20:82 Taa-Haa (Taa-Haa)

ومع هذا، فالتوبة معروضة، ولو عمل العبد ما عمل من المعاصي، فلهذا قال: { وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٌ } أي: كثير المغفرة والرحمة، لمن تاب من الكفر والبدعة والفسوق، وآمن بالله وملائكته وكتبه ورسله واليوم الآخر، وعمل صالحا من أعمال القلب والبدن، وأقوال اللسان. { ثُمَّ اهْتَدَى } أي: سلك الصراط المستقيم، وتابع الرسول الكريم، واقتدى بالدين القويم، فهذا يغفر الله أوزاره، ويعفو عما تقدم من ذنبه وإصراره، لأنه أتى بالسبب الأكبر، للمغفرة والرحمة، بل الأسباب كلها منحصرة في هذه الأشياء فإن التوبة تجب ما قبلها، والإيمان والإسلام يهدم ما قبله، والعمل الصالح الذي هو الحسنات، يذهب السيئات، وسلوك طرق الهداية بجميع أنواعها، من تعلم علم، وتدبر آية أو حديث، حتى يتبين له معنى من المعاني يهتدي به، ودعوة إلى دين الحق، ورد بدعة أو كفر أو ضلالة، وجهاد، وهجرة، وغير ذلك من جزئيات الهداية، كلها مكفرات للذنوب محصلات لغاية المطلوب.

وقوله "وإنى لغفار لمن تاب وآمن وعمل صالحا" أي كل من تاب إلي تبت عليه من أي ذنب كان حتى إنه تاب تعالى على من عبد العجل من بني إسرائيل وقوله تعالى "تاب" أى رجع عما كان فيه من كفر أو شرك أو معصية أو نفاق وقوله "وآمن" أي بقلبه "وعمل صالحا" أي بجوارحه وقوله "ثم اهتدى" قال على بن أبي طلحة عن ابن عباس أي ثم لم يشكك وقال سعيد بن جبير "ثم اهتدى" أي استقام على السنة والجماعة وروي نحوه عن مجاهد والضحاك وغير واحد من السلف وقال قتادة "ثم اهتدى" أي لزم الإسلام حتى يموت وقال سقيان الثوري "ثم اهتدى" أي علم أن لهذا ثوابا وثم ههنا لترتيب الخبر على الخبر كقوله "ثم كان من الذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات".

A Reminder for the Children of Israel of

Allah's Favors upon Them Allah reminds of His tremendous favors upon the Children of Israel and His numerous blessings. He saved them from their enemy, Fir`awn, and He relieved their eyes by drowning him and his hosts all at one time while they watched. Allah said,

وَأَغْرَقْنَا ءَالَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَأَنتُمْ تَنظُرُونَ

(And We drowned Fir`awn people while you were looking.) 2:50 Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to Al-Madinah, he found the Jews fasting the day of `Ashura'. Therefore he asked them about it and they said, `This is the day that Allah gave Musa victory over Fir`awn.' Then, the Prophet said,

«نَحْنُ أَوْلَى بِمُوسَى فَصُومُوه»

(We have more right to Musa (than them), so fast it.) Muslim also recorded this narration in his Sahih. Then, Allah made a covenant with Musa and the Children of Israel on the right side of the Mountain, after the destruction of Fir`awn. This is the Mountain upon which Allah spoke to Musa and He told Musa's people to look at it when they requested to see Allah. It is also the same Mountain upon which Musa was given the Tawrah, while at the same time the Children of Israel began worshipping the (statue of a) calf, as Allah relates in the forth coming Ayat. The manna and quails have previously been discussed in Surah Al-Baqarah and other Surahs. Manna was a sweet substance that descended upon them from the sky and the quail Salwa was a type of bird that would fall down to them. They would fill every pot with them as ample provisions until the following day. This was a kindness and a mercy from Allah upon them. It was a manifestation of Allah's good treatment of them. For this reason Allah says,

كُلُواْ مِن طَيِّبَـتِ مَا رَزَقْنَـكُمْ وَلاَ تَطْغَوْاْ فِيهِ فَيَحِلَّ عَلَيْكُمْ غَضَبِى

(Eat of the Tayyibat wherewith We have provided you, and commit no transgression or oppression therein, lest My anger should justly descend on you.) This means, "Eat from this sustenance which I have provided for you, and do not transgress against My sustenance by taking it without necessity or you will be opposing what I have commanded you."

فَيَحِلَّ عَلَيْكُمْ غَضَبِى

(lest My anger should justly descend on you.) This means, "I will become angry with you."

وَمَن يَحْلِلْ عَلَيْهِ غَضَبِى فَقَدْ هَوَى

(And he on whom My anger descends, he is indeed perished.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah related that Ibn `Abbas said, "This means that he will indeed be made miserable." Concerning Allah's statement,

وَإِنِّى لَغَفَّارٌ لِّمَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَـلِحَاً

(And verily, I am indeed forgiving to him who repents, believes and does righteous good deeds,) meaning, "Whoever turns to Me in repentance, then I will accept his repentance regardless of whatever sin he did." Allah, the Exalted, even accepts the repentance of the Children of Israel who worshipped the calf. Concerning Allah's statement,

تَابَ

(who repents,) This means to turn away from what one was involved in of disbelief, associating partners with Allah, disobedience of Allah or hypocrisy. Concerning Allah's statement,

وَآمَنَ

(and believes) This means the person's belief in his heart.

وَعَمِلَ صَـلِحَاً

(and does righteous deeds,) his action with his bodily limbs. Concerning Allah's statement,

ثُمَّ اهْتَدَى

(and then Ihtada.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah related that Ibn `Abbas said, "This means that he then does not doubt." Qatadah said,

ثُمَّ اهْتَدَى

(and then Ihtada.) "This means he adheres to Islam until he dies." We see here that there is a specific order in which these things are presented. This is similar to Allah's saying,

ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَوَاصَوْاْ بِالصَّبْرِ وَتَوَاصَوْاْ بِالْمَرْحَمَةِ

(Then he became one of those who believed and recommended one another to perseverance and patience and recommended one another to pity and compassion.) 90:17

And indeed I am Forgiving toward him who repents from ascribing partners to God and believes affirms God’s Oneness and acts righteously is sincere in performing the obligatory and the supererogatory deeds and then follows guidance’ by adhering to what has been mentioned up to his death.

وَوَاعَدْنَاكُمْ جَانِبَ الطُّورِ‌ الْأَيْمَنَ (And appointed for you the right side of the mount Tur. (20:80) ) After their deliverance from the threat of the Pharaoh, and when they were safe across the river, Allah made a promise to Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) and through him to the Bani Isra'il that they should move to the right side of the mount of Tur so that Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) might be given the Torah and so that they might witness him speak with Allah.

وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَنَّ وَالسَّلْوَىٰ (And sent down for you the Mann and Sa1w. - 20:80) This incident occurred when, having crossed the river, they were commanded to enter a sacred city, but they refused and as punishment they were confined to a valley which is known as the valley of Tih (Sinai). They stayed there for forty years and in spite of the punishment which they were undergoing they continued to receive gifts from Allah, and the Mann and Salwa (a special kind of food) was one such gifts which was given to them for their sustenance.

Surely I am all-forgiving toward the one who repents and has faith and does wholesome deeds, and then is guided. All-forgiving is an intensive form and requires manyness. In other words, God is vast in forgive- ness. Toward the one who repents is the act of the servant, and the act does not require manyness. The allusion of the verse is that if the servant should turn back to the Real once in regret, the Exalted Lord will turn to him many times in gentleness and mercy. From the servant there will be one step in the road of struggle, and from God a thousand generosities by virtue of solicitude. “My servant, from you a little obedience, from Me great mercy; from you a bit of service, from Me much blessing.” This is the same as what MuṣṬafā said, narrating from the Eternal Enactor: “When someone comes near to Me by a span, I come near to him by a cubit, and when someone comes near to Me by a cubit, I come near to him by a fathom.” Surely I am all-forgiving toward the one who repents and has faith. It is known that repen- tance without faith is not sound. So what is the profit here of and has faith? It means and has faith that his salvation does not come through his own repentance and obedience. His salvation comes only through His mercy. Ghaffār [all-forgiving] comes from ghafr, and the meaning of ghafr is to cover. It is to keep the servant concealed and to hold the curtain of pardon and mercy over his words and deeds, both obedience and disobedience. Not only do the servant's acts of disobedience need concealing, but also his obedience needs concealing. If the blights of the servant's obedience were brought for- ward, he would fear obedience more than he fears disobedience. ʿāÌisha narrated as follows: “I asked MuṣṬafā the meaning of the verse, Those who give what they give, their hearts quaking [23:60]. 'Are they the ones who fornicate, steal, and drink wine' “He replied, 'No, they are the ones who pray, fast, give alms, and then fear that these will not be accepted.'” Rābiʿa ʿAdawiyya often used to say, “I ask forgiveness from God for my lack of truthfulness in saying, 'I ask forgiveness from God.