“And seek Allah’s forgiveness. Indeed, Allah is ever Forgiving, Most Merciful (106). And do not contend on behalf of those who betray themselves. Indeed, Allah does not love anyone who is habitually treacherous and sinful (107). They seek to hide from people, but they do not seek to hide from Allah, though He is with them when they plot by night words of which He does not approve. And Allah encompasses all that they do (108).”
“And seek Allah’s forgiveness”: for what you had contemplated of punishing the Jew. Muqatil said: “Seek Allah’s forgiveness for having argued on behalf of Tu'mah.” “Indeed, Allah is ever Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
“And do not contend”: that is, do not dispute, “on behalf of those who betray themselves,” meaning, those who wrong themselves through treachery and theft. “Indeed, Allah does not love anyone who is habitually treacherous and sinful”: that is, treacherous with regard to the armor, and sinful in accusing the Jew.
It was said that this is an address directed to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while what is intended is others, as in His saying, Exalted is He: “If you are in doubt about what We have sent down to you.” Seeking forgiveness on the part of the prophets after Prophethood falls under one of three categories: either for a sin that preceded Prophethood; or for the sins of his community and relatives; or for something permissible which the Sacred Law has required him to avoid (1), so that he leaves it by seeking forgiveness. Thus, seeking forgiveness here means heeding and obeying the ruling of the Sacred Law.
“They seek to hide from people”: that is, they conceal themselves and feel ashamed before people. This refers to the Banu Zafar ibn al-Harith. “But they do not seek to hide from Allah”: that is, they neither conceal themselves from Allah nor feel ashamed before Him. “Though He is with them when they plot by night”: that is, when they speak and devise; nocturnal plotting means planning an action at night. “Words of which He does not approve”: this was because Tu'mah’s people said among themselves, “We shall bring the matter before the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, for he will accept his statement and oath because he is a Muslim, whereas he will not listen to the Jew because he is an unbeliever.” Allah did not approve of this.