—glory be to Him—considers no sin too great to forgive His repentant servant.

This general statement includes associating partners with Allah and all other sins, for Allah Most High forgives them for whoever repents of them. He says:

“When the sacred months have passed, kill the polytheists”

through to His words:

“But if they repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, then let them go their way.”

And in the other verse, He says:

“But if they repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, then they are your brothers in religion.”

He also says:

“They have certainly disbelieved who say, ‘Allah is the third of three’”

through to His words:

“Will they not repent to Allah and seek His forgiveness? And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

This comprehensive position—that every sin is forgiven for whoever repents of it, as indicated by the Quran and hadith—is the correct view according to the vast majority of scholars. Some people, however, make exceptions for certain sins. Some, for example, maintain that the repentance of someone who calls others to religious innovations is not accepted inwardly, citing the report from Israelite tradition which contains the words:

“But what of those whom you led astray?”

This is mistaken. Allah has made clear in His Book and in the Sunnah of His Messenger that He accepts the repentance of the leaders of disbelief, who are far worse than the leaders of religious innovation.

Allah Most High says:

“Indeed, those who persecuted believing men and women and then did not repent will suffer the punishment of Hell and the punishment of the blazing Fire.”

Al-Hasan al-Basrī said: “Look at this generosity! They tortured His allies and persecuted them, yet He calls them to repentance.”