"And those who, when they commit a lewd act or wrong themselves, remember Allah," so they fear Him and repent to Him, "and they do not persist" — meaning, they do not remain fixed — "in what they have done" of disobedience.
Yahya [narrated] from Aban al-Attar, who said: It used to be said: No sin is minor with persistence, and no sin is major with seeking forgiveness. [Verses 137-140]
﴿وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظلمُوا أنفسهم ذكرُوا الله﴾ فخافوه وتابوا إِلَيْهِ ﴿وَلم يصروا﴾ أَي: لم يقيموا ﴿عَلَى مَا فعلوا﴾ من الْمعْصِيَة.
يَحْيَى: عَنْ أَبَانَ الْعَطَّارِ قَالَ: كَانَ يُقَالُ: لَا قَلِيلَ مَعَ إِصْرَارٍ، وَلا كَثِيرَ مَعَ اسْتِغْفَار. [آيَة ١٣٧ - ١٤٠]
