At-Tawbah (The Repentance): Verses 113–114

It is known that the Almighty, from the beginning of this Surah up to this point, established the obligation of disavowal (Bara'ah) from the disbelievers and hypocrites in all aspects. In this verse, He clarifies that disavowal is also obligatory concerning their deceased, even if they are extremely close to a person, such as a father or mother, just as disavowal was required from their living counterparts. The purpose is to establish the necessity of complete severance and prohibition of association with them for any reason whatsoever. There are several issues concerning this:

Issue 1: Reasons for the Revelation of This Verse

Several accounts are mentioned regarding the cause of revelation for this verse:

1. Ibn Abbas (RA): When Allah conquered Mecca, the Prophet (PBUH) asked about his mother (i.e., who had last seen her). It was said she was buried. He went to her grave, stood by it, then sat at her head and wept. Umar asked him, "You forbade us from visiting graves and weeping, yet you visit and weep?" He replied, "I have been permitted to do so. When I learned she was in the torment of Allah, and that I could not avail her of anything from Allah, I wept out of mercy for her."
2. Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab (from his father): When Abu Talib was near death, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to him, "Uncle, say 'There is no god but Allah,' so that I may intercede for you with Allah." Abu Jahl and Abdullah ibn Abi Umayyah said, "Do you turn away from the religion of Abdul Muttalib?" He replied, "I am upon the religion of Abdul Muttalib." The Prophet (PBUH) then said, "I will seek forgiveness for you until I am forbidden." Then this verse was revealed: {Indeed, you cannot guide whom you have loved}. Al-Wahidi found this account questionable because this Surah was revealed late in the Meccan period, while Abu Talib’s death occurred early in Mecca. I find this objection weak. There is no harm in saying that the Prophet (PBUH) continued to seek forgiveness for Abu Talib from that time until this verse was revealed. The strict prohibition against associating with disbelievers only became prominent in this Surah; perhaps before that, believers were permitted to seek forgiveness for their disbelieving parents, and the Prophet (PBUH) also did so, but Allah forbade them upon the revelation of this Surah. Thus, this is not implausible.
3. Ali (RA): He heard a man seeking forgiveness for his polytheist parents. Ali asked him, "Do you seek forgiveness for your parents while they are polytheists?" The man replied, "Did not Abraham seek forgiveness for his parents while they were polytheists?" Ali mentioned this to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), and this verse was revealed.
4. Another narration: A man came to the Prophet (PBUH) and said, "My father used to maintain kinship, host guests, and give charity during the Jahiliyyah. What about him?" The Prophet asked, "Did he die a polytheist?" The man said, "Yes." The Prophet replied, "He is in a shallow part of the Fire." The man turned away weeping. The Prophet called him back and said, "Indeed, my father, your father, and Abraham's father are in the Fire. Your father never once said, 'I seek refuge in Allah from the Fire.'"

Issue 2: The Meaning of the Prohibition of Seeking Forgiveness

{It was not for the Prophet and those who have believed to seek forgiveness for the polytheists}

This can mean two things:

1. It is not befitting for them (a description). This implies that prophethood and faith prevent one from seeking forgiveness for polytheists.
2. It means they are not allowed to do so (a prohibition).

Both meanings are close. The reason for this prohibition is what Allah mentioned: {after it has become clear to them that they are companions of the Hellfire}, and also: {Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills}.

The meaning is that since Allah informed them that He will admit them to the Fire, asking for their forgiveness is like asking Allah to contradict His promise and decree, which is impermissible. Furthermore, since Allah has already decreed their punishment, seeking forgiveness for them would result in their request being rejected, which would diminish the rank and status of the Prophet (PBUH). Also, Allah says: {Call upon Me; I will respond to you} (Ghafir: 60), yet He described them as companions of the Hellfire. Therefore, this seeking of forgiveness would necessitate a breach of one of these two texts, which is not permissible.

Abu Hashim permitted a servant to ask his Lord for something even after Allah informed him that He would not do it, citing the words of the inhabitants of Hell: {Our Lord, remove us from it} (Al-Mu'minun: 107), even though they know Allah will not do so. This view is extremely far-fetched for several reasons:

1. It is based on his doctrine that the inhabitants of the Hereafter do not possess ignorance or falsehood, which is refuted by the Quran itself, such as: {Then their excuse was not but that they said, "By Allah, our Lord, we were not polytheists"} (Al-An'am: 23), and {See how they lie about themselves!} (Al-An'am: 24).
2. In the case of the inhabitants of Hell, it is appropriate to reject their plea and silence them. However, for the Prophet (PBUH), such a rejection is not permissible because it would diminish his high station.
3. Such a request, for which one knows there is no benefit, is either futile or a sin. Both are permissible for the inhabitants of Hell but impermissible for the great Prophets (peace be upon them).

Issue 3: Universality of the Prohibition

Since Allah established that the reason preventing this seeking of forgiveness is the clarity that they are companions of the Fire, and this reason does not differ whether they are relatives or distant people, Allah stated: {even if they were relatives}. The narration regarding the cause of revelation supports this interpretation.

Regarding the Almighty’s saying: {And the seeking of forgiveness of Abraham for his father was not but because of a promise he had promised him}

There are several issues concerning this:

1. The purpose is to prevent anyone from thinking that Allah forbade Muhammad (PBUH) from something that He permitted for Abraham (PBUH).
2. We mentioned earlier that the connection emphasizes the obligation of complete severance from disbelievers, both living and dead. Here, Allah clarifies that this ruling is not exclusive to the religion of Muhammad (PBUH); rather, the emphasis on the obligation of severance was also legislated in the religion of Abraham (PBUH). This strengthens the emphasis on the obligation of separation and disassociation from disbelievers.
3. In this verse, Allah describes Abraham (PBUH) as Haleem (forbearing/mild) and Awwah (one who frequently turns to Allah in supplication, full of grief). The implication is that someone possessing these qualities would have a strong inclination to seek forgiveness for his father. It is as if the verse says: Even Abraham, despite his high status and being described as Awwah and Haleem, was prevented by Allah from seeking forgiveness for his disbelieving father; therefore, it is more fitting that others be prevented from this.

The Quran indicates that Abraham (PBUH) sought forgiveness for his father:

• He said: {And forgive my father; indeed, he was of those who went astray} (Ash-Shu'ara: 86).
• He also said: {Our Lord, forgive me and my parents} (Ibrahim: 41).
• In Surah Maryam, Allah recounts him saying: {Peace be upon you. I will ask my Lord for forgiveness for you} (Maryam: 47).
• He also said: {I will certainly seek forgiveness for you} (Al-Mumtahanah: 4).

Since seeking forgiveness for a disbeliever is impermissible, this indicates that this error occurred on the part of Abraham (PBUH).

Allah answers this apparent contradiction with: {And the seeking of forgiveness of Abraham for his father was not but because of a promise he had promised him} (At-Tawbah: 114). There are two views on this:

1. The one who made the promise was Abraham’s father. This means his father promised Abraham that he would believe. Abraham sought forgiveness based on this expectation. When it became clear to him that his father would not believe and was an enemy of Allah, he disavowed him and ceased seeking forgiveness.
2. The one who made the promise was Abraham (PBUH). He promised his father he would seek forgiveness for him in the hope that he would embrace Islam. {Then when it became clear to him that he was an enemy to Allah, he disavowed him}. Evidence supporting this interpretation is the reading by Al-Hasan: {wa'adaha abahu} (with the letter ba').

Some scholars mentioned two other interpretations:

• First View: Abraham’s seeking forgiveness for his father meant supplicating him toward faith and Islam, saying, "Believe so that you may be saved from punishment and attain forgiveness." He supplicated Allah to grant him the faith that necessitates forgiveness. This was the seeking of forgiveness. When Allah informed him that he would die persisting in disbelief, he abandoned that supplication.
• Second View: Some interpreted {It was not for the Prophet and those who have believed to seek forgiveness for the polytheists} (Verse 113) as referring to the funeral prayer (Salat al-Janazah). By this interpretation, there is no contradiction in seeking forgiveness for a disbeliever, as the benefit of that seeking is the mitigation of punishment. They argue the evidence for this is that Allah forbade praying over the hypocrites: {And never pray for any one of them who has died} (At-Tawbah: 84). This verse generalized the ruling to include praying over polytheists, whether they were hypocrites or openly declared polytheists. This is considered a strange opinion.

Scholars differed on the means by which it became clear to Abraham that his father was an enemy of Allah:

• Some said: Through his persistence (in disbelief) and his death.
• Some said: Through his persistence alone.
• Others said: It is not unlikely that Allah informed him through revelation, at which point he disavowed him. Thus, Allah is saying: When it became clear to Abraham that his father was an enemy of Allah, he disavowed him; therefore, you (Muslims) should be the same, as I commanded you to follow Abraham’s path: {And follow the religion of Abraham} (An-Nisa: 125).

The Description of Abraham: Awwah Haleem

When Allah mentioned Abraham’s situation in this context, He said: {Indeed, Abraham was forgiving, forbearing} (At-Tawbah: 114).

The derivation of Awwah is from a man saying "Uff" (an expression of deep sorrow) during intense grief. The reason is that during sorrow, the vital spirit in the heart becomes constricted, and its burning intensifies. The person releases that burning breath from the heart to alleviate some of his distress; this is the origin of the word's derivation.

The commentators have various expressions regarding it:

• It is narrated from the Prophet (PBUH) that he said: "The Awwah is the humble, supplicating one."
• From Umar: He asked the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) about Al-Awwah, and he replied, "Supplication."
• It is narrated that Zaynab spoke to the Prophet (PBUH) in a way that changed his color (expression). Umar rebuked her, but the Prophet (PBUH) said, "Leave her, for she is Awwahah (very Awwah)." When asked what Awwahah meant, he replied, "The supplicating, humble, beseeching one."
• It is said that the meaning of Abraham (PBUH) being Awwah is that whenever he recalled a shortcoming in himself or was reminded of the severity of the Hereafter, he would sigh out of apprehension and awe of it.
• From Ibn Abbas (RA): Al-Awwah is the believer characterized by fear (Khashyah).

As for his description as Haleem (forbearing), it is well-known. Allah only described him with these two attributes in this context because He described him with intense tenderness, compassion, fear, and awe. One who is like this has great tenderness toward his father and children. Allah clarifies that despite this disposition, he disavowed his father when his persistence in disbelief became clear, and his heart hardened toward him. Therefore, you (Muslims) are more deserving of this [hardening] in this regard. He was also described as Haleem because one of the causes of forbearance is the tenderness of the heart and intense compassion, as a person in such a state exhibits greater forbearance when angered.

Verses 115–117

{And Allah would not have let a people go astray after He had guided them until He had made clear to them what they should avoid. Indeed, Allah is knowing of all things. Indeed, to Allah belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. He gives life and causes death. And you have not besides Allah any protector or helper.}