Tafsir

فَتُوبُواْ إِلَى بَارِئِكُمْ فَاقْتُلُواْ أَنفُسَكُمْ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ عِندَ بَارِئِكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ(So turn in repentance to your Creator and kill yourselves (the guilty), that will be better for you before your Creator." Then He accepted your repentance. Truly, He is the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful.) 2:54 As for the humiliation mentioned in the Ayah, it pertains to the disgrace and humiliation that the Jews suffered in the life of this world. Allah's statement, وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى الْمُفْتَرِينَ(Thus do We recompense those who invent lies) is for all those who invent an innovation (in religion). Surely, the disgrace resulting from inventing an innovation (in religion) and defying Allah's Message, will be placed in the heart and from there on to the shoulders.

Al-Hasan Al-Basri said; "The disgrace of innovation will weigh on their shoulders even if they were to gallop on their mules or trot on their work horses." Ayyub As-Sakhtiyani narrated from Abu Qilabah Al-Jarmi that he commented on this Ayah, وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى الْمُفْتَرِينَ(Thus do We recompense those who invent lies.) "By Allah! This Ayah is for all those who invent a lie, until the Day of Resurrection." Also, Sufyan bin `Uyaynah said, "Every person who invents a Bid`ah (innovation in the religion) will taste disgrace."Allah tells His servants that He accepts repentance from His servants for any sin, even Shirk, Kufr, hypocrisy and disobedience.

Allah said: وَالَّذِينَ عَمِلُواْ السَّيِّئَاتِ ثُمَّ تَابُواْ مِن بَعْدِهَا وَءَامَنُواْ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ(But those who committed evil deeds and then repented afterwards and believed, verily, your Lord) O Muhammad, Messenger of Repentance and Prophet of Mercy, مِن بَعْدِهَا(after that) after committing that evil action, لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ(is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) Ibn Abi Hatim reported that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud was asked about a man committing fornication with a woman and then marrying her, and Ibn Mas`ud recited this Ayah, وَالَّذِينَ عَمِلُواْ السَّيِّئَاتِ ثُمَّ تَابُواْ مِن بَعْدِهَا وَءَامَنُواْ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ مِن بَعْدِهَا لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ (But those who committed evil deeds and then repented afterwards and believed, verily, your Lord after (all) that is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) `Abdullah recited this Ayah ten times, neither allowing nor disallowing it.

The verse 153 speaks of the people who repented to Allah for their sin after the admonitions of their Prophet, and fulfilled the formidable condition of killing each other for their forgiveness. They killed each other as was stipulated in the command of Allah for their forgiveness by Allah. The Prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) called them to him and informed them that Allah had accepted their repentance. The people killed in this combat were awarded martyrdom while those who survived were forgiven by Allah. This implies that those who get themselves involved in sinful acts, if repent to Allah and correct their belief, Allah forgives them in His mercy with no regard to the gravity of the act. It is, therefore wise to turn to Allah in repentance instantly after every sinful act.'

والذين عملوا السيئات من الكفر والمعاصي، ثم رجعوا مِن بعد فعلها إلى الإيمان والعمل الصالح، إن ربك من بعد التوبة النصوح لغفور لأعمالهم غير فاضحهم بها، رحيم بهم وبكل مَن كان مثلهم من التائبين.

ثم نبه تعالى عباده وأرشدهم إلى أنه يقبل توبة عباده من أي ذنب كان ، حتى ولو كان من كفر أو شرك أو نفاق أو شقاق ; ولهذا عقب هذه القصة بقوله : ( والذين عملوا السيئات ثم تابوا من بعدها وآمنوا إن ربك ) أي : يا محمد ، يا رسول الرحمة ونبي النور ( من بعدها ) أي : من بعد تلك الفعلة ) لغفور رحيم )وقال ابن أبي حاتم : حدثنا أبي ، حدثنا مسلم بن إبراهيم ، حدثنا أبان ، حدثنا قتادة ، عن عزرة عن الحسن العرفي ، عن علقمة ، عن عبد الله بن مسعود ; أنه سئل عن ذلك - يعني عن الرجل يزني بالمرأة ، ثم يتزوجها - فتلا هذه الآية : ( والذين عملوا السيئات ثم تابوا من بعدها وآمنوا إن ربك من بعدها لغفور رحيم ) فتلاها عبد الله عشر مرات ، فلم يأمرهم بها ولم ينههم عنها .