Mā Taqaddama

Translating the Quran is an extraordinarily sensitive and challenging task due to its miraculous eloquence, its position within religious texts, and its deep connection to the beliefs of Muslims. Furthermore, the complexity of certain verses and the inconsistency between their superficial translations and the definitive principles of Islam add further difficulty to this process. The second verse of Surah al-Fatḥ is one of these verses, which, due to its connection to the impeccability of the Prophet (PBUH) and the consensus of Muslims on this matter, requires greater attention and examination. The phrase "Mā Taqaddama wa mā Taʼakhkhara" in this verse has traditionally been translated by most Quran translators as referring to the past and the future, suggesting that Allah forgives the Prophet's past and future sins. While the forgiveness of past sins is understandable and reasonable, the forgiveness of future sins appears unacceptable. This study aims to resolve this issue by exploring an accurate and precise translation of this phrase through the theories of commentators and hadiths, employing a descriptive-analytical method.