Tafseer of The Criterion · Al-Furqaan · 25:71
And he who repents and does righteousness does indeed turn to Allah with [accepted] repentance.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
His statement وَمَنْ تَابَ — that is to say: whoever among the polytheists (mushrikīn) repents and believes in Allah and His Messenger; وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا — that is to say: and acts in accordance with what Allah commands him and obeys Him; for him Allah will do the same — namely, exchange his evil deeds in shirk for good deeds in Islām — just as He did for the one who repented, believed, and acted righteously before the revelation of this verse, from among the Companions (ṣaḥāba) of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
In accordance with what we have said concerning this, the exegetes also spoke.
— Mention of who said that:
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His statement وَمَنْ تَابَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَإِنَّهُ يَتُوبُ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَتَابًا — he said: this concerns the polytheists who said — when وَالَّذِينَ لا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ ... up to His statement وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا was revealed concerning the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: "Were these not formerly with us?" — he said: and whoever repents and acts righteously has the same as these; فَإِنَّهُ يَتُوبُ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَتَابًا — repentance is not closed off to you.
