Say to the Unbelievers, if (now) they desist (from Unbelief), their past would be forgiven them; but if they persist, the punishment of those before them is already (a matter of warning for them). Al-Anfal 8:38 ⧉
Tafsir:
It is the principle of Islam that the individual is rewarded according to his deeds. However, by His grace the Almighty God has made special exemptions to this general principle: when a man is truly repentant, he will not be punished thereafter for his earlier deeds. Suppose a man spent his life in ungodliness, then he received the light of guidance, became a true believer and adopted the righteous life, in this case, he will be forgiven for the evil deeds done by him earlier; he will not be seized on the basis of his earlier sins.