سُوْرَةُ التَّوْبَةِ

Surah At-Tawba (9) — Ayah 113

The Repentance · Medinan · Juz 11 · Page 205

مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِىِّ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَن يَسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَلَوْ كَانُوٓا۟ أُو۟لِى قُرْبَىٰ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْجَحِيمِ ﴿113﴾
It is not (proper) for the Prophet and those who believe to ask Allâh’s Forgiveness for the Mushrikûn (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh), even though they be of kin, after it has become clear to them that they are the dwellers of the Fire (because they died in a state of disbelief).
مَا Not
كَانَ kāna (it) is
لِلنَّبِىِّ lilnnabiyyi for the Prophet
وَٱلَّذِينَ wa-alladhīna and those who
ءَامَنُوٓا۟ āmanū believe
أَن an that
يَسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ yastaghfirū they ask forgiveness
لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ lil'mush'rikīna for the polytheists
وَلَوْ walaw even though
كَانُوٓا۟ kānū they be
أُو۟لِى ulī near of kin
قُرْبَىٰ qur'bā near of kin
مِنۢ min after
بَعْدِ baʿdi after
مَا [what]
تَبَيَّنَ tabayyana has become clear
لَهُمْ lahum to them
أَنَّهُمْ annahum that they
أَصْحَـٰبُ aṣḥābu (are the) companions
ٱلْجَحِيمِ l-jaḥīmi (of) the Hellfire

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

113. 1. Its explanation in Sahih Bukhari is as follows: When the last moment of the Prophet ﷺ’s respected uncle Abu Talib came, he went to him while Abu Jahl and Abdullah bin Abi Umayyah were also sitting with him. He said, “Dear uncle, say لَا اِلٰہ اِلَّا اللہ, so that I may present an argument for you before Allah.” Abu Jahl and Abdullah bin Abi Umayyah said, “O Abu Talib, will you turn away from the religion of Abdul Muttalib?” (i.e., what are you about to do at the time of death? Until he passed away in that very state) The Prophet said, “As long as I am not forbidden by Allah, I will continue to seek forgiveness for you.” Upon this, the verse was revealed in which praying for forgiveness for the polytheists was prohibited (Sahih Bukhari). The verse from Surah Qasas, اِنَّکَ لَا تَھْدِیْ مَنْ اَحْبَبْتَ, was also revealed in this context. In a narration from Musnad Ahmad, the Prophet ﷺ sought permission to pray for forgiveness for his mother, upon which this verse was revealed (Musnad Ahmad, vol. 5, p. 355). And the supplication the Prophet ﷺ made for his polytheist people, اللھم اغفر لقومی فانھم لایعلمون, “O Allah, forgive my people for they do not know,” is not contrary to the verse. This is because its meaning is a supplication for their guidance, i.e., they are unaware of my status and rank, so grant them guidance so that they may become deserving of forgiveness. And it is permissible to pray for guidance for living disbelievers and polytheists.