kaffara ʿan + sayyiʾāt: covering over misdeeds
وَيُكَفِّرُ عَنكُم مِّن سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمْ
wa-yukaffiru ʿankum min sayyiʾātikum — and it will cover for you some of your misdeeds
Across thirteen verses, the verb kaffara (form II) with the preposition ʿan repeatedly takes sayyiʾāt (misdeeds) as its object, and the verses attach this covering to a stated human action or disposition – giving charity, taqwā, faith with sound deeds, repentance – so that read together the expression shows covering of misdeeds as a stated consequence of conduct rather than an isolated promise.
The expression pairs the form II verb kaffara with the preposition ʿan and the plural noun sayyiʾāt, with only the attached pronoun varying. In the verses given, the verb appears in every person and mood: a 3MS imperfect promising the consequence (2:271), a 2MS imperative in a supplication (3:193), emphatic 1S and 1P imperfects (3:195; 5:12; 29:7), a 1P perfect in a counterfactual (5:65), jussive forms in conditional structures (4:31; 8:29; 64:9; 65:5), a 3MS perfect stating what has been done (47:2), and subjunctive forms following a purpose particle (48:5) or the verb ʿasā (66:8). What the individual verses show only partially, the set shows as a pattern: each occurrence ties the covering of misdeeds to a named antecedent. Concealed charity given to the poor brings it (2:271); keeping away from the great forbidden offences brings it (4:31); taqwā brings it (8:29; 65:5); faith with sound deeds brings it (29:7; 47:2; 64:9); repentance may bring it (66:8); and it is asked for in prayer alongside forgiveness (3:193). In several verses the covering is paired with admission into gardens (3:195; 5:12; 5:65; 48:5; 64:9; 66:8), and in 4:31 with admission to an honorable place of entry, so the expression regularly stands as one member of a two-part outcome. Only 2:271 limits the object with min ('some of your misdeeds'); the other verses given state the misdeeds without that qualifier.
Where it occurs
- 2:271 Concealed charity given to the poor is said to be better for the addressees, and the covering is attached to it as a consequence, with min marking only part of the misdeeds.
- 3:193 The speakers ask their Lord to cover for them their misdeeds, in an imperative paired with a request for forgiveness.
- 3:195 God, responding, pledges in an emphatic 1S form to cover over from those who struggled in His path their misdeeds, alongside admission into gardens.
- 4:31 A conditional jussive: if the addressees keep away from the great forbidden offences, We will cover over from them their misdeeds and admit them to an honorable entry.
- 5:12 In the pledge, God states in an emphatic 1S form that if the addressees do the listed deeds, He will cover for them their misdeeds and admit them into gardens.
- 5:65 A counterfactual 1P perfect: had the People of the Scripture trusted and been mindful, We would have covered over for them their bad deeds and entered them into gardens.
- 8:29 A conditional jussive: if the believers are conscious of God, He will cover over from them their bad deeds and forgive them.
- 29:7 An emphatic 1P pledge: those who believed and did sound deeds – We will surely cover over their bad deeds and repay them with the best of what they did.
- 47:2 A 3MS perfect states as done: He covered over from those who trusted and did sound deeds their bad deeds and set right their state.
- 48:5 A subjunctive of purpose: so that He may admit the believers into gardens and cover over for them their bad deeds.
- 64:9 A conditional jussive: whoever trusts and does what is sound, He will wipe away from him his misdeeds and admit him into gardens.
- 65:5 A conditional jussive: whoever is mindful of God, He will cover over from him his bad deeds and make great his reward.
- 66:8 After a call to thorough repentance, ʿasā introduces the hoped-for outcome: it may be that your Lord will cover for you your bad deeds and admit you into gardens.
All Qur'anic expressions