Quran 4:17 — An-Nisaa, verse 17
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
But God only undertakes to accept repentance from those who do evil out of ignorance and soon afterwards repent: these are the ones God will forgive, He is all knowing, all wise.
إِنَّمَا التَّوْبَةُ عَلَى اللَّهِ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السُّوءَ بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ يَتُوبُونَ مِنْ قَرِيبٍ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ يَتُوبُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا
innamā l-tawbatu ʿalā l-lahi lilladhīna yaʿmalūna l-sūa bijahālatin thumma yatūbūna min qarībin fa-ulāika yatūbu l-lahu ʿalayhim wakāna l-lahu ʿalīman ḥakīman
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- God shall turn only towards those who do evil in ignorance, then shortly repent; God will return towards those; God is All-knowing, All-wise.
- Muhammad Asad
- Verily, God's acceptance of repentance relates only to those who do evil out of ignorance and then repent before their time runs out: and it is they unto whom God will turn again in His mercy - for God is all-knowing, wise;
- Sahih International
- The repentance accepted by Allāh is only for those who do wrong in ignorance [or carelessness] and then repent soon [after]. It is those to whom Allāh will turn in forgiveness, and Allāh is ever Knowing and Wise.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | إِنَّمَاinnamā | Only | — |
| 2 | ٱلتَّوْبَةُl-tawbatu | the acceptance of repentance | توب |
| 3 | عَلَىʿalā | by | — |
| 4 | ٱللَّهِl-lahi | Allah | أله |
| 5 | لِلَّذِينَlilladhīna | (is) for those who | — |
| 6 | يَعْمَلُونَyaʿmalūna | do | عمل |
| 7 | ٱلسُّوٓءَl-sūa | the evil | سوأ |
| 8 | بِجَهَـٰلَةٍۢbijahālatin | in ignorance | جهل |
| 9 | ثُمَّthumma | then | — |
| 10 | يَتُوبُونَyatūbūna | they repent | توب |
| 11 | مِنmin | from | — |
| 12 | قَرِيبٍۢqarībin | soon after | قرب |
| 13 | فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَfa-ulāika | Then those | — |
| 14 | يَتُوبُyatūbu | will have forgiveness | توب |
| 15 | ٱللَّهُl-lahu | (from) Allah | أله |
| 16 | عَلَيْهِمْ ۗʿalayhim | upon them | — |
| 17 | وَكَانَwakāna | and is | كون |
| 18 | ٱللَّهُl-lahu | Allah | أله |
| 19 | عَلِيمًاʿalīman | All-Knowing | علم |
| 20 | حَكِيمًۭاḥakīman | All-Wise | حكم |