Surah 4

Surah 4:111

"Whoever earns sin, only earns it against himself. God is knowing, wise."
The Encouragement to Seek Allah’s Forgiveness, and Warning those who Falsely Accuse Innocent People Verses 4:110-113
Show Full Scripture Context (4:110-113) — 4 Verses
Verse 110

وَمَن يَعۡمَلۡ سُوٓءًا أَوۡ يَظۡلِمۡ نَفۡسَهُۥ ثُمَّ يَسۡتَغۡفِرِ ٱللَّهَ يَجِدِ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٗا رَّحِيمٗا

Whoever does evil or does himself evil, (and) then asks forgiveness from God, he will find God is forgiving, compassionate.

Verse 111

وَمَن يَكۡسِبۡ إِثۡمٗا فَإِنَّمَا يَكۡسِبُهُۥ عَلَىٰ نَفۡسِهِۦۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمٗا

Whoever earns sin, only earns it against himself. God is knowing, wise.

Verse 112

وَمَن يَكۡسِبۡ خَطِيٓـَٔةً أَوۡ إِثۡمٗا ثُمَّ يَرۡمِ بِهِۦ بَرِيٓـٔٗا فَقَدِ ٱحۡتَمَلَ بُهۡتَٰنٗا وَإِثۡمٗا مُّبِينٗا

Whoever earns a mistake or sin, (and) then hurls it against an innocent person, will bear (the burden of) slander and clear sin.

Verse 113

وَلَوۡلَا فَضۡلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكَ وَرَحۡمَتُهُۥ لَهَمَّت طَّآئِفَةٞ مِّنۡهُمۡ أَن يُضِلُّوكَ وَمَا يُضِلُّونَ إِلَّآ أَنفُسَهُمۡۖ وَمَا يَضُرُّونَكَ مِن شَيۡءٖۚ وَأَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡكَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ وَعَلَّمَكَ مَا لَمۡ تَكُن تَعۡلَمُۚ وَكَانَ فَضۡلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكَ عَظِيمٗا

If (it were) not (for the) favor of God on you, and His mercy, a contingent of them was indeed determined to lead you astray. But they only lead themselves astray; they will not harm you at all. God has sent down on you the Book and the wisdom, and He has taught you what you did not know. The favor of God on you is great.

<110. And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allah's forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.>
<111. And whoever earns sin, he earns it only against himself. And Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise.>
<112. And whoever earns a fault or a sin and then blames it on someone innocent, he has indeed burdened himself with falsehood and a manifest sin.>
<113. Had not the grace of Allah and His mercy been upon you, a party of them would certainly have made a decision to mislead you, but they mislead none except their own selves, and no harm can they do to you in the least. Allah has sent down to you the Book, and the Hikmah, and taught you that which you knew not. And ever great is the grace of Allah unto you.>

Allah emphasizes His generosity and kindness, in that He forgives whoever repents to Him from whatever evil they commit. Allah said.
<And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allah's forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.>
‘Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn ‘Abbas commented about this Ayah, “Allah informs His servants of His forgiveness, forbearing generosity and expansive mercy. So whoever commits a sin, whether minor or major,
<but afterwards seeks Allah's forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.>
even if his sins were greater than the heavens, the earth and the mountains.”
Imam Ahmad recorded that ‘Ali said, “Whenever I hear anything from the Messenger of Allah, Allah benefits me with whatever He wills of that. Abu Bakr told me, and Abu Bakr has said the truth, that the Messenger of Allah said,
«No Muslim commits a sin and then performs ablution, prays two Rak'ahs and begs Allah for forgiveness for that sin, but He forgives him.»
He then recited these two Ayat,
<And whoever does evil or wrongs himself>, and,
<And those who, when they have committed Fahishah or wronged themselves with evil>.”
Allah’s statement,
<whoever earns sin, he earns it only against himself.>
is similar to His statement,
<no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another>.
So no one will avail anyone else. Rather, every soul, and none else, shall carry its own burden. This is why Allah said,
<And Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise.>
meaning, this occurs due to His knowledge, wisdom, fairness and mercy.
<and taught you that which you knew not.>,
before this revelation was sent down to you.
Similarly, Allah said,
<And thus We have sent to you (O Muhammad) a Ruh (a revelation, and a mercy) of Our command. You knew not what is the Book>
<And you were not expecting that the Book (this Qur'an) would be sent down to you, but it is a mercy from your Lord>.
So Allah said;
<And ever great is the grace of Allah unto you (O Muhammad).>

— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Vol. 3, Page 576-578)

About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.