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Was the noble verse: (And Allah would not punish them while you are among them; and Allah would not punish them while they seek forgiveness) revealed concerning the idolaters of Mecca, and if so, does it mean that Allah accepts the repentance of a disbeliever?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The exegetes (scholars of Quranic exegesis) mentioned that the intent of the noble verse: "And Allah would not punish them while they seek forgiveness" refers to the continued presence of some Muslims among the polytheists, or the return of some polytheists to Islam. Some exegetes ruled out that the intent could be the polytheists' seeking forgiveness with their tongues, because the forgiveness sought by a polytheist holds no weight. Rather, it is an incitement to seek forgiveness, repent, and return to Islam. Allah Almighty does not accept the good deeds of polytheists except by rewarding them for them in this world, whereas in the Hereafter they will have no share.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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