Surah Nisa ayat 149 Tafsir Quran 4:149

﴿إِن تُبْدُوا خَيْرًا أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ أَوْ تَعْفُوا عَن سُوءٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا قَدِيرًا﴾
[ النساء: 149]

4:149 If [instead] you show [some] good or conceal it or pardon an offense - indeed, Allah is ever Pardoning and Competent.

If you show manifest good in the way of pious deeds or conceal it if you do it in secret or pardon evil injustice then surely God is ever Pardoning Powerful.

Whether you make your wise and pious deed publicly known or you conceal it from the notice of others, or if you forgive and give up resentment against an offender and/or remit the penalty of an offense, you must realize that Allah has always been Afawun, and Qadirun

The Permission to Utter Evil in Public, For One Who Was Wronged `Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas commented on the Ayah, لاَّ يُحِبُّ اللَّهُ الْجَهْرَ بِالسُّوءِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ ( Allah does not like that the evil should be uttered in public ) "Allah does not like that any one should invoke Him against anyone else, unless one was wronged.
In this case, Allah allows one to invoke Him against whoever wronged him.
Hence Allah's statement, إَلاَّ مَن ظَلَمَ ( except by him who has been wronged. ) Yet, it is better for one if he observes patience." Al-Hasan Al-Basri commented, "One should not invoke Allah ( for curses ) against whoever wronged him.
Rather, he should supplicate, `O Allah! Help me against him and take my right from him."' In another narration, Al-Hasan said, "Allah has allowed one to invoke Him against whoever wronged him without transgressing the limits." `Abdul-Karim bin Malik Al-Jazari said about this Ayah; "When a man curses you, you could curse him in retaliation.
But if he lies about you, you may not lie about him. وَلَمَنِ انتَصَرَ بَعْدَ ظُلْمِهِ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ مَا عَلَيْهِمْ مِّن سَبِيلٍ ( And indeed whosoever takes revenge after he has suffered wrong, for such there is no way (of blame ) against them.
)" Abu Dawud recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«المُسْتَبَّانِ مَا قَالَا، فَعَلَى الْبَادِئ مِنْهُمَا مَا لَمْ يَعْتَدِ الْمَظْلُوم»
( Whatever words are uttered by those who curse each other, then he who started it will carry the burden thereof, unless the one who was wronged transgresses the limit. ) Allah said, إِن تُبْدُواْ خَيْراً أَوْ تُخْفُوهْ أَوْ تَعْفُواْ عَن سُوءٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَفُوّاً قَدِيراً ( Whether you disclose a good deed, or conceal it, or pardon an evil; verily, Allah is Ever Pardoning, All-Powerful. ) Meaning when you, mankind, admit to a good favor done to you, or conceal it, and forgive those who wrong you, then this will bring you closer to Allah and increase your reward with Him.
Among Allah's attributes is that He forgives and pardons His servants, although He is able to punish them.
Hence Allah's statement, فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَفُوّاً قَدِيراً ( Verily, Allah is Ever Pardoning, All-Powerful. ) It was reported that some of the angels who carry Allah's Throne praise Him saying, "All praise is due to You for Your forbearing even though You have perfect knowledge ( in all evil committed )." Some of them supplicate, "All praise is due to You for Your forgiving even though You have perfect ability ( to punish )." An authentic Hadith states,
«مَا نَقَصَ مَالٌ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ، وَلَا زَادَ اللهُ عَبْدًا بِعَفْوٍ إِلَّا عِزًّا، وَمَنْ تَوَاضَعَ للهِ رَفَعَهُ الله»
( No charity shall ever decrease wealth, and Allah will only increase the honor of a servant who pardons, and he who is humble for Allah's sake, then Allah will elevate his grade. )

(4:149) (Even though you have the right to speak evil if you are wronged), if you keep doing good -whether openly or secretly -or at least pardon the evil (then that is the attribute of Allah). Allah is All-Pardoning and He has all the power to chastise. *177

If [instead] you show [some] good or meaning

*177).
This verse embodies a moral directive of very high value to the Muslims.
The hypocrites, the Jews and the polytheists were all bent on placing all kinds of obstacles in the way of the spread of Islam: They eagerly persecuted the Muslims and used all possible means, however malicious, against them.
Such an attitude inevitably created anger and resentment.
It was in the context of this storm of bitter feelings that God told the Muslims that He did not consider speaking ill of people as praiseworthy.
No doubt the Muslims had been wronged, and if a wronged person speaks out against a wrong-doer, he is quite justified in doing so.
Even though this is a person's right, it is more meritorious to continue to do good both in public and in private, and to ignore the misdeeds of others.
For one's ideal should be to try to approximate to God's way as far as possible.
God with whom one wants to be close is lenient and forbearing; He provides sustenance even to the worst criminals and seeks mitigating circumstances in even the most serious offences.
In order to become close to God, one ought to be generous in spirit and full of tolerance.

 

The Permission to Utter Evil in Public, For One Who Was Wronged `Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas commented on the Ayah, لاَّ يُحِبُّ اللَّهُ الْجَهْرَ بِالسُّوءِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ ( Allah does not like that the evil should be uttered in public ) "Allah does not like that any one should invoke Him against anyone else, unless one was wronged.
In this case, Allah allows one to invoke Him against whoever wronged him.
Hence Allah's statement, إَلاَّ مَن ظَلَمَ ( except by him who has been wronged. ) Yet, it is better for one if he observes patience." Al-Hasan Al-Basri commented, "One should not invoke Allah ( for curses ) against whoever wronged him.
Rather, he should supplicate, `O Allah! Help me against him and take my right from him."' In another narration, Al-Hasan said, "Allah has allowed one to invoke Him against whoever wronged him without transgressing the limits." `Abdul-Karim bin Malik Al-Jazari said about this Ayah; "When a man curses you, you could curse him in retaliation.
But if he lies about you, you may not lie about him. وَلَمَنِ انتَصَرَ بَعْدَ ظُلْمِهِ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ مَا عَلَيْهِمْ مِّن سَبِيلٍ ( And indeed whosoever takes revenge after he has suffered wrong, for such there is no way (of blame ) against them.
)" Abu Dawud recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «المُسْتَبَّانِ مَا قَالَا، فَعَلَى الْبَادِئ مِنْهُمَا مَا لَمْ يَعْتَدِ الْمَظْلُوم» ( Whatever words are uttered by those who curse each other, then he who started it will carry the burden thereof, unless the one who was wronged transgresses the limit. ) Allah said, إِن تُبْدُواْ خَيْراً أَوْ تُخْفُوهْ أَوْ تَعْفُواْ عَن سُوءٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَفُوّاً قَدِيراً ( Whether you disclose a good deed, or conceal it, or pardon an evil; verily, Allah is Ever Pardoning, All-Powerful. ) Meaning when you, mankind, admit to a good favor done to you, or conceal it, and forgive those who wrong you, then this will bring you closer to Allah and increase your reward with Him.
Among Allah's attributes is that He forgives and pardons His servants, although He is able to punish them.
Hence Allah's statement, فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَفُوّاً قَدِيراً ( Verily, Allah is Ever Pardoning, All-Powerful. ) It was reported that some of the angels who carry Allah's Throne praise Him saying, "All praise is due to You for Your forbearing even though You have perfect knowledge ( in all evil committed )." Some of them supplicate, "All praise is due to You for Your forgiving even though You have perfect ability ( to punish )." An authentic Hadith states, «مَا نَقَصَ مَالٌ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ، وَلَا زَادَ اللهُ عَبْدًا بِعَفْوٍ إِلَّا عِزًّا، وَمَنْ تَوَاضَعَ للهِ رَفَعَهُ الله» ( No charity shall ever decrease wealth, and Allah will only increase the honor of a servant who pardons, and he who is humble for Allah's sake, then Allah will elevate his grade. )

( If ye do good ) if you answer in a good manner ( openly or keep it secret ) and not be contemptuous, ( or forgive evil ) or overlook a transgression, ( lo! Allah is Forgiving ) of the person who has been wronged, ( Powerful ) to punish the transgressor.

Whether you (mankind) disclose (by good words of thanks) a good deed (done to you in the form of a favour by someone), or conceal it, or pardon an evil,… verily, Allah is Ever Oft­Pardoning, All­Powerful.

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