At Shahrur’s reading, this verse comes as one of the broadest doors of hope and forgiveness. For that reason, it recurs in places where the breadth of divine mercy is highlighted, and where the door of repentance does not remain closed before those who have been excessive against themselves.
The verse text as it appears
Say, O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of God’s mercy. Indeed, God forgives all sins. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
Brief reading
Shahrur understands it as a direct address to servants who have sinned, with a clear promise of forgiveness for all sins related to God’s right except associating partners with Him. For him, it is a verse that establishes the rejection of despair, and links repentance to the breadth of mercy rather than its narrowness.
Axes
- Faith-related
- Human and ethical
Related concepts
- Mercy and forgiveness: 3
- Forgiveness: 2
- Hope: 2
- Servants: 2
Its place in the network of concepts
It enters into the network of mercy, forgiveness, and hope, and is adjacent to the discussion of the disobedient servant just as it is adjacent to the discussion of opening the door after excess. It therefore appears central in constructing the horizon of repentance for him.
The verse’s role in the argument
- Support: 3
- Establishment: 2
Summary of its presence in the atlas
- A broad door to forgiveness
- Establishes hope and the rejection of despair
- Includes even the servants who have been excessive
Points of use
- Islam and Human: He makes it the basis for opening the door of forgiveness for all sins related to God’s right except associating partners with Him.
- Concept: forgiveness
- The verse’s function here: establishment
- Textual evidence: “As in His saying تعالى: { قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا … } (al-Zumar 53).”
- Islam and Human: He reappropriates it to prove the universality of the door of repentance and the impossibility of despairing of forgiveness.
- Concept: hope
- The verse’s function here: establishment
- Textual evidence: ”{ قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللهِ … } (al-Zumar 53)”
- Islam and Human: He uses it as evidence for the breadth of divine mercy and the opening of the door of repentance to whoever has sinned or done wrong.
- Concept: mercy and forgiveness
- The verse’s function here: support
- Textual evidence: “Indeed, one of the aspects of divine mercy is that good deeds erase evil deeds… { قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ … } (al-Zumar 53)”
- Drying Up the Sources of Terrorism, p. 154: He employs it to affirm that those who have been excessive are not outside God’s mercy, and that the door of repentance remains open after falling into excess.
- Concept: mercy and forgiveness
- The verse’s function here: support
- Textual evidence: “After describing in the verses of his Wise Revelation the excessive as liars, criminals, and disbelievers destined for the Fire, he opens the door of mercy and forgiveness before all His servants.”
- A Guide to Contemporary Reading of the Wise Revelation, p. 58: He uses it to prove that the term servants may also be applied to the disobedient, not only to the obedient.
- Concept: servants
- The verse’s function here: support
- Textual evidence: “For the disobedient servant is mentioned in God’s saying: { قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ … } (al-Zumar 53).”
Related books
- Islam and Human
- Drying Up the Sources of Terrorism
- A Guide to Contemporary Reading of the Wise Revelation
This page is presented within the general methodology of building the atlas.