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التَّوَّابُ

At-Tawwab (التواب): Meaning of Allah’s Name

Name 80 of 9911 verses of the Quran

At-Tawwab: The One Who guides His servants to repent and accepts their repentance

Recitation: Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary · 24 voices to choose from

Explanation of the name At-Tawwab

The One Who is continuously turning (in forgiveness) to those that turn to Him (in repentance), Who forgives the sins of the penitent. Everyone who turns to Allaah sincerely, Allaah turns to them by firstly granting them the ability to repent and turning their hearts towards Him, and after this He turns to them by accepting their repentance and forgiving their errors.

"Know they not that Allaah accepts the repentance from His slaves and takes the charity and that Allaah is the Oft-Returning, Most Merciful?" (9:104)

"O you who believe! Avoid much suspicions, indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it! Fear Allaah, indeed Allaah is the oft-Returning, Most Merciful." (49:12)

— ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Sa‘di

God, the Exalted, said; “And accept our repentance. Truly, You are the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful”. (Al-Baqarah: 128).

The Linguistic Meaning:

At-Tauwbah: To quit the sin in the best possible manner which is the utmost degree of apology. Our Praiseworthy Lord is At-Tawwab: He has described Himself as the Acceptor of repentance in its extreme exaggeration. As long as the slave is sincere, God accepts his repentance, no matter how large his sin is, and no matter how often he repeats the sin. The repentance of the slave is surrounded by two repentances from his Lord: Firstly, He opens the door of repentance and guides him to repent, and secondly, He accepts his repentance and is satisfied with him.

The Grandeur of At-Tawwab

He is so Sublime that He is very pleased by the slave’s repentance, peace be upon him said: “God is more pleased by the repentance of His slave, more than the slave who lost his riding animal (which is carrying his food and water) and later -to his extreme joy- he found it back.” Here, we have to admire the Greatness of God, for whenever we repent to Him, He accepts it and even sends His Sympathy on us, in spite of His Self-Sufficiency; therefore, it is only logical that we should love Him and praise Him. He is Sublime that He prepared for us the causes of repentance. This will enable the true believer to really love Him and be shy of Him.

— Maher bin Moqaddam

The name in the Quran

This name occurs in 11 verses of 6 surahs.

فَتَلَقَّىٰٓ ءَادَمُ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ كَلِمَٰتٍ فَتَابَ عَلَيْهِ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ۝٣٧

Then Adam received from his Lord [some] words, and He accepted his repentance. Indeed, it is He who is the Accepting of Repentance, the Merciful.

Explanation: Al-Mukhtasar

Adam received the words given to him by Allah, and was inspired to ask for forgiveness with them. These words of forgiveness are mentioned in Sūrah Al-A‘rāf: 23: ‘They said, “Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves. If You do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we will certainly be of the losers”’. Allah accepted Adam’s turning to Him and forgave him, for He is always forgiving and Merciful towards His creation.

Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 37

وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِۦ يَٰقَوْمِ إِنَّكُمْ ظَلَمْتُمْ أَنفُسَكُم بِٱتِّخَاذِكُمُ ٱلْعِجْلَ فَتُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ بَارِئِكُمْ فَٱقْتُلُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُمْ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ عِندَ بَارِئِكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ۝٥٤

And [recall] when Moses said to his people, "O my people, indeed you have wronged yourselves by your taking of the calf [for worship]. So repent to your Creator and kill yourselves [i.e., the guilty among you]. That is best for [all of] you in the sight of your Creator." Then He accepted your repentance; indeed, He is the Accepting of Repentance, the Merciful.

Explanation: Al-Mukhtasar

Also, remember that Allah’s allowing you to ask His forgiveness for worshipping the calf, when Moses (peace be upon him) told you that you had wronged yourselves by taking the calf as a god and worshipping it, were from the blessings of Allah. Moses told you to ask for forgiveness and repent to your Creator by some of you killing others, because turning to Him in this way was better for you than persisting in disbelief, which would lead to an eternity in the fire of Hell. So, you did this with Allah’s approval, and He forgave you, for He is Forgiving and Merciful with His servants.

Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 54

رَبَّنَا وَٱجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِنَآ أُمَّةً مُّسْلِمَةً لَّكَ وَأَرِنَا مَنَاسِكَنَا وَتُبْ عَلَيْنَآ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ۝١٢٨

Our Lord, and make us Muslims [in submission] to You and from our descendants a Muslim nation [in submission] to You. And show us our rites [of worship] and accept our repentance. Indeed, You are the Accepting of Repentance, the Merciful.

Explanation: Al-Mukhtasar

They asked Allah to make them surrender in devotion to His command, humble towards Him, not worshipping anyone besides Him; and to make their children and their descendants a nation who also surrendered in devotion to Him. They also asked Allah to teach them how to worship Him, to forgive them for their faults and shortcomings in doing what He instructed them. He turns to those who ask for forgiveness and is compassionate towards His creation.

Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 128

إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ تَابُوا۟ وَأَصْلَحُوا۟ وَبَيَّنُوا۟ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَتُوبُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَنَا ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ۝١٦٠

Except for those who repent and correct themselves and make evident [what they concealed]. Those - I will accept their repentance, and I am the Accepting of Repentance, the Merciful.

Explanation: Al-Mukhtasar

The exception is those who repent to Allah, asking for forgiveness, and regretting having hidden these clear signs, correcting what they do outwardly and inwardly, and making clear the truth and guidance which they had hidden. Allah accepts their repentance to Him. He turns to those who turn to Him, asking for forgiveness and regretting what they have done, and He forgives and is compassionate with them.

Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 160

The 7 other verses

The name in the hadiths

Supplications with this name

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Thursday, October 22, 2026 11 جمادى الأولى 1448 هـ

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