لَقَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُم بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
9:61.
Commentary:
This verse applies to both believers and disbelievers, the opening part of it applying to the latter and the closing part to the former. To disbelievers the verse says: It grieves the Prophet to see you fall into trouble, i.e. although you subjected the Prophet to all manner of persecutions and privations, yet his heart is so full of the milk of human kindness that no amount of persecution on your part can make him bitter against you or make him wish you ill. He is so kind and sympathetic to you that he cannot bear to see you turn away from the path of righteousness and thus put yourselves in trouble. To believers the verse says: The Prophet is compassionate and merciful, i.e. he cheerfully shares with you your sorrows and afflictions. Moreover, like an affectionate father he treats you with kindness and mercy.
The attributes "compassionate and merciful" applied here to the Holy Prophet are also applied to God. As a matter of fact, the attributes of God are of two kinds: (1) تنزیھیة i.e. those that make Him distinct from His creation, e.g. رحمان (One Whose mercy extends to all); these are never applied to anyone except God. (2) تشبیھیة i.e. those in which He resembles other beings, e.g. رحیم (Merciful); for mercy is an attribute which may be shared, in however meagre a degree, by others also.
9:61.
This verse may apply to both believers and disbelievers—preferably to the former—the opening part of it applying to disbelievers and the closing part to believers. To disbelievers it seems to say: "It grieves the Prophet to see you fall into trouble, i.e. although you subject him to all manner of persecution and privation, yet his heart is so full of the milk of human kindness that no amount of persecution on your part can make him bitter against you and make him wish you ill. He is so kind and sympathetic to you that he cannot bear to see you turn away from the path of righteousness and thus put yourselves in trouble." To believers it says: "The Prophet is full of love, compassion and mercy for you, i.e. he cheerfully shares with you your sorrows and afflictions. Moreover, like an affectionate father he treats you with extreme kindness and mercy."