74. Sayyid is worth quoting at this point: “The verse offers an unlimited mercy that covers every sin, however serious: it is the invitation to turn back. It is the invitation addressed to the disobeying, bounds-breaking, rebellious people that have strayed deep into the valleys of error. They are being invited to faith, optimism and trust in Allah. Allah is kind with His slaves. He knows their weakness and their helplessness. He knows of the factors working upon them deep from within the bottom of their inner beings as well as those acting from outside. He knows that Shaytan sits in ambush at every spot, picking them up from every path, attacking them with his foot and mounted soldiers; and that he functions in an extremely efficient manner. The believer knows that the construction in which he is engaged is a vain effort, and that he is the meek one who quickly stumbles the moment he lets loose the rope that binds him to the anchor; and that all such tendencies within his inner self to base desires make him prone to lose balance, to make him fall here or there throwing him into a spree of sins; and that he is too weak to maintain a goodly balance.

“Allah Most High knows all this about His creation and, therefore, extends this help, stretches towards him His mercy, and does not seize him for his sin until He lays down around him every means by which he could escape being disobedient to Him and which straighten him up whenever he stumbles. All the same, after he has sunk deep in sins, exceeded in error, and begun to feel that he has been abandoned, and that his affair is all but over, and that he might never return (to his innocent state) – in such a state - a state of despair and pessimism - he hears the majestic soothing call of mercy: ‘O My slaves who have committed excesses against their own souls, despair not of Allah’s mercy. Verily, Allah forgives all sins.’”

The majority opinion of the Salaf is that the verse is addressing the non-Muslims whose sins of pre-faith days would all be forgiven if they believed and attempted righteous deeds hereonward (Ibn Jarir, Razi in sum, Qurtubi).

Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir make it more specific by quoting a few ahadith: It is reported in the Sahihayn that some pagans who had committed killing and fornication to the extreme end went up to the Prophet (saws) and said, “What you say and call to, is indeed good, but if you could tell us whether there is expiation for what we did." So Allah revealed (25: 68),“And those who do not invoke along with Allah other deities, do not kill a soul that Allah has forbidden, except by right, and do not commit fornication.”

He also revealed the verse in question, “Say, ‘O My slaves who have committed excesses against their own souls, despair not of Allah’s mercy. Verily, Allah forgives all sins.”

Ibn Kathir has a few ahadith on the topic. Imam Ahmad has a hadith which says: That a very old man went up to the Prophet leaning on his walking staff and said, “Messenger of Allah. I have in my account many treacheries and debaucheries. Will I be forgiven?” He asked, “Do you not testify that there is no deity save Allah?” He replied, “Indeed I do. I also testify that you are a Messenger of Allah.” the Prophet (saws) said, “Allah has forgiven you your treacheries and debaucheries.”

(Except for the doubt, writes Haythami, about one narrator in the chain whether he had met the one he heard from, the rest of the chain is trustworthy: Au.).

In addition to the above, we have already noted the story in the Sahihayn of a man who had killed ninety-nine people. The version in Muslim goes like this, Abu Sa` id al-Khudri is the first narrator:The Prophet said, “There was a man from among those before you (from among the Israelites: Bukhari) who killed ninety-nine people. Then he inquired about the most knowledgeable man on earth. He was directed to a monk. He went up to him and asked him whether there was repentance for him. He said no. So he killed him also and completed his hundred with him. Then he inquired about the most knowledgeable man on earth and was led to a scholar. He told him that he had killed a hundred men. Was their any chance of repentance? He told him, “Of course. Who could come between him and repentance?” He suggested him to go to a village in which there were people devoted to Allah: “You too devote yourself to Allah in their company. And do not return to your town which happens to be an evil place.” He started off until he had covered half the distance. But death overtook him there. Angels of mercy and angels of chastisement disputed over him. Said the angels of mercy, “He had come repentant, with his heart turned to Allah.” The angels of torment said, “He never did a good thing in his life.” Then an angel appeared in the form of a human. They made him an arbiter. He said, “Measure the two lands and treat him as belonging to that which happens to be closer.” They found him closer to the land he was migrating to (by a hand span). So the angels of mercy took his soul.

(Other reports suggest that he had crawled on his chest while death was on him and that Allah ordered the land that was of the good people to contract itself and the other land to stretch itself away from him).

A second opinion however comes from the Salaf – Ibn Mas` ud being one of them - to the effect that the allusion is to Muslims who, after their sins, major or minor, could be forgiven if they sought forgiveness (Ibn Jarir).

In sum, the verse is addressing both believers as well as unbelievers. One has to repent sins of disobedience, the other has to repent paganism, atheism, and other forms of beliefs in other than Allah (Au.).

It is also reported as context of revelation (preserved by Ibn Is-haq: Ibn Kathir), that `Umar (b. al-Khattab) said, “I used to say to myself that Allah will never accept anything as expiation, or repentance from those who believed but because of the trials that befell their lot, fell into apostasy (or, did not migrate, but remained in Makkah); until Allah revealed these verses.”

“So,” `Umar said, “I wrote down this verse and sent it to Hish am b. al-` As (at Makkah).” Hish am said, “When it reached me, I began to go up and down in Dhu Tuwa, reading it in a loud voice, but could not make out what it all meant until I said, ‘O Allah, make me understand them.’ So Allah cast the meaning in my heart that they were meant for us, and in connection with what we used to think about ourselves, and was being said about us. So I jumped on my camel and went and joined the Prophet” (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi).

Haythami remarked that the chain of this report has trustworthy narrators (Au.).

As an aside Ibn Kathir offers us the report that `Abdullah ibn Mas` ud said: The greatest of Qur’anic verses is (2: 255):“Allah, there is no deity but He, the Living, the One by Whom all subsist...” (Ibn Jarir).

The most comprehensive of Qur’anic verses, so far as good and evil is concerned is (16: 90):“Allah orders you justice and doing good...”

The Qur’anic verse that lends most hope is the one under discussion (39: 53):“Say, ‘O My slaves who have committed excesses against their own souls, despair not of Allah’s mercy...”

The strongest of the Qur’anic ayah in terms of entrustment is (65: 2-3):“And whoever feared Allah, He will find for him a way out and feed him from where he does not reckon. And whoever trusted Allah, Allah is sufficient for him. Surely, Allah is the Accomplisher of His affair. Surely, Allah has – for everything – determined a measure.”

Ibn Kathir also has a word to say on despair: There are several reports regarding despair. One is in Ahmad. The Prophet (saws) said, “By Him in whose hands is my life (or he said, “in whose hands is Muhammad’s life”), if you were to sin until your sins filled the space between the heaven and the earth, but then sought Allah’s forgiveness, He would surely forgive you. And, by Him in whose hand is my life, (or he said, “in whose hands is Muhammad’s life”), if you were not to sin, Allah would have brought a people who would sin, then seek Allah’s forgiveness, and He would forgive them.”

(Haythami commented that the report has a trustworthy chain). The second half of this tradition is also in a report in Muslim, Abu Ayyub al-Ansari said in his death-bed, “I had concealed from you something I had heard from the Prophet. He said, ‘If you were not to sin, Allah would bring a people who would sin, then seek Allah’s forgiveness, and He would forgive them.’”

`Abdullah b. Imam Ahmad narrated the following words, “Verily, Allah approves of a tried (but failed) yet oft-turning slave.”

75. One may note the number of ways the ayah promises mercy, directly or indirectly:

Alusi has a different aspect in mind when he counts the above, and more: altogether sixteen.

On the comparative side, a point may be noted: In the Christian system of belief, Allah has been replaced by Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. Majid quotes, “All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world nor in the world to come.’ (Matthew, 12: 31,32).”

76. On the topic of “inabah” we have a report (in Hakim: Au.). It says,“It is man’s good fortune that his age should prolong and Allah should award him inabah” (Qurtubi).

“Inabah” is the act of turning to Allah. We have cut short the above hadith to reproduce the portion that Hakim has in his Mustadrak and which he declared as carrying a trustworthy chain (Au.).

77. The words “turn to your Lord (in repentance) and submit to Him,” tell us by implication that it should not be imagined that if Allah (swt) is Forgiving and Merciful, repentance might not be necessary. But rather, it is repentance, sincerity and submission to Allah’s will that qualifies one to receive Allah’s mercy (Kashsh af, reworded).

78. That is, this – the Qur’anic guidance – is the best of what could be sent to you (Ibn Jarir).

79. Yusuf Ali has a few very pertinent words here: “Allah’s Command meets the weakness of His weakest servants, and only asks that His servants should surrender their selfish will to Allah’s Will. In divine compassion, therefore, we are allowed to do just what we can, even though our standard should fall short of the highest standard. But our aim should be to follow the highest standard, and Allah’s Grace will come to our assistance. But we must do so in this life-and at once, as soon as the Word penetrates our mind or understanding. We must not delay a moment, for the Judgment may come at any time, suddenly, before we even perceive where we are.”

80. That is, write Ibn Jarir and Zamakhshari, not only did he disobey his Lord’s commands, but took one step forward to become one of the scoffers. The opinion is attributed to Qat adah (Razi, Qurtubi).

81. We have a Tradition in this context. Nas a’ i and Ahmad have it, the Prophet (saws) said, “Everyone of the inhabitants of the Fire will see his place in Paradise (that had been reserved for him), and say, ‘Only if Allah had guided me.’ Thus it will be a source of regret for him.”

He also said, “Everyone of the inhabitants of Paradise will see his place in Hell-fire (which had been reserved for him), and say, ‘If Allah had not guided me (I would not have made it).’ Thus it will be a source of gratefulness for him” (Ibn Kathir).

82. It is another thing that were he to be given another chance, he would remain on his disbelief. Allah (swt) has told us about men of his class (6: 28),"If they are returned, they will return to what they were forbidden” (Ibn Jarir).

83. The unbelievers fasten such lies upon Allah as to say, for example, that He has ordered them commit indecencies; or, about the deities that they are their intercessors; or, attribute qualities to Allah that do not belong to Him (Kashshaf).

(The translation is literal) otherwise it is not the darkness of the face that is alluded to, but rather, darkness of the soul which will reflect on the face (Razi, Alusi, Thanwi).

84. Literally, “mafazat” (from faza) is, in Yusuf Ali’s words, “place or state of safety or salvation, place or state of victory or achievement, accomplishment of wish or desire.”

If it is asked, what exactly that attainment is, the answer is, it is stated in the words that follows: “No evil shall touch them nor shall they grieve” (Kashshaf).