2. Surah al-Baqara, Medina 87
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
إِلاَّ
الَّذِينَ
تَابُواْ
وَأَصْلَحُواْ
وَبَيَّنُواْ
فَأُوْلَـئِكَ
أَتُوبُ عَلَيْهِمْ
...
2: 160. Except those who repent and make amends and openly declare (the truth), to them I turn;
... وَأَنَا التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ ﴿١٦٠﴾
for I am Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.
Other Versions:
2: 160
Asad Excepted, however, shall be they that repent, and put themselves to rights, and make known the truth: and it is they whose repentance I shall accept – for I alone am the Acceptor of REPENTANCE, the Dispenser of Grace.
Pickthall Except such of them as repent and amend and make manifest (the truth). These it is toward whom I relent. I am the Relenting, the Merciful.
Transliteration Illal lazina ta_bu_ wa aslahu_ wa bayyanu_ fa ula_'ika atu_bu'alaihim, wa anat tawwa_bur rahim(u).
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9. [at-Tawbah, Medina 113, 9H after Tabuk]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَعَلَى
الثَّلاَثَةِ
الَّذِينَ
خُلِّفُواْ...
9: 118. (He turned in mercy also) to the three who were left Behind: (they felt guilty)
... حَتَّى إِذَا ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ...
to such a degree that the earth seemed constrained to them, for all its speciousness
C1370.
- Among the Faithful, the largest number consisted of those who were perfectly staunch and ever ready to do their duty. They obtained the love and good pleasure of Allah.
- Next came a few who wavered because their will was weak and they were daunted by the dangers and difficulties that faced them; Allah's saving grace protected them and they conquered their weakness, and did not fail in their duty; Allah forgave them and accepted their repentance.
- Lastly, in the illustration taken from the Tabuk affair, there were some who actually failed in their duty, not from contumacy or ill-will, but from thoughtlessness, slackness, and human weakness: they actually failed to obey the Holy Prophet's summons, and were naturally called on to explain, and were excluded from the life of the Community.
Their mental state is here described graphically. Though the earth is spacious, to them it was constrained. In their own souls they had a feeling of constraint. In worldly affluence they felt poor in spirit.
They realized that they could not flee from Allah, but could only find solace and refuge in coming back to Him. They freely repented and showed it in their deeds, and Allah freely forgave them and took them to His grace.
Though illustrated by the particular examples of Ka'b, Mararah and Hilal, the lesson is perfectly general and is good for all times.
... وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَظَنُّواْ أَن لاَّ مَلْجَأَ مِنَ اللّهِ إِلاَّ إِلَيْهِ ...
and their (very) souls seemed straitened to them, and they perceived that there is no fleeing from Allah and no refuge but to Himself.
... ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَتُوبُواْ...
Then He turned to them, that they might repent:
... إِنَّ اللّهَ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ ﴿١١٨﴾
for Allah is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.
9: 118
Pickthall And to the three also (did He turn in mercy) who were left behind: when the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for them, and their own souls were straitened for them till they bethought them that there is no refuge from Allah save toward Him. Then turned He unto them in mercy that they (too) might turn (repentant unto Him). Lo! Allah! He is the Relenting, the Merciful.
Transliteration Wa 'alas sala_satil lazina khullifu_, hatta_ iza_ da_qat 'alaihimul ardu bima_ rahubat wa da_qat 'alaihim anfusuhum wa zannu_ alla_ malja'a minalla_hi illa_ ilaih(i), summa tu_ba 'alaihim liyatu_bu_, innalla_ha huwat tawwa_bur rahim(u).
Asad Yet withal, behold, I forgive all sins unto any who repents and attains to faith and does righteous deeds, and thereafter keeps to the right path.