Tafsir Ibn Kathir -> Surah Al-Isra' -> Omissions comitted against Parents are pardoned with Good Relations and Repentance

Sa`id bin Jubayr said: "This refers to a man who said something that he did not think would be offensive to his parents.'' According to another report: "He did not mean anything bad by that.'' So Allah said:

﴿رَّبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا فِى نُفُوسِكُمْ إِن تَكُونُواْ صَـلِحِينَ﴾

(Your Lord knows best what is in your souls. If you are righteous,)

﴿فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ لِلاٌّوَّابِينَ غَفُوراً﴾

(He is Ever Most Forgiving to those who turn to Him in repentance.) Qatadah said: "To the obedient who pray.''

﴿فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ لِلاٌّوَّابِينَ غَفُوراً﴾

(He is Ever Most Forgiving to those who turn to Him in repentance.) Shu`bah narrated from Yahya bin Sa`id from Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib; "This refers to those who commit sin then repent, and commit sin then repent.'' `Ata' bin Yasar, Sa`id bin Jubayr and Mujahid said: "They are the ones who return to goodness.'' Mujahid narrated from `Ubayd bin `Umayr, concerning this Ayah: "This is the one who, when he remembers his sin when he is alone, he seeks the forgiveness of Allah.'' Mujahid agreed with him on that. Ibn Jarir said: "The best view on this matter is of those who said that it refers to the one who repents after committing sin, who comes back from disobedience to obedience and who leaves that which Allah hates for that which He loves and is pleased with. '' What he said is correct, for Allah says,

﴿إِنَّ إِلَيْنَآ إِيَابَهُمْ ﴾

(Verily, to Us will be their return) (88:25). And according to a Sahih Hadith, the Messenger of Allah would say when he returned from a journey,

«آيِبُونَ تَائِبُونَ، عَابِدُونَ لِرَبِّنَا حَامِدُون»

(We have returned repenting, worshipping and praising our Lord.)

﴿وَءَاتِ ذَا الْقُرْبَى حَقَّهُ وَالْمِسْكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَلاَ تُبَذِّرْ تَبْذِيرًا - إِنَّ الْمُبَذرِينَ كَانُواْ إِخْوَنَ الشَّيَـطِينِ وَكَانَ الشَّيْطَـنُ لِرَبِّهِ كَفُورًا - وَإِمَّا تُعْرِضَنَّ عَنْهُمُ ابْتِغَآءَ رَحْمَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكَ تَرْجُوهَا فَقُل لَّهُمْ قَوْلاً مَّيْسُورًا ﴾

(26. And give to the kinsman his due, and to the Miskin (poor), and to the wayfarer. But spend not wastefully (your wealth) in the manner of a spendthrift.) (27. Verily, the spendthrifts are brothers of the Shayatin (devils), and the Shaytan is ever ungrateful to his Lord.) (28. And if you turn away from them and you are awaiting a mercy from your Lord for which you hope, then, speak unto them a soft, kind word.)