"And others have confessed their sins," [to] the verse. Al-Hasan's interpretation is: They were a group of the believers who had something occur to their intentions, but they did not resolve to carry it out. Then, they repented after that and came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and confessed their sins.
"Perhaps Allah will accept their repentance," and 'perhaps' ('asa) from Allah—Mighty and Majestic—is binding [meaning it denotes certainty].
﴿وَآخَرُونَ اعْتَرَفُوا بِذُنُوبِهِمْ﴾ الآيَةُ، تَفْسِيرُ الْحَسَنِ: هُمْ نفرٌ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كَانَ عَرَضَ فِي هِمَمِهِمْ شَيْءٌ، وَلَمْ يَعْزِمُوا عَلَى ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ تَابُوا مِنْ بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ، وَأَتَوْا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَاعْتَرَفُوا بِذُنُوبِهِمْ.
﴿عَسَى اللَّهُ أَنْ يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ﴾ وَعَسَى مِنَ اللَّهِ - جَلَّ وَعَزَّ - وَاجِبَة.
