Surah 42

Surah 42:43

"But whoever indeed is patient and forgives – surely that indeed is one of the determining factors in (all) affairs."
Forgiving or exacting Revenge on Wrongdoers Verses 42:40-43
Show Full Scripture Context (42:40-43) — 4 Verses
Verse 40

وَجَزَـٰٓؤُاْ سَيِّئَةٖ سَيِّئَةٞ مِّثۡلُهَاۖ فَمَنۡ عَفَا وَأَصۡلَحَ فَأَجۡرُهُۥ عَلَى ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ

(The) payment for an evil deed is an evil like it, but whoever pardons and sets (things) right – his reward (depends) on God. Surely He does not love the evildoers.

Verse 41

وَلَمَنِ ٱنتَصَرَ بَعۡدَ ظُلۡمِهِۦ فَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ مَا عَلَيۡهِم مِّن سَبِيلٍ

Whoever indeed defends himself after he has suffered evil, those – against them (there is) no way.

Verse 42

إِنَّمَا ٱلسَّبِيلُ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَظۡلِمُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ وَيَبۡغُونَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ بِغَيۡرِ ٱلۡحَقِّۚ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٞ

The way is only open against those who do the people evil, and act oppressively on the earth without any right. Those – for them (there is) a painful punishment.

Verse 43

وَلَمَن صَبَرَ وَغَفَرَ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمِنۡ عَزۡمِ ٱلۡأُمُورِ

But whoever indeed is patient and forgives – surely that indeed is one of the determining factors in (all) affairs.

{The recompense for an evil is an evil like thereof}. This is like the Ayat:

{Then whoever transgresses the prohibition against you, you transgress likewise against him}, and

Quoted Scripture
"[And if you punish, then punish them with the like of that with which you were afflicted](quran/16/126)}."

Justice, has been prescribed, in the form of the prescribed laws of equality in punishment (Al-Qisas), but the better way, which means forgiving, is recommended, as Allah says:

Quoted Scripture
"[and wounds equal for equal. But if anyone remits the retaliation by way of charity, it shall be for him an expiation](quran/5/45)}."

Allah says here:

Quoted Scripture
"but whoever forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is with Allah."

means, that will not be wasted with Allah. As it says in a Sahih Hadith:

«Allah does not increase the person who forgives except in honor.»

{Verily, He likes not the wrongdoers.} means, the aggressors, i.e., those who initiate the evil actions.

Quoted Scripture
"And indeed whosoever takes revenge after he has suffered wrong, for such there is no way (of blame) against them."

means, there is no sin on him for taking revenge against the one who wronged him.

{The way} means, the burden of sin,

Quoted Scripture
"is only against those who oppress men and rebel in the earth without justification;"

means, those who initiate wrongful actions against others, as it says in the Sahih Hadith:

«When two persons indulge in abusing each other, the one who initiated the wrongful action is to blame, unless the one who was wronged oversteps the mark in retaliation.»

{for such there will be a painful torment.} means, intense and agonizing. It was reported that Muhammad bin Wasi' said, "I came to Makkah and there was a security out post over the trench whose guards took me to Marwan bin Al-Muhallab, who was the governor of Basrah. He said, 'What do you need, O Abu 'Abdullah?' I said, 'If you can do it, I need you to be like the brother of Banu 'Adiy.' He said, 'Who is the brother of Banu 'Adiy?' He said, 'Al-'Ala' bin Ziyad; he once appointed a friend of his to a position of authority, and he wrote to him: If you can, only go to sleep after you make sure that there is nothing on your back (i.e., you do not owe anything to anyone), your stomach is empty and your hands are untainted by the blood or wealth of the Muslims. If you do that, then there will be no way (of blame) against you -

Quoted Scripture
"The way is only against those who oppress men and rebel in the earth without justification; for such there will be a painful torment."

Marwan said, 'He spoke the truth, by Allah, and gave sincere advice.' Then he said, 'What do you need, O Abu 'Abdullah?' I said, 'I need you to let me join my family.' He said, "Yes (I will do that)."' This was recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim. When Allah condemned wrongdoing and the people who do it, and prescribed Al-Qisas, He encouraged forgiveness:

Quoted Scripture
"And verily, whosoever shows patience and forgives,"

meaning, whoever bears the insult with patience and conceals the evil action,

Quoted Scripture
"that would truly be from the things recommended by Allah."

Sa'id bin Jubayr said, "This means, one of the things enjoined by Allah," i.e., good actions for which there will be a great reward and much praise.

— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Vol. 8, Page 600-603)

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.