The Ninety-Nine Names · the 80th name
التَّوَّاب
At-Tawwab
The Ever-Relenting, who turns to the one who turns
- The rootت و ب
- From the roottaba: to turn back, to return; the same verb is used of the servant and of God
The essay
The word is the same in both directions, and that is the entire teaching. The servant turns back to God; God turns toward the servant. The Qur'an even puts God's turning first, He turned to them so that they might turn to Him, which reverses the order everyone assumes. The intensive form means He does this repeatedly, without the door narrowing on the fourth or the fortieth time.
In the Qur'an
فَتَلَقَّىٰٓ ءَادَمُ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ كَلِمَٰتٖ فَتَابَ عَلَيۡهِۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
Then Adam received words from his Lord, and He turned to him. He is the Ever-Relenting, the Ever-Merciful.
this Name is in the Qur’an
What it asks of you
The turning began on His side. Yours is a response to something already in motion, which is why it is easier than it looks from outside.
Read beside it
The words