'It is Ahmed, stunning on 'one chord to two bows' (qasida 19:10)

This is the motto of this section, which is for talking about our beloved prophet Mohammad [PPBUH].

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And the Messenger asked forgiveness for them

Allah says: [We sent no messenger, but to be obeyed, by Allah’s leave. And if, when they had wronged themselves, they had but come unto you and asked forgiveness of Allah, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Forgiving, Merciful] an-Nisa' 4:64.

Such verse is among these divine awards granted to Mohammad's nation [Muslims]. Allah here is telling the Muslims that He has the will for them to obey Mohammad [PPBUH] and has entitled him [PPBUH] to ask for Allah’s forgiveness for them if they had wronged themselves. Allah Almighty has also associated his forgiveness with their coming unto the Prophet [PPBUH] and asking Him Almighty for forgiveness in front of him [PPBUH] and Allah promised to accept the Prophet's prayers for them. Thus, this is the worldly intercession of the Prophet [PPBUH] to his nation before the hereafter one. In the following verse Allah told them about the condition governing their faith [Iman] which is total obedience and submition to the Messenger [PPBUH] and to his judgments. Furthermore, their appearance must be matching with their interior [reality] in the issue of submission and obedience. In these two verses, there is an evident honor and support to the great Prophet [PPBUH], who never speaks subjectively. Nevertheless, Qur'anic verses in general are - unlike what is believed by many - sustainable and can not be confined to a certain place or time as it would be clear from the following interpretations.

Imam Ibn Kathir interpretation:

[we sent no messenger, but to be obeyed]: I obliged believers to obey my messengers. [by Allah’s leave]: Mujahed said: i.e. No one would obey him except those whom I granted, i.e. no one may succeed in doing so, unless I led him to that. Like in the verse, [Allah did indeed fulfill his promise to you when you slew them by His permission] 'Aal-Umran 3:152, Mujahed said: i.e. by his command, will and by empowering you over them.

[And if, when they had wronged themselves, they had but come unto you and asked forgiveness of Allah, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Forgiving, Merciful] is a verse by which Allah guides wrong doers and sinners to the fact that if they go to the Prophet [PPBUH] and ask for Allah’s forgiveness and ask him [PPBUH] to pray for their forgiveness, Allah would accept their repentance, forgive and pardon them. That’s why the verse recites [they would have found Allah Forgiving, Merciful].

Ibn Kathir also says: It was narrated by many; of whom is sheikh Abu Nasr ibn as-Sabbagh who mentioned in his book "Ash-Shamel" the famous story of al-Otaby: “I was sitting by the Prophet’s grave [PPBUH]. A Bedouin came along and said: "Peace be upon you, Oh, Allah’s messenger, I heard Allah saying [And if, when they had wronged themselves, they had but come unto you and asked forgiveness of Allah, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Forgiving, Merciful], so, I came to ask for your forgiveness and your intercession. Then he said:

[O, the best of all whom are buried,

From your scent, the grave and the trees are perfumed]

[I would sacrifice myself for a grave you are in,

In which are abstinence, bounty and honor]

Then he left, and I went asleep, I saw the Prophet [PPBUH] in my sleep saying: (O, Otaby, follow the Bedouin and tell him that Allah has forgiven him). This story was also narrated by an-Nawawi in ‘the Collected and the Clearing’, and added two more verses to the Bedouin's poem as follows:

[Its you whom intercession is desired,  

When stumbling on the path (of the judgment day)]

[And I would never forget your two companions   

May peace be upon you all as long as the Pen is writing]

That was what Ibn Kathir said. We say: Notice that the companions, was not surprised at the issue of Prophet’s asking for forgiveness to the Muslims after His death. Neither did they oppose the Bedouin’s request - unlike some who do that nowadays. That’s to say, that the verse is of an eternal effect and is not confined to a certain time or place.

Imam Qushayri interpretation:

We commanded the messengers only to summon people unto us. And [And if, when they had wronged themselves, they had but come unto you]: if they had used you as their means, they would have reached us through you. It is also said: “if they had clanged to humbleness, neediness and had adhered to asking Allah for forgiveness, they would have harvested the fruits of good deeds.

Imam al-Fakhr al-Razy interpretation:

[and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them]: he did not say "and you had asked forgiveness for them", to glorify Prophet Muhammad [PPBUH]. Allah, Almighty, also wanted to affirm the fact that if they came unto Muhammad [PPBUH], they would have come to the one Allah honored by revelation and chose to be an ambassador between him and his creatures. A man, upon whom all such bounties are bestowed, is of an unturned intercession, which is the meaning behind changing the speech from "you" to the Messenger.

Al- Jalalain interpretation:

[And if, when they had wronged themselves]: through bringing one another before idols. [had but come unto you] repentant. [asked forgiveness of Allah, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them]: Allah mentioned the word ‘Messenger’ for the honor and glory of Muhammad [PPBUH]. [they would have found Allah Forgiving] for them, [Merciful] to them.

Imam Tha’labi interpretation:

Imam Ja'far al-Sadeq [AAH] narrated on the authority of Imam Ali [AHHF]: “after three days from burying the Prophet [PPBUH], a man came along and throw himself on His grave, covering his head with some of the grave dust saying: "O, Messenger of Allah, you said and we heard you, you perceived from Allah and we perceived from you and among the verses revealed upon you was [And if, when they had wronged themselves, they had but come unto you and asked forgiveness of Allah, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Forgiving, Merciful], I had wronged myself, so I came for you to ask for my forgiveness". Then a call came out of the grave saying: (you're forgiven)

Imam al-Baydawi interpretation:

[and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them]: they pardoned you, till you interceded for them to Allah. The word ‘Messenger’ is used to glorify the Prophet and to indicate that He is entitled to accept the repentance of the wrong-doers and authorized to intercede for them. It even mean that He is in the rank that high enough to intercede in major sins.

Al-Bahr al-Moheit interpretation:

It is narrated on the authority of Ali [AHHF] that after the death of Mohammad [PPBUH] by about three days a man came along and threw himself on his grave, covering his head with some of the grave dust saying:

[O, the best of all whom are buried,

From your scent, the grave and the trees are perfumed]

[I would sacrifice myself for a grave you are in,

In which are abstinence, bounty and honor]

Then he said: "O, Messenger of Allah, you said and we heard you, you perceived from Allah and we perceived from you and among the verses revealed upon you was [And if, when they had wronged themselves, they had but come unto you]... the verse, and I had wronged myself, so I came for you asking forgiveness for my sins from Allah. So, ask my Lord for my forgiveness". Then a call came out of the grave saying: (you are forgiven).

Al-Allousi interpretation:

the signs from this verse are that: Allah has commanded us to obey the Prophet [PPBUH] whether alive or dead. He commanded us of obeying his heirs as well who are the pious just scholars and the saints of great knowledge. These heirs are ruling through their intuition and insight. Scholars are ruler in particular, i.e. for those who stick to them of the people of the will. Whosoever will not adhere to the scholars’ judgment, feel not satisfied of what they imposed on him, should be deemed hypocrite. He, who shall not adhere to the judgment of the saints, shall be deemed out of their circle and of the nest of their discipline. Because the judgment of the Prophet and his heirs is the same as Allah’s, and he who shall oppose Allah’s judge, will be out of the circle of faith. Absolute faith is that which is free of any dislike of Allah’s commands: the compulsory and the commissioning. True believers should submit to all aspects of eternal power. Whether it is the aspect of poverty and richness or of humbleness and glory or of abstinence and bestowal or of contraction and expansion or of illness and health …etc. He should accept it all inside out. He should follow no choice but Allah’s. For, Allah knows best; he is the more merciful and kind to him than his mother and father, and he is the true guide to the straight and right path.

Edited by Samer el-Lail   

Translated by Noha

Whoever wants to get more about this subject, can seek it in the website of Al-Nabi [PPBUH]

the Editorial Team