inna l-laha lā yaghfiru an yush'raka bihi wayaghfiru mā dūna dhālika liman yashāu waman yush'rik bil-lahi faqadi if'tarā ith'man ʿaẓīman
Translation
Indeed, Allāh does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allāh has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin.
Verse 48 of Surah An-Nisa (4:48), a Medinan surah, is in juz 5, on page 86 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 72 reciters.
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Tafsir of verse 48
Al-Mukhtasar
Allah does not forgive that anything from His creation should be associated to Him. Besides this and disbelief, He pardons the disobedience of whomever He wills, out of His bounty. Or He punishes those He wills among them according to their disobedience, out of His perfect justice. Whoever worships others next to Allah has committed a terrible sin, which is not forgiven if someone dies still doing it.
Allah does not forgive associating partners with Him34, but forgives anything less than that for whom He wills. Whoever associates partners with Allah has indeed committed a grave sin.
Notes
[34] The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Allah will say to that person of the Hellfire who will receive the least punishment, ‘If you had everything on the earth, would you give it as a ransom to free yourself?’ He will say, `Yes’. Then Allah will say, ‘While you were in the backbone of Adam, I asked you much less than this, (i.e., not to worship others besides Me), but you insisted on worshiping others besides me.’" [Sahih al-Bukhāri: 551]
Verily, Allâh forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills; and whoever sets up partners with Allâh in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin.18
Notes
[18] (V.4:48) Narrated Anas :رضي الله عنه The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "Allâh will say to that person of the (Hell) Fire who will receive the least punishment, ‘If you had everything on the earth, would you give it as a ransom to free yourself (i.e. save yourself from this Fire)?’ He will say, `Yes’. Then Allâh will say, `While you were in the backbone of Adam, I asked you much less than this, (i.e. not to worship others besides Me), but you insisted on worshipping others besides me.’" (Sahih Al-Bukhâri, Vol. 4, Hadîth No 551).
Lo! Allah forgiveth not that a partner should be ascribed unto Him. He forgiveth (all) save that to whom He will. Whoso ascribeth partners to Allah, he hath indeed invented a tremendous sin.
Allah forgiveth not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgiveth anything else, to whom He pleaseth; to set up partners with Allah is to devise a sin Most heinous indeed.
Surely Allah does not forgive that anything should be associated with Him, and forgives what is besides that to whomsoever He pleases; and whoever associates anything with Allah, he devises indeed a great sin.
Surely Allah does not forgive that (anything) should be associated with Him, and He forgives (anything) whatever apart from that for (Literally: to) whomever He decides; and whoever associates (anything) with Allah, then he has readily fabricated a tremendous vice.
"The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said something and I said another thing. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Whoever dies while invoking besides Allah another equal will enter Hellfire.' And I say: 'Whoever dies while not invoking besides…
They have certainly disbelieved who say, "Allāh is the Messiah, the son of Mary" while the Messiah has said, "O Children of Israel, worship Allāh, my Lord and your Lord." Indeed, he who associates others with Allāh - Allāh has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers.
And [mention, O Muḥammad], when Luqmān said to his son while he was instructing him, "O my son, do not associate [anything] with Allāh. Indeed, association [with Him] is great injustice."
Verses with similar wording
They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.
Indeed, Allāh does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allāh has certainly gone far astray.
