Topic: Seeking Forgiveness Of
View Aspects
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ جَآءُوكَ فَٱسْتَغْفَرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ ٱلرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابًا رَّحِيمًا
4:111.
4:111
It is sometimes sought to be inferred from these words that though a Prophet is to be always obeyed by the people to whom he preaches his Message, yet he himself does not give allegiance to any other Prophet. This is evidently a wrong inference. The fact that a Prophet is the object of other people’s obedience does not preclude the possibility of his being himself subordinate to, and a follower of, another Prophet. Aaron was a subordinate Prophet to Moses (20:94).
4:111.
Commentary:
It is sometimes sought to be inferred from the words, We have sent no Messenger but that he should be obeyed by the command of Allah, that though a Prophet is to be always obeyed by the people to whom he preaches his message, yet he himself gives allegiance to no other Prophet nor can he be subject to the Law of any other Prophet. This is evidently a very wrong inference. The simple and straightforward meaning of the words is only this that when God sends a Prophet, He means that those to whom he is sent should obey him. But the fact that a Prophet is the object of other people’s obedience cannot preclude the possibility of his being himself subordinate to, and a follower of another Prophet. A governor is sent to a province to be obeyed but that does not mean that he is not subordinate to the Governor General, if any, or to the king. According to the Quran, Aaron was a subordinate Prophet to Moses. This is why, when Moses went up to the Mount leaving Aaron behind him to look after the Israelites, and the Israelites took to worshipping the calf, Moses severely reprimanded him on his return, saying "Hast thou then disobeyed my command?" (20:94). In this connection see also 5:45.
a
4:111.
a
4:111.
537
Commentary:
It is sometimes sought to be inferred from the words, We have sent no Messenger but that he should be obeyed by the command of Allah, that though a Prophet is to be always obeyed by the people to whom he preaches his message, yet he himself gives allegiance to no other Prophet nor can he be subject to the Law of any other Prophet. This is evidently a very wrong inference. The simple and straightforward meaning of the words is only this that when God sends a Prophet, He means that those to whom he is sent should obey him. But the fact that a Prophet is the object of other people’s obedience cannot preclude the possibility of his being himself subordinate to, and a follower of another Prophet. A governor is sent to a province to be obeyed but that does not mean that he is not subordinate to the Governor General, if any, or to the king. According to the Quran, Aaron was a subordinate Prophet to Moses. This is why, when Moses went up to the Mount leaving Aaron behind him to look after the Israelites, and the Israelites took to worshipping the calf, Moses severely reprimanded him on his return, saying "Hast thou then disobeyed my command?" (20:94). In this connection see also 5:45.
a
4:111
625
It is sometimes sought to be inferred from these words that though a Prophet is to be always obeyed by the people to whom he preaches his Message, yet he himself does not give allegiance to any other Prophet. This is evidently a wrong inference. The fact that a Prophet is the object of other people’s obedience does not preclude the possibility of his being himself subordinate to, and a follower of, another Prophet. Aaron was a subordinate Prophet to Moses (20:94).
وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنتَ فِيهِمْ ۚ وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ
قرآن مجید میں واؤ ہے جس کا ترجمہ لیکن کیا گیا ہے۔ اور اس جگہ بدر کا ذکر ہے جس موقعہ پر ابوجہل نے انہی الفاظ میں دعا کی تھی‘ اور سزا میں مارا بھی گیا تھا۔
یعنی جب تو نکل جائے گا‘ تو استغفار تو وہ پہلے ہی نہیں کر رہے۔ دونوں نجات کے موجب جاتے رہیں گے۔ اور وہ تباہ ہو جائیں گے۔
11:4.
Commentary:
The verse embodies two basic protections against Divine punishment: (1) a people are not punished when they have a God’s Messenger living among them; and (2) they are not punished when they are seeking forgiveness of God. At the Battle of Badr, the Holy Prophet was not "among" the disbelievers, for the believers and the disbelievers formed two distinct and opposite parties. At Mecca, however, he was "among" them, for both he and his opponents lived under the same conditions and the same laws. Nor did the Quraish of Mecca enjoy the second protection at the Battle of Badr for, instead of asking forgiveness of God, they prayed that if Islam was a true religion, God might destroy them with a grievous punishment. The verse, therefore, hints that the Battle of Badr was the proper occasion for punishing the enemies of Islam.
b
11:4.
546
穆圣离开麦加后, 麦加人受到惩罚。安拉的使者是免受天灾的一种护盾。
1
قرآن مجید میں واؤ ہے جس کا ترجمہ لیکن کیا گیا ہے۔ اور اس جگہ بدر کا ذکر ہے جس موقعہ پر ابوجہل نے انہی الفاظ میں دعا کی تھی‘ اور سزا میں مارا بھی گیا تھا۔
2
یعنی جب تو نکل جائے گا‘ تو استغفار تو وہ پہلے ہی نہیں کر رہے۔ دونوں نجات کے موجب جاتے رہیں گے۔ اور وہ تباہ ہو جائیں گے۔
a
11:4.
1122
Commentary:
The verse embodies two basic protections against Divine punishment: (1) a people are not punished when they have a God’s Messenger living among them; and (2) they are not punished when they are seeking forgiveness of God. At the Battle of Badr, the Holy Prophet was not "among" the disbelievers, for the believers and the disbelievers formed two distinct and opposite parties. At Mecca, however, he was "among" them, for both he and his opponents lived under the same conditions and the same laws. Nor did the Quraish of Mecca enjoy the second protection at the Battle of Badr for, instead of asking forgiveness of God, they prayed that if Islam was a true religion, God might destroy them with a grievous punishment. The verse, therefore, hints that the Battle of Badr was the proper occasion for punishing the enemies of Islam.
a
11:4.
1118
The Meccans were punished after the Holy Prophet left Mecca. The Divine Messengers serve as a kind of shield against heavenly visitations.
وَأَنِ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ يُمَتِّعْكُم مَّتَٰعًا حَسَنًا إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى وَيُؤْتِ كُلَّ ذِى فَضْلٍ فَضْلَهُۥ ۖ وَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَإِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ كَبِيرٍ
11:53, 62; 71:11.
The verse shows that the stage of Taubah comes after, and is higher than, Istighfar in the spiritual development of man. Taubah is an act of sincere and wholehearted turning to God after His protection has been sought against the evil effects of past sins. What better means than this can be imagined to attain God’s nearness?
11:53, 62; 71:11.
Important Words:
کبیر (dreadful) is derived from کبر which means, he or it was or became great in estimation or rank or dignity; or he or it became big or large in corporeal substance or in years. They say کبر الامر i.e. the affair was or became of great moment. کبر علیه الامر means, the affair was or became difficult, hard, severe, grievous, distressing or burdensome to him. کبیر means, great in corporeal substance; or in estimation or rank or dignity; great and noble; a lord or chief; greatest or oldest ancestor; old or advanced in age; also full-grown and adolescent; the most knowing or learned of a people; difficult, severe, grievous, distressing and burdensome. It is synonymous with عظیم with the difference that, whereas the latter word generally means great in comparison with others, the former means great in itself. الکبیر as an epithet applied to God is generally considered to be synonymous with العظیم which means, the Incomparably Great (Lane).
Commentary:
In the previous verse, the attention of man was drawn to the object of his creation. But as he has to face many obstacles and impediments which hinder the realization of his ideal, he has therefore been advised in the present verse to seek God’s help for the removal of those obstructions and hindrances which, in the form of the dross and rust of sin, continue to accumulate round his heart and eventually completely cover it. The Arabic word used here is استغفار (seeking forgiveness), which literally means "to pray to God that He should cover up". In this sense of the word the injunction embodied in the verse signifies that we should always pray to God that He should cover up and suppress those of our evil inclinations and desires which hinder us from attaining His nearness.
The expression, then turn to Him, means that when we have successfully suppressed and overcome our evil desires, we should turn to God that He may engender in our hearts such love for Himself as may help us to attain His nearness. This shows that it is only when evil desires, which excite the displeasure of God, have been successfully suppressed and the love of God becomes engendered in our hearts that we can truly turn to Him. Incidentally, the verse also shows that the stage of توبة (turning to God) comes after استغفار (seeking forgiveness and praying to God for the removal of the evil effects of our sins and the suppression of our evil inclinations).
Those who think that the Islamic doctrine of توبة (turning to God) encourages sin are utterly ignorant of its real significance. It is indeed foolish to think that the man who is engaged in making a sincere effort to remove the evil effects of his sins and to suppress his evil desires is making only a lip-profession. In fact, توبة (repentance) does not consist in merely uttering words of repentance. It is an act of sincere and whole-hearted turning to God after His protection has been sought against the evil effects of past sins. What better way than this can there be to attain the nearness of God? The words, an appointed term, mean the period ordained by God for the followers of a Prophet. The words, He will grant His grace to every one possessed of merit, refer to spiritual blessings in both this life and the life to come.
A thing is said to be کبیر (lit. great) both with regard to its extensiveness and its intensity and gravity. Hence the words, the punishment of a dreadful (lit. great) day, mean that in case the people rejected God’s teaching, they would be visited with a punishment which would not only be of long duration but would also be most distressing, so that it would indeed be hard for disbelievers to bear.
e
11:53, 62; 71:11.
607
这节经文表明, 悔改这个阶段在人类精神发展过程中出现在祈求宽恕之后, 并高于后者。悔改是对过去罪恶的不良结果求得了安拉的保护之后虔诚和全心全意地归向安拉。为了接近安拉, 还可想象出什么比这更好的方法呢?
a
11:53, 62; 71:11.
1385
Important Words:
کبیر (dreadful) is derived from کبر which means, he or it was or became great in estimation or rank or dignity; or he or it became big or large in corporeal substance or in years. They say کبر الامر i.e. the affair was or became of great moment. کبر علیه الامر means, the affair was or became difficult, hard, severe, grievous, distressing or burdensome to him. کبیر means, great in corporeal substance; or in estimation or rank or dignity; great and noble; a lord or chief; greatest or oldest ancestor; old or advanced in age; also full-grown and adolescent; the most knowing or learned of a people; difficult, severe, grievous, distressing and burdensome. It is synonymous with عظیم with the difference that, whereas the latter word generally means great in comparison with others, the former means great in itself. الکبیر as an epithet applied to God is generally considered to be synonymous with العظیم which means, the Incomparably Great (Lane).
Commentary:
In the previous verse, the attention of man was drawn to the object of his creation. But as he has to face many obstacles and impediments which hinder the realization of his ideal, he has therefore been advised in the present verse to seek God’s help for the removal of those obstructions and hindrances which, in the form of the dross and rust of sin, continue to accumulate round his heart and eventually completely cover it. The Arabic word used here is استغفار (seeking forgiveness), which literally means "to pray to God that He should cover up". In this sense of the word the injunction embodied in the verse signifies that we should always pray to God that He should cover up and suppress those of our evil inclinations and desires which hinder us from attaining His nearness.
The expression, then turn to Him, means that when we have successfully suppressed and overcome our evil desires, we should turn to God that He may engender in our hearts such love for Himself as may help us to attain His nearness. This shows that it is only when evil desires, which excite the displeasure of God, have been successfully suppressed and the love of God becomes engendered in our hearts that we can truly turn to Him. Incidentally, the verse also shows that the stage of توبة (turning to God) comes after استغفار (seeking forgiveness and praying to God for the removal of the evil effects of our sins and the suppression of our evil inclinations).
Those who think that the Islamic doctrine of توبة (turning to God) encourages sin are utterly ignorant of its real significance. It is indeed foolish to think that the man who is engaged in making a sincere effort to remove the evil effects of his sins and to suppress his evil desires is making only a lip-profession. In fact, توبة (repentance) does not consist in merely uttering words of repentance. It is an act of sincere and whole-hearted turning to God after His protection has been sought against the evil effects of past sins. What better way than this can there be to attain the nearness of God? The words, an appointed term, mean the period ordained by God for the followers of a Prophet. The words, He will grant His grace to every one possessed of merit, refer to spiritual blessings in both this life and the life to come.
A thing is said to be کبیر (lit. great) both with regard to its extensiveness and its intensity and gravity. Hence the words, the punishment of a dreadful (lit. great) day, mean that in case the people rejected God’s teaching, they would be visited with a punishment which would not only be of long duration but would also be most distressing, so that it would indeed be hard for disbelievers to bear.
e
11:53, 62; 71:11.
1295
The verse shows that the stage of Taubah comes after, and is higher than, Istighfar in the spiritual development of man. Taubah is an act of sincere and wholehearted turning to God after His protection has been sought against the evil effects of past sins. What better means than this can be imagined to attain God’s nearness?
وَيَٰقَوْمِ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ يُرْسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا وَيَزِدْكُمْ قُوَّةً إِلَىٰ قُوَّتِكُمْ وَلَا تَتَوَلَّوْا۟ مُجْرِمِينَ
11:4, 62; 71:11.
11:4, 62; 71:11.
It seems that the chief occupation of the people of ‘Ad was agriculture and that they depended on rainwater for the cultivation of their land, there being no wells or canals to irrigate it.
11:4, 62; 71:11.
Important Words:
مدرارا (pouring down abundant rain) is derived from در which means, it (the milk) was or became copious or abundant; or it flowed copiously or abundantly. They say درت الناقة بلبنھا i.e. the she-camel yielded her milk, or made it to flow, copiously or abundantly. درت السماء بالمطر means, the sky poured down rain abundantly. سماء مدرار means, a sky pouring down abundance of rain. رزق دار means, continual and, uninterrupted sustenance (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
This verse shows that the chief occupation of the people of ‘Ad was agriculture and that they depended on rainwater for the cultivation of their land, there being no wells or canals to irrigate it. It also hints that the acceptance of a Prophet of God improves and betters not only the moral and spiritual condition of a people but also their material condition and leads to all-round progress and prosperity.
c
11:4, 62; 71:11.
b
11:4, 62; 71:11.
1433
Important Words:
مدرارا (pouring down abundant rain) is derived from در which means, it (the milk) was or became copious or abundant; or it flowed copiously or abundantly. They say درت الناقة بلبنھا i.e. the she-camel yielded her milk, or made it to flow, copiously or abundantly. درت السماء بالمطر means, the sky poured down rain abundantly. سماء مدرار means, a sky pouring down abundance of rain. رزق دار means, continual and, uninterrupted sustenance (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
This verse shows that the chief occupation of the people of ‘Ad was agriculture and that they depended on rainwater for the cultivation of their land, there being no wells or canals to irrigate it. It also hints that the acceptance of a Prophet of God improves and betters not only the moral and spiritual condition of a people but also their material condition and leads to all-round progress and prosperity.
b
11:4, 62; 71:11.
1324
It seems that the chief occupation of the people of ‘Ad was agriculture and that they depended on rainwater for the cultivation of their land, there being no wells or canals to irrigate it.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحًا عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمْ أَن يُكَفِّرَ عَنكُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمْ وَيُدْخِلَكُمْ جَنَّٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ يَوْمَ لَا يُخْزِى ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّبِىَّ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ ۖ نُورُهُمْ يَسْعَىٰ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَبِأَيْمَٰنِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ أَتْمِمْ لَنَا نُورَنَا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَآ ۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
48:6; 64:10.
信者在天园中永无休止地追求完美的欲望在这句话中得到了表达: “我们的养主啊, 求你为了我们 (的益处) 完成我们的光辉吧。” 这说明天园中的生活并不是毫无生气的。相反, 天园中的精神进展将是无限的, 因为当信者获得某阶段所特有的美德的时候, 他们不会就此停止, 而是看到前面还有更高阶段的美德, 发现他们所达到的阶段并非最高阶段, 他们就继而向前, 永无止境。
信者进入天园后将力求 مَغْفِرَة (Maghfirah), 即克服缺陷 (Lane)。 他们将不停地祈求安拉赐予达到完美并完全沐浴在真主的光明中, 他们将继续向上, 把每一阶段与他们所祈求的更高阶段作比较看作有欠缺, 因此将祈求安拉使其度过有欠缺的阶段, 以便他们能够到达更高阶段。这是 اِسْتِغْفَار (Istighfar) 的真正含意, 字面上的意思是“请求宽恕过失。”
لَام عربی میں فائدہ کے معنے ادا کرنے کے لئے آتا ہے اس لئے ہم نے اس کا ترجمہ یہ کیا ہے کہ اے ہمارے ربّ ہمارا نور ہمارے فائدہ کے لئے پورا کر دے۔
48:6; 64:10.
The never-ceasing desire for perfection on the part of believers in Paradise as expressed in the words, 'Our Lord perfect our light for us,' shows that life in Paradise will not be one of inaction. On the contrary, spiritual advance in Paradise will know no end, for as the believers will attain excellence, characteristic of a certain stage, they will not stop at that, but seeing in front of it a higher stage of excellence and finding that the stage at which they had arrived was not the highest stage will proceed further, and so on without end.
It further appears that after entering Paradise, the believers will seek Maghfirah, i.e. suppression of defects (Lane). They will be continually praying to God for the attainment of perfection and complete immersion in Divine Light and will be continually going upwards regarding each state as defective in comparison with a higher one, to which they will aspire, and will therefore pray to God to suppress the defective state that they may be able to get to the higher one. This is the true significance of Istighfar of which the literal meaning is, 'asking forgiveness for one’s lapses.'
8:30; 48:6; 64:10.
Commentary:
The never-ceasing desire for perfection on the part of believers in Paradise as expressed in the words, "Our Lord perfect our light for us," shows that life in Paradise will not be a life of inaction. On the contrary, spiritual advance in Paradise will know no end, for as the believers will attain excellence, characteristic of a certain stage, they will not stop at that, but seeing in front of it a higher stage of excellence and thus finding that the stage at which they had arrived was not the highest stage, will desire the attainment of the next higher stage, and so on without end.
In short the believers will go on making advancement in Paradise and shall never recede a step. Their activity far from ceasing will rather increase. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said that in Paradise the believers will be imparted knowledge of new attributes of God which they will try to copy in themselves.
From the verse it further appears that after entering Paradise, the believers will seek maghfirah, i.e. "suppression of a defect." In this sense of maghfirah the verse means that the righteous will be continually praying to God for the attainment of perfection and complete immersion in divine light. They will be continually going upwards and will regard each state as defective in comparison with a higher one to which they will aspire and will, therefore, pray to God to suppress the defective state that they may be able to get to the higher one. This is the true significance of Istighfar of which the literal meaning is, "asking forgiveness for one’s lapses."
c
48:6; 64:10.
1444
信者在天园中永无休止地追求完美的欲望在这句话中得到了表达: “我们的养主啊, 求你为了我们 (的益处) 完成我们的光辉吧。” 这说明天园中的生活并不是毫无生气的。相反, 天园中的精神进展将是无限的, 因为当信者获得某阶段所特有的美德的时候, 他们不会就此停止, 而是看到前面还有更高阶段的美德, 发现他们所达到的阶段并非最高阶段, 他们就继而向前, 永无止境。
1445
信者进入天园后将力求 مَغْفِرَة (Maghfirah), 即克服缺陷 (Lane)。 他们将不停地祈求安拉赐予达到完美并完全沐浴在真主的光明中, 他们将继续向上, 把每一阶段与他们所祈求的更高阶段作比较看作有欠缺, 因此将祈求安拉使其度过有欠缺的阶段, 以便他们能够到达更高阶段。这是 اِسْتِغْفَار (Istighfar) 的真正含意, 字面上的意思是“请求宽恕过失。”
2
لَام عربی میں فائدہ کے معنے ادا کرنے کے لئے آتا ہے اس لئے ہم نے اس کا ترجمہ یہ کیا ہے کہ اے ہمارے ربّ ہمارا نور ہمارے فائدہ کے لئے پورا کر دے۔
a
8:30; 48:6; 64:10.
4284
Commentary:
The never-ceasing desire for perfection on the part of believers in Paradise as expressed in the words, "Our Lord perfect our light for us," shows that life in Paradise will not be a life of inaction. On the contrary, spiritual advance in Paradise will know no end, for as the believers will attain excellence, characteristic of a certain stage, they will not stop at that, but seeing in front of it a higher stage of excellence and thus finding that the stage at which they had arrived was not the highest stage, will desire the attainment of the next higher stage, and so on without end.
In short the believers will go on making advancement in Paradise and shall never recede a step. Their activity far from ceasing will rather increase. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said that in Paradise the believers will be imparted knowledge of new attributes of God which they will try to copy in themselves.
From the verse it further appears that after entering Paradise, the believers will seek maghfirah, i.e. "suppression of a defect." In this sense of maghfirah the verse means that the righteous will be continually praying to God for the attainment of perfection and complete immersion in divine light. They will be continually going upwards and will regard each state as defective in comparison with a higher one to which they will aspire and will, therefore, pray to God to suppress the defective state that they may be able to get to the higher one. This is the true significance of Istighfar of which the literal meaning is, "asking forgiveness for one’s lapses."
b
48:6; 64:10.
3075
The never-ceasing desire for perfection on the part of believers in Paradise as expressed in the words, 'Our Lord perfect our light for us,' shows that life in Paradise will not be one of inaction. On the contrary, spiritual advance in Paradise will know no end, for as the believers will attain excellence, characteristic of a certain stage, they will not stop at that, but seeing in front of it a higher stage of excellence and finding that the stage at which they had arrived was not the highest stage will proceed further, and so on without end.
3076
It further appears that after entering Paradise, the believers will seek Maghfirah, i.e. suppression of defects (Lane). They will be continually praying to God for the attainment of perfection and complete immersion in Divine Light and will be continually going upwards regarding each state as defective in comparison with a higher one, to which they will aspire, and will therefore pray to God to suppress the defective state that they may be able to get to the higher one. This is the true significance of Istighfar of which the literal meaning is, 'asking forgiveness for one’s lapses.'
فَقُلْتُ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ غَفَّارًا
11:4, 53.
11:4, 53.
11:4, 53.
a
11:4, 53.
b
11:4, 53.
a
11:4, 53.