Surah At-Tawbah: Verses (115 - 116)

Verse 115:

وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُضِلَّ قَوْمًا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَاهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يُبَيِّنَ لَهُم مَّا يَتَّقُونَ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

There are several issues concerning this verse:

It is known that Allah forbade the believers from seeking forgiveness for the polytheists. The Muslims had previously sought forgiveness for their polytheistic relatives (fathers, mothers, etc.) who died in disbelief, before this verse was revealed. When this verse was revealed, they feared accountability for their past actions. Furthermore, some Muslims who had sought forgiveness for polytheists had already died before this revelation, causing anxiety among the living about their fate.

Allah removed this fear through this verse, clarifying that He does not hold people accountable for an action until He has first explained to them what they must guard against (i.e., what they must avoid). This provides a sound connection (in the narrative structure).

Alternatively, it is said that from the beginning of the Surah up to this point, the text has been explaining the prohibition against mixing with disbelievers and hypocrites, and the obligation to separate from them and avoid befriending them. As if to ask: How is it fitting for the Merciful, Generous God to impose such severe strictures against these disbelievers and hypocrites?

The answer is: Allah does not punish a people until after He has called them to righteousness and clarified for them what they must guard against. Once He has done this, removing all excuses and justifications, He has the right to hold them accountable with the severest forms of admonishment and punishment.

There are several interpretations for the phrase: {لِيُضِلَّ}:

1. First View: It means He would not let them go astray from the path of Paradise, meaning He would divert them from it and prevent them from heading towards it.
2. Second View (Mu'tazilite Position): They argue that this iḍlāl (letting astray) means He judges them as being astray. They cite the poetry of al-Kumait:

   "And a group who declared me an unbeliever because of my love for you."

Abu Bakr al-Anbari refuted this interpretation, stating that if Arabs intended that meaning, they would use the verb ḍallala (to cause to err/judge as erroneous). Furthermore, their reliance on al-Kumait's verse is invalid, because establishing the truth of "they declared me an unbeliever" does not necessitate the truth of "they caused me to err." Not every verb that is sound in one form is sound in another form (e.g., one can say kasarahu [he broke it], but not aksarahu [he caused it to break]; one must rely on transmitted usage). 3. Third View: The meaning is that Allah would not cause misguidance to enter their hearts after He has guided them, unless they commit an act that merits punishment.

The Mu'tazilites argue that the essence of the verse is that Allah does not punish anyone until He has first explained that the act is ugly and forbidden. They support this by citing: {إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ} (Indeed, Allah is Knower of all things) and {لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ} (To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth).

Their reasoning is: Since Allah is All-Knowing and All-Powerful over all possibilities, He is not in need (of anything). A Knower, Powerful, and Self-Sufficient Being would not commit an ugly act or inflict punishment before clarification. Since removing excuses before punishment is an ugly act, Allah must not do it. Therefore, the structure of the verse is only sound if interpreted this way, which implies that it is ugly for Allah to initiate punishment without prior clarification—a point you (Sunnis) do not hold.

The Response: What you have mentioned proves that Allah does not punish except after clarification, removal of excuse, and justification. However, it does not prove that He is incapable of doing otherwise. Therefore, what you have concluded in this regard falls apart.

The mention of this phrase here carries several benefits:

1. First Benefit: Since Allah commanded disavowal of the disbelievers, He clarified that the dominion of the heavens and the earth belongs to Him. If He is your supporter, they cannot harm you.
2. Second Benefit: Some Muslims might have said: Since you commanded us to sever ties with the disbelievers, we can no longer associate with our fathers, children, and brothers, many of whom are disbelievers. The meaning here is: If you are deprived of their help and support, the God who owns the heavens and the earth, who gives life and causes death, is your supporter, so their separation from you will not harm you.
3. Third Benefit: Since Allah commanded these difficult obligations, it is as if He is saying: You must submit to My judgment and command because I am your God and you are My servants.

Verse 116:

لَّقَد تَّابَ اللَّهُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ وَالْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنصَارِ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ فِي سَاعَةِ الْعُسْرَةِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا كَادَ يَزِيغُ قُلُوبُ فَرِيقٍ مِّنْهُمْ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّهُ بِهِمْ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ

(Translation: Certainly, Allah accepted the repentance of the Prophet, the Muhajirun, and the Ansar who followed him in the hour of difficulty, after the hearts of a party of them had almost deviated, then He accepted their repentance. Indeed, He is to them Kind and Merciful.)