Overview (Verses 101 - 104)

Mixing Good Deeds with Bad Ones

The second group is in total contrast with the one we have just described: “Some desert Arabs around you are hypocrites, and so are some of the people from Madinah, who are indeed persistent in their hypocrisy. You do not know them, but We know them. Twice shall We punish them, and then they will be given over to a grievous suffering.” (Verse 101) We have discussed at length the nature of the hypocrites, whether they lived in Madinah or in the Arabian desert. The sūrah has given numerous examples of their attitude. Here, however, it points to a special type of hypocrite who acquired great skill in hiding their true attitude to the extent that they remain unknown to the Prophet, despite his profound insight and great experience. What is so special about such hypocrites?

God declares that such hypocrites were in Madinah, as well as among the nearby desert Arabs. He reassures His Messenger and the believers that the hypocrites’ scheming will come to nothing. He also warns the hypocrites who were adept at hiding their true position that they will not escape God’s punishment. Indeed their punishment will be doubled in this life as well as in the life to come. “You do not know them, but We know them. Twice shall We punish them, and then they will be given over to a grievous suffering.” (Verse 101) Perhaps the closest interpretation of the double punishment in this life is that they worry lest their reality be discovered by the Muslim community, and the punishment inflicted on them by the angels when they gather their souls, hitting them on their faces and backs. Alternatively, it refers to the pain they feel when they see the Muslims triumph over the forces of falsehood and their fear lest their true feelings are discovered. God knows best the precise meaning of His statement.

If those were the two extreme groups, there is a third one in between: “There are others who have acknowledged their sins, after having mixed righteous deeds with evil ones. It may well be that God will accept their repentance. God is Much forgiving, Merciful. Take a portion of their wealth as charity, so that you may cleanse and purify them thereby; and pray for them: for your prayers are a source of comfort for them. God hears all and knows all. Do they not know that it is God alone who accepts repentance from His servants, and He is truly the One who takes charitable offerings, and that God is the only One to accept repentance and bestow mercy?” (Verses 102-104)

The fact that God instructs His Messenger to take a certain action with this group suggests that they were known in person to the Prophet. It is reported that these verses refer to a particular group who did not join the Prophet on the Tabūk Expedition, but soon regretted their action, admitted their guilt and repented. Their bad action was to stay behind, and their good action was their regret and repentance.

Al-Ţabarī reports in his commentary on this verse: “It refers to Abū Lubābah and his companions who did not join the Prophet when he set out to Tabūk. When the Prophet approached Madinah on his way back they blamed themselves for staying behind. They said: `Do we stay behind enjoying food, comfort and the company of our women while the Prophet strives for God’s cause enduring much hardship!’ They tied themselves to pillars, determining not to release themselves unless the Prophet himself untied them. Only three among them did not tie themselves to pillars. When the Prophet saw what they did, he was told of their regret and their determination that they would be released only by him. He said: `I will not release them until I am commanded to do so, and I will not excuse them until God has accepted their regrets. They preferred to spare themselves the hardship of joining a campaign of Muslims.’ God then revealed the verse: “There are others who have acknowledged their sins, after having mixed righteous deeds with evil ones. It may well be that God will accept their repentance. God is Much forgiving, Merciful.” (Verse 102) When God uses the expression ‘it may well be’, it signifies certainty.

There are several other reports, one of which suggests that it refers only to Abū Lubābah who alerted the Jews of Qurayżah to the death sentence awaiting them by making a sign of cutting his throat. This is highly unlikely, because these verses were revealed long after what happened then. Other reports suggest that it refers to the desert Arabs.

Al-Ţabarī comments on these reports: “Perhaps the nearest to the truth is that which suggests that they refer to those who acknowledged their mistake when they stayed behind and did not join the jihād campaign with the Prophet when he marched out to face the Byzantines. Those were a group of people among whom was Abū Lubābah. We say that this is the closest to the truth because God — limitless is He in His glory — refers in this verse to a group of people who acknowledged their guilt. This means that they were not one person. All the reports we have make it clear that the only group to do so consisted of people who did not join the Prophet when he went on his expedition to Tabūk. We say that Abū Lubābah was among them because all commentators say so.”

Having described this group of people who regretted their staying behind and repented having done so, the sūrah goes on to say: “It may well be that God will accept their repentance. God is Much forgiving, Merciful.” (Verse 102) As al-Ţabarī has explained, when God says, ‘it may well be,’ the expression suggests realization. It is a prospect raised by the One Who can fulfil it. The acknowledgement of error in this way and feeling one’s guilt are indications of an alert and sensitive conscience. Hence, repentance is likely to be accepted and forgiveness is likely to follow. God has certainly accepted their repentance and forgiven them.

God says to His Messenger, Muĥammad (peace be upon him): “Take a portion of their money as charity, so that you may cleanse and purify them thereby; and pray for them: for your prayers are a source of comfort for them. God hears all and knows all.” (Verse 103) Those were people with alert consciences which prompted their regret and repentance for what they had done. Hence they deserved to be reassured and to receive the sympathy which opened up for them hopeful prospects. As the Prophet was moulding a whole community and establishing a system, he felt he needed to wait for instructions from God regarding their cases. Al-Ţabarī reports on the authority of Ibn `Abbās: “When the Prophet released Abū Lubābah and his two Companions, they brought him some money and said: ‘Take this money of ours and give it away as Şadaqah, i.e. charity, and pray for us.’ In other words they requested him to pray for their forgiveness and for the purity of their souls. The Prophet said: `I am not taking any of it until I have received instructions.’ God then revealed this verse: ‘Take a portion of their money as charity, so that you may cleanse and purify them thereby; and pray for them: for your prayers are a source of comfort for them.’ (Verse 103) The Prophet then did as he was instructed.”

Thus we see how God favoured them with His acceptance as He knew that they were good at heart, sincere in their repentance. He ordered His Messenger to take some of their money for charitable uses, and to pray for them. Taking charity from them brought them back as full members of the Muslim community. They could once again share in its duties and participate in meeting its responsibilities. They were thus neither rejected nor expelled. Their charitable donation added to the purity of their hearts. The Prophet’s prayer on their behalf gave them reassurance.

“God hears all and knows all.” (Verse 103) He hears supplications and prayers, and He knows what is in peoples’ hearts. He judges all in accordance with what He hears and knows, for He is indeed the One who hears all and knows all. It is He who makes the final judgement on His servants, accepting their repentance and their charity. His Messenger, the Prophet Muĥammad (peace be upon him), carries out what God commands. He does not initiate any part of this himself.

To establish this fact God says in the following verse: “Do they not know that it is God alone who accepts repentance from His servants, and He is truly the One who takes charitable offerings, and that God is the only One to accept repentance and bestow mercy?” (Verse 104) This is a form of question which signifies an emphatic statement, meaning: let them know that it is God who accepts repentance, takes charitable offerings and bestows mercy on His servants. None of this belongs to anyone beside God. As al-Ţabarī says: “When the Prophet refused to release those who tied themselves to the pillars after they had stayed behind, and when he did not accept their charity after their release, he was simply making it clear to all that none of this was within his authority. It all belonged to God alone. The Prophet himself would only do these things if he were authorized to do so.”