66:8 At-Tahrim (The Prohibition)

قد أمر الله بالتوبة النصوح في هذه الآية، ووعد عليها بتكفير السيئات، ودخول الجنات، والفوز والفلاح، حين يسعى المؤمنون يوم القيامة بنور إيمانهم، ويمشون بضيائه، ويتمتعون بروحه وراحته، ويشفقون إذا طفئت الأنوار، التي لا تعطى المنافقين، ويسألون الله أن يتمم لهم نورهم فيستجيب الله دعوتهم، ويوصلهم ما معهم من النور واليقين، إلى جنات النعيم، وجوار الرب الكريم، وكل هذا من آثار التوبة النصوح. والمراد بها: التوبة العامة الشاملة للذنوب كلها، التي عقدها العبد لله، لا يريد بها إلا وجهه والقرب منه، ويستمر عليها في جميع أحواله.

ثم قال تعالى "يا أيها الذين آمنوا توبوا إلى الله توبة نصوحا" أي توبة صادقة جازمة تمحو ما قبلها من السيئات وتلم شعث التائب وتجمعه وتكفه عما كان يتعاطاه من الدناءات. قال ابن جرير ثنا ابن مثنى ثنا محمد ثنا شعبة عن سماك بن حرب سمعت النعمان بن بشير يخطب سمعت عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه يقول "يا أيها الذين آمنوا توبوا إلى الله توبة نصوحا" قال يذنب الذنب ثم لا يرجع فيه وقال الثوري عن سماك عن النعمان عن عمر قال التوبة النصوح أن يتوب من الذنب ثم لا يعود فيه أو لا يريد أن يعود فيه وقال أبو الأحوص وغيره عن سماك عن النعمان سئل عمر عن التوبة النصوح فقال: أن يتوب الرجل من العمل السيء ثم لا يعود إليه أبدا. وقال الأعمش عن أبي إسحاق عن أبي الأحوص عن عبدالله "توبة نصوحا" قال يتوب ثم لا يعود. وقد روي هذا مرفوعا فقال الإمام أحمد ثنا علي بن عاصم عن إبراهيم الهجري عن أبي الأحوص عن عبدالله بن مسعود قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم "التوبة من الذنب أن يتوب منه ثم لا يعود فيه" تفرد به أحمد من طريق إبراهيم بن مسلم الهجري وهو ضعيف والموقوف أصح والله أعلم. ولهذا قال العلماء: التوبة النصوح هو أن يقلع عن الذنب في الحاضر ويندم على ما سلف منه في الماضي ويعزم على أن لا يفعل في المستقبل ثم إن كان الحق لآدمي رده إليه بطريقه. قال الإمام أحمد ثنا سفيان عن عبدالكريم أخبرني زياد بن أبي مريم عن عبدالله بن مغفل قال دخلت مع أبي على عبدالله بن مسعود فقال أنت سمعت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول "الندم توبة؟" قال نعم وقال مرة نعم سمعته يقول "الندم توبة" ورواه ابن ماجه عن هشام بن عمار عن سفيان بن عيينة عن عبدالكريم وهو ابن مالك الجزري به وقال ابن أبي حاتم ثنا الحسن بن عرفة حدثني الوليد بن بكير أبو جناب عن عبدالله بن محمد العبدي عن أبي سنان البصري عن أبي قلابة عن زر بن حبيش عن أبي بن كعب قال: قيل لنا أشياء تكون في آخر هذه الأمة عند اقتراب الساعة. منها نكاح الرجل امرأته أو أمته في دبرها وذلك مما حرم الله ورسوله ويمقت الله عليه ورسوله ومنها نكاح الرجل الرجل وذلك مما حرم الله ورسوله ويمقت الله عليه ورسوله ومنها نكاح المرأة المرأة وذلك مما حرم الله ورسوله ويمقت الله عليه ورسوله وليس لهؤلاء صلاة ما أقاموا على هذا حتى يتوبوا إلى الله توبة نصوحا قال زر: فقلت لأبي بن كعب فما التوبة النصوح؟ فقال سألت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن ذلك فقال "هو الندم على الذنب حين يفرط منك فتستغفر الله بندامتك منه عند الحاضر ثم لا تعود إليه أبدا". وقال ابن أبي حاتم ثنا أبي ثنا عمرو بن علي ثنا عباد بن عمرو ثنا أبو عمرو بن العلاء سمعت الحسن يقول: التوبة النصوح أن تبغض الذنب كما أحببته وتستغفر منه إذا ذكرته فأما إذا جزم بالتوبة وصمم عليها فإنها تجب ما قبلها من الخطيئات كما ثبت في الصحيح: "الإسلام يجب ما قبله والتوبة تجب ما قبلها". وهل من شرط التوبة النصوح الاستمرار على ذلك إلى الممات - كما تقدم في الحديث وفي الأثر- ثم لا يعود فيه أبدا. أو يكفي العزم على أن لا يعود فى تكفير الماضي بحيث لو وقع منه ذلك الذنب بعد ذلك لا يكون ذلك ضارا في تكفير ما تقدم لعموم قوله عليه السلام: "التوبة تجب ما قبلها"؟ وللأول أن يحتج بما ثبت في الصحيح أيضا "من أحسن في الإسلام لم يؤاخذ بما عمل في الجاهلية ومن أساء في الإسلام اخذ بالأول والآخر" فإذا كان هذا في الإسلام الذي هو أقوى من التوبة فالتوبة بطريق الأولى والله أعلم. وقوله تعالى "عسى ربكم أن يكفر عنكم سيئاتكم ويدخلكم جنات تجري من تحتها الأنهار" وعسى من الله موجبة "يوم لا يخزي الله النبي والذين آمنوا معه" أي ولا يخزيهم معه يعني يوم القيامة "نورهم يسعى بين أيديهم وبأيمانهم" كما تقدم في سورة الحديد "يقولون ربنا أتمم لنا نورنا واغفر لنا إنك على كل شيء قدير" قال مجاهد والضحاك والحسن البصري وغيرهم هذا يقوله المؤمنون حين يرون يوم القيامة نور المنافقين قد طفئ. وقال الإمام أحمد حدثنا إبراهيم بن إسحاق الطالقاني حدثنا ابن المبارك عن يحيى بن حسان عن رجل من بني كنانة قال: صليت خلف رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عام الفتح فسمتعه يقول "اللهم لا تخزني يوم القيامة" وقال محمد بن نصر المروزي حدثنا محمد بن مقاتل المروزي حدثنا ابن المبارك أنا ابن لهيعة حدثني يزيد بن حبيب عن عبد الرحمن بن جبير بن نفير أنه سمع أبا ذر وأبا الدرداء قالا: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم "أنا أول من يؤذن له في السجود يوم القيامة وأول من يؤذن له برفع رأسه فأنظر بين يدي فأعرف أمتي من بين الأمم وأنظر عن يميني فأعرف أمتي من بين الأمم وأنظر عن شمالي فأعرف أمتي من بين الأمم" فقال رجل يا رسول الله وكيف تعرف أمتك من بين الأمم؟ قال "غر محجلون من آثار الطهور ولا يكون أحد من الأمم كذلك غيرهم وأعرفهم يؤتون كتبهم بأيمانهم وأعرفهم بسيماهم فى وجوههم من أثر السجود وأعرفهم بنورهم يسعى بين أيديهم".

Teaching One's Family the Religion and Good Behavior

`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas;

قُواْ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَاراً

(Protect yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell)) He said, "Work in the obedience of Allah, avoid disobedience of Allah and order your families to remember Allah, then Allah will save you from the Fire." Mujahid also commented on:

قُواْ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَاراً

(Protect yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell)) saying, "Have Taqwa of Allah and order your family to have Taqwa of Him." Qatadah said, "He commands obedience to Allah, to not disobey Allah, he orders his family to obey His orders and helps them to act upon His orders. When one sees disobedience, he stops them and forbids them from doing it." Similar was said by Ad-Dahhak and Muqatil; "It is an obligation for the Muslim to teach his near family members, and his male and female slaves what Allah has made obligatory for them and what Allah has forbidden for them." There is a Hadith that confirms the meaning of this Ayah. Ahmad, Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi recorded that Ar-Rabi` bin Sabrah said that his father said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«مُرُوا الصَّبِيَّ بِالصَّلَاةِ إِذَا بَلَغَ سَبْعَ سِنِينَ، فَإِذَا بَلَغَ عَشْرَ سِنِينَ فَاضْرِبُوهُ عَلَيْهَا»

(Order the children to pray when they reach the age of seven and when they reach the age of ten, discipline them for (not performing) it.) This is the narration that Abu Dawud collected; At-Tirmidhi said, "This Hadith is Hasan."

Fuel for Hell and a Description of its Angels

Allah said,

وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ

(whose fuel is men and stones,) indicating that the Children of Adam will be fuel for the Fire that will feed it,

وَالْحِجَارَةُ

(and stones) in reference to the idols that were worshipped, just as Allah said in another Ayah,

إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ

(Certainly you and that which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are (but) fuel for Hell!) (21:98) `Abdullah bin Mas`ud, Mujahid, Abu Ja`far Al-Baqir and As-Suddi said that these are sulfur stones that are more putrid than rotten corpses, according to Mujahid. Allah's statement,

عَلَيْهَا مَلَـئِكَةٌ غِلاَظٌ شِدَادٌ

(over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe,) means, their nature of behavior is stern, because the mercy has been taken out of their hearts for those who disbelieve in Allah,

شِدَادٌ

(severe) meaning, their structure is powerful, strong and frightening,

لاَّ يَعْصُونَ اللَّهَ مَآ أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ

(who disobey not the commands they receive from Allah, but do that which they are commanded.) meaning, whatever Allah commands them, they rush to obey Him, without delay for even a twinkling of an eye. They are able to fulfill the command; they are called Az-Zabaniyah, meaning, the keepers and guards of Hell, may Allah give us shelter from them.

No Excuse will be accepted from the Disbeliever on the Day of Resurrection

Allah said,

يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لاَ تَعْتَذِرُواْ الْيَوْمَ إِنَّمَا تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

(O you who disbelieve! Make no excuses this Day! You are being requited only for what you used to do.) meaning, on the Day of Resurrection, the disbeliever will be told, "Do not offer any excuse this Day, because it will not be accepted from you; you will only be recompensed for what you used to do. Today, you will receive the punishment for your actions."

Encouraging sincere Repentance

Allah the Exalted said,

يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ تُوبُواْ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحاً

(O you who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance!) meaning, a true, firm repentance that erases the evil sins that preceded it and mend the shortcoming of the repenting person, encouraging and directing him to quit the evil that he used to do. Allah said,

عَسَى رَبُّكُمْ أَن يُكَفِّرَ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَـتِكُمْ وَيُدْخِلَكُمْ جَنَّـتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَـرُ

(It may be that your Lord will expiate from you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow) And when Allah says, "it may be," it means He shall.

يَوْمَ لاَ يُخْزِى اللَّهُ النَّبِىَّ وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَعَهُ

(the Day that Allah will not disgrace the Prophet and those who believe with him) meaning, on the Day of Resurrection, Allah will not disgrace those who believed in the Prophet ,

نُورُهُمْ يَسْعَى بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَبِأَيْمَـنِهِمْ

(Their light will run forward before them and in their right hands.) as we explained in Surat Al-Hadid,

يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ أَتْمِمْ لَنَا نُورَنَا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَآ إِنَّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

(They will say:"Our Lord! Keep perfect our light for us and grant us forgiveness. Verily, You are Able to do all things.") Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak and Al-Hasan Al-Basri and other said, "This is the statement that the believers will say on the Day of Resurrection, when they witness the light of the hypocrites being extinguished." Imam Ahmad recorded that a man from the tribe of Banu Kinanah said, "I prayed behind the Messenger of Allah ﷺ during the year of the Conquest (of Makkah), and heard him say,

«اللْهُمَّ لَا تُخْزِنِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَة»

(O Allah! Please, do not disgrace me on the Day of Resurrection.)"

O you who believe! Repent to God with sincere repentance read nasūhan or nusūhan a truthful repentance so that one does not return to committing that sin again nor have the desire to return to it. It may be that your Lord ‘asā an expression denoting ‘a hope’ that will be realised will absolve you of your misdeeds and admit you into gardens orchards underneath which rivers flow on the day when God will not let down by admitting into the Fire the Prophet and those who believe with him. Their light will be running before them in front of them and it will be on their right. They will say yaqūlūna this denotes the beginning of a new syntactically independent sentence ‘Our Lord! Perfect our light for us towards Paradise — whereas the hypocrites their light will be extinguished — and forgive us Our Lord. Assuredly You have power over all things’.

Commentary

تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّـهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحًا (...turn to Allah with a faithful repentance...66:8). The word taubah, literally, means 'to turn' or 'to return', in the sense of turning or withdrawing from sins. In the terminology of the Qur'an and Sunnah, it signifies 'to regret committing sins in the past and to firmly resolve abstaining from them in future'. Taubah is qualified in the verse by the word نصوح nasuh. If it is taken as the infinitive of nasaha / nasihah, it signifies 'to make pure and sincere'; and if it be derived from nasahah, it signifies 'to repair clothes by sewing'. In terms of the first meaning, the expression nasuh signifies sincere/faithful [ repentance ], free from pretence and hypocrisy. In this interpretation, a sinner is required to regret the sins he has committed and give them up purely for the pleasure of Allah and for fear of Divine chastisement. In terms of the second meaning, nasuh would signify that 'the sinner is required to repair the torn clothes of righteous deeds'. Sayyidna Hasan Basri (رح) says that taubatan nasuha signifies that a person should regret his past evil actions, and make a firm resolve never to repeat them. Kalbi says the phrase taubatan nasuha signifies that a person should pray for pardon with his tongue, regret in his heart, and should prevent the limbs of his body from committing sins in the future.

Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ was asked as to what is 'taubah' and he replied that it consists of six elements: [ 1] to regret one's past evil deeds; [ 2] to carry out Divine duties that were missed; [ 3] to restore the rights that were usurped; [ 4] to ask forgiveness of a person who has been wronged by him physically or verbally; [ 5] to make a firm resolve of avoiding the sin in future; and [ 6] to consume one's self in obedience of Allah as one thus far consumed one's self in His disobedience. [ Mazhari ]. In fact, all of the conditions of 'taubah', put forward by Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ ، are recognized by all the scholars. However, some have described them concisely and others in details.

عَسَىٰ رَ‌بُّكُمْ أَن يُكَفِّرَ‌ عَنكُمْ (It is hoped from your Lord that he will write off your faults...66:8). The verb ` asa means 'it is hoped'. In this context, it purports to mean 'promise', but the expression of 'hope' is used to indicate that taubah or any other righteous deeds are not the just and equal price for the Paradise or the divine forgiveness. In fact, one compensation for man's good deeds has already been given to him in this world in the form of worldly blessings. Therefore, as regards the law of equality, it is not necessary that he is further compensated by the Jannah. It entirely depends on Divine grace and favour as is mentioned in a Hadith which says: 'Your actions alone cannot salvage you.' The Companions inquired: '0 Messenger of Allah, not even you?' He replied: 'No, not even me unless the Divine grace and mercy covers me.' [ Bukhari and Muslim as quoted by Mazhari ]

O you who have faith, repent to God with true repentance. “O believers, familiars, and friends, all of you repent! Come back to My threshold! Turn to Me! Though you have done what comes from you, I will do what comes from Me! Nobody accepts the defective except here. Come back! No threshold forgives sins but here. Seek shelter in Me! Come from the unkindly to the Lovingly Kind! Come from the pain of despair to hope! I have no fear of forgiving sins, come back! I am not ashamed to accept the defective, return!” Read the equivalent of this verse in “Be penitent toward your Lord” [39:54]. The station of penitence is higher than the station of repentance. Penitence is the servant's return to his Lord with heart and aspiration, and repentance is the servant's return from disobedience to obedience. What is penitence? Coming from the valley of hypocrisy on the feet of truthfulness to the valley of tranquility, coming from the valley of innovation on the feet of surrender to the valley of the Sunnah, coming from the valley of dispersion on the feet of disentanglement to the valley of togetherness, coming from the valley of making claims on the feet of poverty to the valley of solitariness, coming from the valley of intelligence on the feet of indigence to the Real. What is repentance? An obeyed interceder, tender trustee, and generous deputy effaces the imprint of sin and at his intercession the Real pardons the sinful servant. He cleanses and makes pure the servant's ledger of disobedience and makes the repentant man equal to a man without sin. This is why MuṣṬafā said, “He who repents of sin is like him who has no sin.” He also said, “Surely God is happier at His servant's repentance than a thirsty man who comes upon a spring, a man who has lost his camel and finds it, and a barren woman who gives birth.” He is saying, “The Real is more quickly pleased by the repentance of the repenters than by any other act of obedience. Know that His approval of the repentance of the sinner is like the happiness of a thirsty man in the middle of a dry, waterless desert who suddenly comes across pure water. Or it is like that of a traveler who has lost his goods and mount in the middle of a perilous desert and then, after despairing, he suddenly comes across his mount and his goods.