مَن كَفَرَ بِٱللَّهِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ إِيمَٰنِهِۦٓ إِلَّا مَنْ أُكْرِهَ وَقَلْبُهُۥ مُطْمَئِنٌّۢ بِٱلْإِيمَٰنِ وَلَٰكِن مَّن شَرَحَ بِٱلْكُفْرِ صَدْرًا فَعَلَيْهِمْ غَضَبٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
3:91; 4:138; 63:4.
Commentary:
With this verse the Quran reverts to the main theme of the Surah, viz. that the day of the glory of Islam is about to dawn but Muslims will have to suffer great trials and tribulations to deserve it. They are warned that if anyone of them recanted under these trials, he would draw upon himself the wrath of God. But a person who is inwardly satisfied with Islam and only under very severe compulsion is constrained to utter words which may appear to express disbelief, may not be punished for such an expression of disbelief. But this does not mean that cowardice is condoned or that such a person will be altogether pardoned. Cowardice and true belief cannot go together. The verse holds out no Divine pardon to a coward. It is indeed silent about him which implies that final judgement in the case of such persons has been reserved and that their future behaviour will determine the nature of the treatment they will receive from God.
The words, who is forced thereto, may refer to Jabr or ‘Ammar bin Yasir but preferably to the former.
3:91; 4:138; 63:4.
The verse is silent about the treatment which a person who, under the severest trial, utters words that may appear to express disbelief though inwardly he may be satisfied with Islam, will receive from God. It implies that final judgment in the case of such persons has been reserved and that their future behaviour will determine the nature of the treatment they will receive from God.