التوبة

Some of the nomads around you ˹believers˺ are hypocrites, as are some of the people of Medina. They have mastered hypocrisy. They are not known to you ˹O Prophet˺; they are known to Us. We will punish them twice ˹in this world˺,¹ then they will be brought back ˹to their Lord˺ for a tremendous punishment.

Some others have confessed their wrongdoing: they have mixed goodness with evil.¹ It is right to hope that Allah will turn to them in mercy. Surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Take from their wealth ˹O Prophet˺ charity to purify and bless them, and pray for them—surely your prayer is a source of comfort for them. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

Do they not know that Allah alone accepts the repentance of His servants and receives ˹their˺ charity, and that Allah alone is the Accepter of Repentance, Most Merciful?

Tell ˹them, O  Prophet˺, “Do as you will. Your deeds will be observed by Allah, His Messenger, and the believers. And you will be returned to the Knower of the seen and unseen, then He will inform you of what you used to do.”

And some others are left for Allah’s decision, either to punish them or turn to them in mercy.¹ And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

There are also those ˹hypocrites˺ who set up a mosque ˹only˺ to cause harm, promote disbelief, divide the believers, and as a base for those who had previously fought against Allah and His Messenger.¹ They will definitely swear, “We intended nothing but good,” but Allah bears witness that they are surely liars.

Do not ˹O Prophet˺ ever pray in it. Certainly, a mosque founded on righteousness from the first day is more worthy of your prayers. In it are men who love to be purified.¹ And Allah loves those who purify themselves.

Which is better: those who laid the foundation of their building on the fear and pleasure of Allah, or those who did so on the edge of a crumbling cliff that tumbled down with them into the Fire of Hell? And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.

The building which they erected will never cease to fuel hypocrisy in their hearts until their hearts are torn apart. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Allah has indeed purchased from the believers their lives and wealth in exchange for Paradise. They fight in the cause of Allah and kill or are killed. This is a true promise binding on Him in the Torah, the Gospel, and the Quran. And whose promise is truer than Allah’s? So rejoice in the exchange you have made with Him. That is ˹truly˺ the ultimate triumph.

˹It is the believers˺ who repent, who are devoted to worship, who praise ˹their Lord˺, who fast, who bow down and prostrate themselves, who encourage good and forbid evil, and who observe the limits set by Allah. And give good news to the believers.

It is not ˹proper˺ for the Prophet and the believers to seek forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were close relatives, after it has become clear to the believers that they are bound for the Hellfire.

As for Abraham’s prayer for his father’s forgiveness, it was only in fulfilment of a promise he had made to him. But when it became clear to Abraham that his father was an enemy of Allah, he broke ties with him.¹ Abraham was truly tender-hearted, forbearing.

Allah would never consider a people deviant after He has guided them, until He makes clear to them what they must avoid. Surely Allah has ˹full˺ knowledge of everything.

Indeed, to Allah ˹alone˺ belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He gives life and causes death. And besides Allah you have no guardian or helper.

Allah has certainly turned in mercy to the Prophet¹ as well as the Emigrants and the Helpers who stood by him in the time of hardship, after the hearts of a group of them had almost faltered. He then accepted their repentance. Surely He is Ever Gracious and Most Merciful to them.

And ˹Allah has also turned in mercy to˺ the three who had remained behind, ˹whose guilt distressed them˺ until the earth, despite its vastness, seemed to close in on them, and their souls were torn in anguish. They knew there was no refuge from Allah except in Him. Then He turned to them in mercy so that they might repent. Surely Allah ˹alone˺ is the Accepter of Repentance, Most Merciful.

O  believers! Be mindful of Allah and be with the truthful.

It was not ˹proper˺ for the people of Medina and the nomadic Arabs around them to avoid marching with the Messenger of Allah or to prefer their own lives above his. That is because whenever they suffer from thirst, fatigue, or hunger in the cause of Allah; or tread on a territory, unnerving the disbelievers; or inflict any loss on an enemy—it is written to their credit as a good deed. Surely Allah never discounts the reward of the good-doers.