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Qur’an verses about hope

Despair is named as the way of the lost. Hope in the mercy of Allah is the Qur’an's answer even to great sin.

· 5 ayat

The Qur’an treats despair of Allah's mercy as a mark of those who have lost their way, and hope as a duty of faith. It addresses people who have wronged themselves and tells them not to despair, because Allah forgives all sins. It reports a prophet sending his sons to search with 'despair not of relief from Allah', and it binds ease to hardship. Each verse is shown in Arabic with the Saheeh International translation and a short note on what it says.

The verses

1. Surah Az-Zumar (39:53)

۞ قُلْ يَٰعِبَادِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا۟ مِن رَّحْمَةِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ

Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."

Addressed to those who have transgressed against themselves: do not despair of the mercy of Allah, for He forgives all sins.

✦ Read in context — quran.com/39/53
2. Surah Yusuf (12:87)

يَٰبَنِىَّ ٱذْهَبُوا۟ فَتَحَسَّسُوا۟ مِن يُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ وَلَا تَا۟يْـَٔسُوا۟ مِن رَّوْحِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يَا۟يْـَٔسُ مِن رَّوْحِ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْقَوْمُ ٱلْكَٰفِرُونَ

O my sons, go and find out about Joseph and his brother and despair not of relief from Allah. Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people."

Yaqub sends his sons to look for Yusuf and his brother: despair not of relief from Allah.

✦ Read in context — quran.com/12/87
3. Surah Al-Hijr (15:56)

قَالَ وَمَن يَقْنَطُ مِن رَّحْمَةِ رَبِّهِۦٓ إِلَّا ٱلضَّآلُّونَ

He said, "And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord except for those astray?"

Ibrahim's words when told of a son in old age: who despairs of the mercy of his Lord except those astray?

✦ Read in context — quran.com/15/56
4. Surah Al-Baqarah (2:218)

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا۟ وَجَٰهَدُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ يَرْجُونَ رَحْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ

Indeed, those who have believed and those who have emigrated and fought in the cause of Allah - those expect the mercy of Allah. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

Those who believed, emigrated and strove in the cause of Allah are described as hoping for the mercy of Allah.

✦ Read in context — quran.com/2/218
5. Surah Ash-Sharh (94:5)

فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا

For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.

From Ash-Sharh: with hardship there will be ease, repeated in the next verse.

✦ Read in context — quran.com/94/5

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Frequently asked questions

Which Qur’an verse says do not despair of the mercy of Allah?

Qur’an 39:53: 'Say, O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins.'

What does the Qur’an say about losing hope?

It describes despair of Allah's relief as the way of the disbelieving people (12:87) and of those astray (15:56).

Is there a verse that says after hardship comes ease?

Qur’an 94:5–6 says twice that with hardship there will be ease.

Read the full Qur’an with translation and audio in Niyat.

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