Sūrat at-Tawbah
Section 6 of 20 · Surah Studies · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Seek Forgiveness for Them, or Do Not
From here to the end of the sūrah it is chiefly the munāfiqīn and their evil that are treated, to the point that Allah (swt) at last says — and here it all becomes open, for one learns more precisely how it opens, and it becomes very clear who is a munāfiq and who is not, which grows plain at the start of the eleventh juzʾ, at the ending of this sūrah, taken up later in this chapter and not yet discussed. But consider this verse. Verse 80 has Allah (swt) telling the Prophet (peace be upon him):
ٱسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ أَوْ لَا تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ إِن تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً فَلَن يَغْفِرَ ٱللَّهُ لَهُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ
“(It is all equal whether you) ask pardon for them or do not ask pardon for them. Even if you ask pardon for them seventy times, Allah will never pardon them. That is because they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger. Allah does not lead the sinning people to the right path.” (9:80)
Istaghfir lahum aw lā tastaghfir lahum: you may seek forgiveness for them, or you may not. For some of them would come to the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying: please seek forgiveness for us, and the like. You may do so if you wish, He says to the Prophet (peace be upon him). In tastaghfir lahum sabʿīna marrah: even if you seek forgiveness for them seventy times — that is, in abundance — fa-lan yaghfira Allāhu lahum: Allah will not forgive them. Dhālika bi-annahum kafarū bi-llāhi wa-rasūlih: because they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger; and Allah (swt) does not guide such transgressing people.
فَرِحَ ٱلْمُخَلَّفُونَ بِمَقْعَدِهِمْ خِلَـٰفَ رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ وَكَرِهُوٓا۟ أَن يُجَـٰهِدُوا۟ بِأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَقَالُوا۟ لَا تَنفِرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْحَرِّ ۗ قُلْ نَارُ جَهَنَّمَ أَشَدُّ حَرًّا ۚ لَّوْ كَانُوا۟ يَفْقَهُونَ فَلْيَضْحَكُوا۟ قَلِيلًا وَلْيَبْكُوا۟ كَثِيرًا جَزَآءًۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ
“Those who were left behind were happy with their sitting back to the displeasure of the Messenger of Allah, and they disliked carrying out Jihād in the way of Allah with their wealth and lives, and they said, “Do not march in this hot weather.” Say, “The fire of Jahannam is much more intense in heat,” only if they could understand. So, let them laugh a little, and weep a lot, this being a reward of what they used to earn.” (9:81–82)
Fariḥa al-mukhallafūna bi-maqʿadihim: they are well content to remain behind when the Prophet (peace be upon him) has gone out. Wa-karihū an yujāhidū bi-amwālihim wa-anfusihim: and they utterly disliked to go out and expend their wealth and their lives in the path of Allah. And they said — wa-qālū lā tanfirū fī al-ḥarr — they said to others: do not go out in the heat. See how hot it is. Do not go out in the heat. Qul nāru jahannama ashaddu ḥarrā: the fire of Hell, Allah tells them, is hotter still; it is far more intense. Law kānū yafqahūn: if only they understood. Fa-l-yaḍḥakū qalīlan wa-l-yabkū kathīrā: let them therefore laugh little and weep much over this — jazāʾan bi-mā kānū yaksibūn, as a recompense for what they used to earn.
And Allah (swt) then tells us:
وَلَا تُعْجِبْكَ أَمْوَٰلُهُمْ وَأَوْلَـٰدُهُمْ ۚ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ أَن يُعَذِّبَهُم بِهَا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَتَزْهَقَ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَهُمْ كَـٰفِرُونَ
“Their wealth and children should not attract you. Allah only wills to punish them with these in this world and that their souls depart while they are disbelievers.” (9:85)
Wa-lā tuʿjibka amwāluhum wa-awlāduhum: when others have more wealth and more money, let it not beguile you; let it not impress you. Allah would only punish them by it in the dunyā. Hence one sees today so many who violate the rights of Allah grievously, and blaspheme against Allah, and yet have been given so much in this world. Do not be troubled by it. Allah would use that very thing to their detriment.