What does Quran 27:11 mean?

Quran 27:11 (Surah An-Naml, Ayah 11) translates to: "Otherwise, he who wrongs, then substitutes good after evil - indeed, I am Forgiving and Merciful."

Which Surah and Juz is Quran 27:11 from?

This ayah is from Surah An-Naml (The Ant), the 27th surah of the Quran. It appears in Juz 19.

Are there hadiths related to Quran 27:11?

Yes — there are 5 hadiths related to this ayah from Sahih Muslim, Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Sahih al-Bukhari.

What tafsir is available for Quran 27:11?

Commentary on this ayah is available from Ibn Kathir, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Abbas, Al-Jalalayn — classical scholars of Quranic exegesis.

What topics does Quran 27:11 relate to?

This ayah connects to these Quranic topics: Ar-Raheem, Al-Ghafur, Forgiveness, Repentance, Justice.

Ayah 10

وَأَلْقِ عَصَاكَ ۚ فَلَمَّا رَءَاهَا تَهْتَزُّ كَأ...

27:11An-Naml

Ayah 12

وَأَدْخِلْ يَدَكَ فِى جَيْبِكَ تَخْرُجْ بَيْضَآءَ ...

إِلَّا مَن ظَلَمَ ثُمَّ بَدَّلَ حُسْنًۢا بَعْدَ سُوٓءٍۢ فَإِنِّى غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ

Illaa man zalama summa baddala husnam ba'da sooo'in fa innee Ghafoorur Raheem

Otherwise, he who wrongs, then substitutes good after evil - indeed, I am Forgiving and Merciful.

Themes in this ayah

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Mercy & forgiveness90 Repentance81

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27:11Ayah 193

6 ayahs in An-Naml are strongly about mercy and forgiveness. This is one of them.

Next on Mercy & forgiveness →27:19So [Solomon] smiled, amused at her speech, and said, "My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and…

Tafsir

Scholars offer complementary perspectives

View Full Tafsir: Al-Jalalayn on 27:11→

except him who has wronged his soul but then changed his wrong for good — he then performs good deeds — after having done evil in other words he has repented then truly I am Forgiving Merciful I will accept his repentance and forgive him.

" He who comes with goodness, there are in store for him ten like those and even more than those: 'And he who comes with vice, ' it is only for that that he is called to account. I even forgive him (as I like) and he who draws close to Me by the span of a palm I draw close to him by the cubit, and he who draws close to Me by the cubit I draw close to him by the space (covered) by two hands, and he who walks towards Me I rush towards him, and he who meets Me in the state that his sins fill the earth, but not associating anything with Me, I would meet Him with the same (vastness) of pardon (on My behalf)." This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Waki'.

Jami` at-Tirmidhi #3636Aishah narrated, saying:Sahih

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever supplicates against the one who wronged him has triumphed.”

Sahih al-Bukhari #6475Narrated Hammad:Sahih

the same narration above (i.e. 709), "I make expiation for my dissolved oath, and I do what is better, or do what is better and make expiation."

Sahih Muslim #4142Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:Sahih

He who took an oath and then found another thing better than (this) should expiate for the oath (broken) by him and do (the better thing).

Sahih Muslim #4143Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:Sahih

He who took an oath and (later on) found another thing better than that, he should do that which is better, and expiate for the vow (broken by him).