Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (4/79)

Tafsir al-BaghawiAl-Baghawi

“Whether you ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them, even if you were to ask forgiveness for them seventy times, Allah will never forgive them. That is because they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger, and Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.” (80)

“Those who stayed behind rejoiced at their remaining behind the Messenger of Allah, and they disliked striving with their wealth and their lives in the way of Allah. They said, ‘Do not march out in the heat.’ Say, ‘The Fire of Hell is far hotter, if only they understood.’” (81)

“So let them laugh a little and weep much, as recompense for what they used to earn.” (82)

“If Allah returns you to a group of them and they ask your permission to go forth, then say, ‘You shall never go forth with me, nor shall you ever fight an enemy alongside me. You were content to remain behind the first time, so remain with those who stay behind.’” (83)

“Whether you ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them”: its wording is imperative, but its meaning is declarative. That is, whether you ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them, Allah will not forgive them.

“Even if you were to ask forgiveness for them seventy times, Allah will never forgive them”: the mention of the number seventy is intended as an emphatic expression of the utter hopelessness of expecting forgiveness for them.

Al-Dahhak said: When this verse was revealed, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Allah has given me leave, so I shall ask forgiveness more than seventy times, in the hope that Allah may forgive them.” Then Allah revealed to His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him: “It is all the same for them whether you ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them: Allah will never forgive them.” (1)

“That is because they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger, and Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.”

“Those who stayed behind”: that is, from the campaign of Tabuk. One who is left behind is one who has been abandoned. “At their remaining behind”: that is, at their staying behind

(1) Al-Tabari, 14:395; al-Durr al-Manthur, 4:253.

﴿اسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ أَوْ لَا تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ إِنْ تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً فَلَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ (٨٠) فَرِحَ الْمُخَلَّفُونَ بِمَقْعَدِهِمْ خِلَافَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ وَكَرِهُوا أَنْ يُجَاهِدُوا بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنْفُسِهِمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَقَالُوا لَا تَنْفِرُوا فِي الْحَرِّ قُلْ نَارُ جَهَنَّمَ أَشَدُّ حَرًّا لَوْ كَانُوا يَفْقَهُونَ (٨١) فَلْيَضْحَكُوا قَلِيلًا وَلْيَبْكُوا كَثِيرًا جَزَاءً بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ (٨٢) فَإِنْ رَجَعَكَ اللَّهُ إِلَى طَائِفَةٍ مِنْهُمْ فَاسْتَأْذَنُوكَ لِلْخُرُوجِ فَقُلْ لَنْ تَخْرُجُوا مَعِيَ أَبَدًا وَلَنْ تُقَاتِلُوا مَعِيَ عَدُوًّا إِنَّكُمْ رَضِيتُمْ بِالْقُعُودِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ فَاقْعُدُوا مَعَ الْخَالِفِينَ (٨٣) ﴾ . ﴿اسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ أَوْ لَا تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ﴾ لَفْظُهُ أَمْرٌ، وَمَعْنَاهُ خَبَرٌ، تَقْدِيرُهُ: اسْتَغْفَرْتَ لَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ لَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ. ﴿إِنْ تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً فَلَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ﴾ وَذِكْرُ عَدَدِ السَّبْعِينَ لِلْمُبَالِغَةِ فِي الْيَأْسِ عَلَى طَمَعِ الْمَغْفِرَةِ. قَالَ الضَّحَّاكُ: لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: "إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ رَخَّصَ لِي فَلَأَزِيدَنَّ عَلَى السَّبْعِينَ لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ"، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ ﷺ ﴿سَوَاءٌ عَلَيْهِمْ أَسْتَغْفَرْتَ لَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ لَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ﴾ (١) . ﴿ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ﴾ . ﴿فَرِحَ الْمُخَلَّفُونَ﴾ عَنْ غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ. وَالْمُخَلَّفُ: الْمَتْرُوكُ ﴿بِمَقْعَدِهِمْ﴾ أَيْ بِقُعُودِهِمْ

(١) الطبري: ١٤ / ٣٩٥، الدر المنثور: ٤ / ٢٥٣.