Arabic root

ت-و-ب

2 words from this root family

A2noun

تَوْبَةٌ

tawbah

repentance

Example

وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

wa-tūbū ilā Allāhi jamīʿan ayyuha al-muʾminūna laʿallakum tufliḥūn

And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed (24:31)

Root: ت-و-ب Quranic

Grammar

Feminine verbal noun (maṣdar) of تَابَ. The root ت-و-ب means 'to return/turn back.' God is التَّوَّابُ (The Oft-Returning, The Acceptor of Repentance).

Culture

Tawbah in Islam is always accepted if sincere. There is an entire surah named At-Tawbah (9). The door of repentance remains open until one's final moments.

B1verb

تَابَ

tāba

he repented / he turned back (to God)

Example

وَمَنْ تَابَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَإِنَّهُ يَتُوبُ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَتَابًا

wa-man tāba wa-ʿamila ṣāliḥan fa-innahū yatūbu ilā Allāhi matābā

And whoever repents and does righteousness, indeed he turns to Allah with true repentance (25:71)

Root: ت-و-ب Quranic

Grammar

Hollow verb (أجوف). Past: تَابَ, Present: يَتُوبُ. Takes إِلَى (toward God) or عَلَى (when God turns in mercy toward someone). God is التَّوَّابُ (The Oft-Returning).

Culture

When applied to God, tāba ʿalā means 'He turned in mercy toward.' The mutuality is beautiful: the servant turns to God in repentance, and God turns to the servant in mercy.