إِنَّمَا ٱلتَّوْبَةُ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلسُّوٓءَ بِجَهَٰلَةٍ ثُمَّ يَتُوبُونَ مِن قَرِيبٍ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ يَتُوبُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا
6:55; 16:120; 24:6.
Commentary:
The expression بجھالة (ignorantly) does not mean that the offenders do evil without knowing that it is evil. In fact, every evil deed which a man does is an act of ignorance, born of lack of true knowledge. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said, "There are some kinds of 'knowledge' which are really 'ignorance' ", i.e. the learning of which is injurious to man (Bihar). So the expression بجھالة (ignorantly) has been added to point to the philosophy of sin and to exhort people to acquire true knowledge with a view to avoiding sin.
The words من قریب (soon after) here mean "before death" which may come at any time and is thus always near. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said: "Allah accepts the repentance of man till the agonies of death" Muslim, ch. on Taubah). This explanation is corroborated by what is said in the next verse (4:19), viz. who continue to do evil until when death faces one of them, he says, I do repent now. This shows that repentance may be accepted of any person, if he sincerely repents before death actually overtakes him.
6:55; 16:120; 24:6.
The words "in ignorance" do not mean that the offenders do evil without knowing that it is evil. In fact, every evil deed which a man does is an act done in ignorance, born of lack of proper and adequate knowledge. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said, "There are some kinds of knowledge which are really ignorance," i.e. the learning of which is injurious to man (Bihar). So the words "in ignorance" have been added to point to the nature and philosophy of sin and to exhort people to acquire useful knowledge with a view to avoiding sin.
The words "soon after" here mean "before death". The next verse which says "who continue to do evil until when death faces one of them," supports this meaning.