievers that if they desist from evil, their past shall be forgiven and if they revert to their past ways, then it is well known what happened with the people of the past.

Ahmed Ali

You tell the unbelievers in case they desist whatever has happened will be forgiven them. If they persist, they should remember the fate of those who have gone before them.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Say to the disbelievers that if they desist, what has passed will be forgiven to them; and if they do the same, the tradition of former people has already passed.

Ali Quli Qarai

Say to the faithless, if they cease [their belligerence against the Muslims], what is already past shall be forgiven them. But if they resume [their hostilities], then the precedent of the predecessors has already come to pass.

Ali Ünal

Tell those persistent in unbelief that if they cease (to disbelieve themselves and prevent others from entering the fold of Islam), what is past will be forgiven them; but if they revert (to their hostilities), then it is manifest by what happened to the people of old times (what their fate must be).

Amatul Rahman Omar

Say to these who disbelieve that if they desist (now from persecuting the Muslims) they will be protected against the past (misdeeds), but if they revert (to their old ways of mischief), then the example of their predecessors has already gone before (and they will meet the same doom).

English Literal

Say to those who disbelieved: "If they terminate/stop, (it) will be forgiven for them what had preceded/passed , and if they return, so the first`s/beginners`` law/manner had passed/expired ."

Faridul Haque

Say to the disbelievers that if they desist, what has passed will be forgiven to them; and if they do the same, the tradition of former people has already passed.

Hamid S. Aziz

Tell those who disbelieve, that if they desist they will be forgiven what is past; but if they return (to evil ways) then the example of men of former days has already gone before them.

Hilali & Khan

Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief) their past will be forgiven. But if they return (thereto), then the examples of those (punished) before them have already preceded (as a warning).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

That Allah may separate the wicked from the good, and put the wicked one upon another, then heap them together, then cast them into hell. These indeed are the losers.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Say to those who disbelieve, if they desist, that which is past shall be forgiven to them; and if they return, then what happened to the ancients has already passed.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Tell those who disbelieve that if they cease (from persecution of believers) that which is past will be forgiven them; but if they return (thereto) then the example of the men of old hath already gone (before them, for a warning).

Muhammad Sarwar

Muhammad, tell the unbelievers, if you give up your evil behavior, God will forgive whatever you have done in the past. But if you transgras again, your fate will be the same as that of those (unbelievers) who lived before you."

Qaribullah & Darwish

Tell the unbelievers that if they abandon their ways He will forgive them what is past; but, if they return, that was indeed the way of their forefathers who have passed away.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease, their past will be forgiven. But if they return (thereto), then the examples of those (punished) before them have already preceded (as a warning).

Wahiduddin Khan

Tell those who are bent on denying the truth that if they desist, their past shall be forgiven, but if they persist in sin, they have an example in the fate of those who went before.

Talal Itani

Say to those who disbelieve: if they desist, their past will be forgiven. But if they persist—the practice of the ancients has passed away.

Tafsir jalalayn

Say to the disbelievers, such as Ab Sufyn and his companions, that if they desist, from unbelief and from waging war against the Prophet (s), that which is past, of their deeds, will be forgiven them; but if they return, to waging war against him, the way of [dealing with] the ancients has already gone before!, that is, Our way [in dealing] with them, by destroying them; We will do the same with these ones.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Encouraging the Disbelievers to seek Allah's Forgiveness, warning Them against Disbelief

Allah commands His Prophet Muhammad,

قُل لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ إِن يَنتَهُواْ

Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease...

the disbelief, defiance and stubbornness they indulge in, and embrace Islam, obedience and repentance.

يُغَفَرْ لَهُم مَّا قَدْ سَلَفَ

their past will be forgiven.

along with their sins and errors.

It is recorded in the Sahih Al-Bukhari that Abu Wa'il said that Ibn Mas'ud said that the Messenger of Allah said,

مَنْ أَحْسَنَ فِي الاِْسْلَمِ لَمْ يُوَاخَذْ بِمَا عَمِلَ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ وَمَنْ أَسَاءَ فِي الاِْسْلَمِ أُخِذَ بِالاَْوَّلِ وَالاْخِر

He who becomes good in his Islam, will not be punished for what he has committed during Jahiliyyah (before Islam). He who becomes bad in his Islam, will face a punishment for his previous and latter deeds.

It is also recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah said,

الاِْسْلَمُ يَجُبُّ مَا قَبْلَهُ وَالتَّوْبَةُ تَجُبُّ مَا كَانَ قَبْلَهَا

"Islam erases what occurred before it, and repentance erases what occurs before it."

Allah said,

وَإِنْ يَعُودُواْ

But if they return,

and remain on their ways,

فَقَدْ مَضَتْ سُنَّةُ الَاوَّلِينِ



then the examples of those (punished) before them have already preceded.

meaning, Our way with the nations of old is that when they disbelieve and rebel, We send down to them immediate torment and punishment.
The Order to fight to eradicate Shirk and Kufr

Allah said