SURAH AL-IMRAN (AYAH 81 to 90)

SECTION 9

Previous Scriptures confirm the Truth of Islam

Covenant taken from all prophets to support the Holy Prophet (Muhammad)---Islam natural religion of man---enjoins equal belief in the truthfulness of all the apostles of ALLAH---End of those who turn away from Islam.

وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ النَّبِيِّينَ لَمَا آتَيْتُكُمْ مِنْ كِتَابٍ وَحِكْمَةٍ ثُمَّ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مُصَدِّقٌ لِمَا مَعَكُمْ لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِ وَلَتَنْصُرُنَّهُ ۚ قَالَ أَأَقْرَرْتُمْ وَأَخَذْتُمْ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكُمْ إِصْرِي ۖ قَالُوا أَقْرَرْنَا ۚ قَالَ فَاشْهَدُوا وَأَنَا مَعَكُمْ مِنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ {3:81}

[Q3:81] Wa iz akhazal laahu meesaaqan Nabiyyeena lamaaa aataitukum min Kitaabinw wa Hikmatin summa jaaa'akum Rasoolum musaddiqul limaa ma'akum latu'minunna bihee wa latansurunnah; qaala 'aaqrartum wa akhaztum alaa zaalikum isree qaalooo aqrarnaa; qaala fashhadoo wa ana ma'akum minash shaahideen.
[Q3:81] And when ALLAH (SWT) made a covenant through the prophets: Certainly what I have given you of Book and wisdom-- then a messenger comes to you verifying that which is with you, you must believe in him, and you must aid him. He said: Do you affirm and accept My compact in this (matter)? They said: We do affirm. He said: Then bear witness, and I (too) am of the bearers of witness with you.

[Q3:81] Dan (ingatlah) ketika ALLAH (SwT) mengambil perjanjian setia dari Nabi-nabi (dengan firmanNya): Sesungguhnya apa jua Kitab dan Hikmat yang Aku berikan kepada kamu, kemudian datang pula kepada kamu seorang Rasul yang mengesahkan apa yang ada pada kamu, hendaklah kamu beriman sungguh-sungguh kepadanya dan hendaklah kamu bersungguh-sungguh menolongnya. ALLAH (SwT) berfirman lagi (bertanya kepada mereka): Sudahkah kamu mengakui dan sudahkah kamu menerima akan ikatan janjiku secara yang demikian itu? Mereka menjawab: Kami berikrar (mengakui dan menerimanya). ALLAH (SwT) berfirman lagi: Jika demikian, maka saksikanlah kamu dan Aku juga menjadi saksi bersama-sama kamu.

MITHAQ (COVENANT) in this verse REFERS TO AN INDIVIDUAL'S ACCOUNTABILITY FOR HIS ACTIONS. It is argued by some commentators that wherever mithaq is used in the Qur’an reference is made to the era prior to the existence of man in general and the prophets in particular. As there is no possibility of retaining any kind of conscious state prior to the physical birth of man, this assumption will be discussed when ruh (soul) and nafs (self) are dealt with.

µ  Whatever is the grammatical implication (whether the phrase lima or lama is relative or conditional) the meaning remains as under:

ALLAH (SWT) HAD MADE A COVENANT WITH EACH OF HIS PROPHETS, AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND AS THE LEADER of his respective followers (saying)- “that which I have given you of the book and wisdom, (and) when a prophet will come to you confirming that which is with you, you shall surely believe in him and help him”.

      All the prophets accepted the conditions of the covenant and promised and witnessed that their followers will carry out the terms of the covenant. This promise was fulfilled by every prophet concerning his succeeding prophet (and every succeeding prophet confirmed his predecessor), SO ALL THE PROPHETS AND THEIR FOLLOWERS HAVE TO BELIEVE IN THE LAST PROPHET AND HELP HIM.

»    A true follower of Musa should fulfil the covenant Musa made with his Lord by believing in Isa;

»    LIKEWISE a true follower of Isa should fulfil the covenant Isa made with his Lord by believing in Muhammad.

»    If the Jews and the Christians do not believe in the last prophet of ALLAH (SWT), they render the covenant, Musa and Isa made with the Lord of worlds, null and void. They will be punished for breaking the covenant, not Musa and Isa, who fulfilled their promise in letter and spirit.

Please refer to the commentary of al Ma-idah 5:67 for the last covenant ALLAH (SWT) took from the Muslims through the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) about the wilayah (authority) of Ali ibne Abi Talib at Ghadir Khum. It was the last divine guidance made available to man through the grace of the merciful Lord, so that an Imam after Imam, in the progeny of Ali, should guide mankind in every age till the day of resurrection.

Every human being perceives his coming into the conscious state from an insensitive condition through the agency of an active will, dominating him and his environment, which stimulates natural submission. In these verses (preceding and succeeding) the Qur’an introduces the universal religion (based upon reason and facts) prescribed for mankind which not only awakens positive response BUT ALSO demolishes the myths fabricated by the Jews, the Christians and the pagans.

The old and the New Testaments, though not the original Tawrat and Injil (see "The Tawrat" and "The Injil" at the end of al Ma-idah), yet contain enough material to establish the fact that Musa and Isa fulfilled their covenant made with ALLAH (SWT).

©  See Deuteronomy 18: 15, 18, 19; Acts 3: 22 to 24, 7: 37; John 1: 19 to 21; 14: 16, 17; 15: 26; 16: 7 to 14. (Text of these have been mentioned in the commentary of al Baqarah 2:40).

©  The advent of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) had been made known in clear words by Musa and Isa. In John 1: 19 to 21, it is stated that when Levites asked John the Baptist who he was, he confessed that he was not the Messiah nor Elijah. "Are you the prophet we await?" "No", he said. It shows that the people remembered the prophecies about the last prophet made by the previous prophets, and eagerly awaited his advent.

©  In John 14: 16, 17; 15: 26 and 16: 7 to 14, Isa refers to the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) as comforter and spirit of truth, who will guide mankind into all truth. AND "who will be with you forever" implies that there shall always be a representative of him (his flesh and blood) on the earth, identical to him in purity (Ahzab 33:33), who will carry out his mission.

»    The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) has said:

The first of us is Muhammad,

the middle of us is Muhammad,

the last of us is Muhammad,

everyone of us is Muhammad.

IN EVERY AGE, ONE OF HIS SONS (HIS DESCENDANT), IN THE PROGENY OF ALI AND FATIMAH, WILL GUIDE MANKIND AS AN IMAM OF THE TIME TILL THE DAY OF RESURRECTION. THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD), ALI, FATIMAH AND THE ELEVEN HOLY IMAMS ARE OF THE ONE AND THE SAME DIVINE LIGHT, MANIFESTING THE GLORY OF THE LORD OF THE WORLDS.

A SINCERE SEEKER OF TRUTH, in his quest, comes to the conclusion that the divine source of guidance is Muhammad al Mustafa, the last prophet of ALLAH (SWT), and the Imams among his Ahlul Bayt, whom the merciful ALLAH (SWT) has particularly chosen to show the path of love, harmony and salvation to mankind.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(3:81) And recall when Allah took a covenant from the Prophets: 'This is the Book and the Wisdom which I have given you. But should a Prophet come to you confirming that which is already with you, you shall believe in him and shall help him. *69 So saying, Allah asked: 'Do you agree and accept to take up the burden of the covenant?' They answered: 'We agree,' He said: 'Then bear wirness; and I will be with you among the witness.

*69. A party of the People of the Book would fain lead you astray, whereas in truth they lead none astray except themselves, but they do not realize it. 

فَمَنْ تَوَلَّىٰ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ {3:82}

[Q3:82] Faman tawallaa ba'da zaalika fa ulaaa'ika humul faasiqoon.
[Q3:82] Whoever therefore turns back after this, these it is that are the transgressors.

[Q3:82] Kemudian sesiapa yang berpaling ingkar sesudah mengakui perjanjian setia itu, maka mereka itulah orang-orang yang fasik.

AFTER THE COVENANT, so solemnly made and witnessed, whoever does not believe in the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) (whose advent had been foretold by all the prophets of ALLAH (SWT)) is an infidel.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(3:82) Then whosoever shall turn away from this covenant they are the transgressors. *70

*70. People of the Book! Why do you reject the signs of Allah even though you yourselves witness them?

أَفَغَيْرَ دِينِ اللَّهِ يَبْغُونَ وَلَهُ أَسْلَمَ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ طَوْعًا وَكَرْهًا وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ {3:83}

[Q3:83]  Afaghaira deenil laahi yabghoona wa lahooo aslama man fis samaawaati wal ardi taw'anw wa karhanw wa ilaihi yurja'oon.
[Q3:83] Is it then other than ALLAH (SWT)'s religion that they seek (to follow), and to Him submits whoever is in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, and to Him shall they be returned.

[Q3:83] Patutkah sesudah (mengakui dan menerima perjanjian) itu mereka mencari lain dari agama ALLAH (SwT)? Padahal kepadaNyalah tunduk taat sekalian makhluk yang ada di langit dan di bumi, samada dengan sukarela ataupun terpaksa dan kepadaNyalah mereka dikembalikan.

ALL THINGS IN NATURE, WHETHER CELESTIAL OR TERRESTRIAL, BOW DOWN TO HIS DECREES AND SUBMIT TO HIS (PHYSICAL) LAWS-SO EXALTED IS HE! His religion alone is worthy of acceptance.

v  According to the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), those who willingly submit to ALLAH (SWT) are the angels and his sincere companions.

Those who, in thoughts and deeds, do not consciously submit to Him, have (of necessity) to submit to the laws of nature (enforced by Him) which operate the whole creation in total submission to His will.

Ì  Islam is ALLAH (SWT)'s own religion.

As man is making rapid progress in the field of inquiry and discovery about the laws (made by ALLAH (SWT) ), governing the universe, the truthfulness of Islam is becoming clearer each day to the man in the street as well as to the intellectual scholar in the cloister. The religions, historically based upon polytheism, are making adjustments to give up idolworship, and introducing the idea of "One ALLAH (SWT)" in theory at least. In social life, caste system has been abolished, women's rights are being incorporated in the constitutions of the countries where they were not allowed to remarry after the death of their husbands, or where there was no way of separation from the tyrannical husbands through divorce, now laws have been enacted to give right of divorce to women. Prohibition (the forbidding of the manufacture and sale of alcoholic drinks), in theory, has been accepted by all the civilised societies. The idea of universal brotherhood, preached by Islam, is being experimented through the United Nations Organisation.

Ì  The world is moving towards Islam.

Only if the majority of Muslims review and revise their confused and irrational tendency of glorifying the usurpers and tyrants, who, from the time of the departure of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) till now, have been terrorising the ruled communities all over the world, in the name of the glory of an ideology (common among all the ruling despots from the beginning of the human society) wrongly proclaimed as Islam, the people belonging to other religions and creeds would not feel uncomfortable or hesitate to come near the true principles of Islam as preached by the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and his holy Ahlul Bayt.

Ì  Islam is a universal religion approved by ALLAH (SWT).

The celestial as well as the terrestrial beings (all beings) are submissive to ALLAH (SWT). There is no one in the heavens and the earth BUT COMES before Him in all obedience (Maryam 19:93). NO EVENT IN THE UNIVERSE CAN TAKE PLACE WITHOUT HIS CREATIVE WILL. Every living being, in order to please the absolute authority, consciously or subconsciously, follow His legislative will.

Ü  "Willingly or unwillingly" refers to the conscious or subconscious submission to the will of ALLAH (SWT).

The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) developed this inherent and natural tendency to mindful awareness. ANY RELIGION OTHER THAN ISLAM (COMPLETE SUBMISSION TO THE ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGNTY OF ALLAH (SWT)) SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED BY HIM.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(3:83) Do they now seek a religion other than prescribed by Allah even though all that is in the heavens and the earth is in submission to Him *71 - willing or unwillingly - and to Him all shall return?

*71. The basic principle characterizing the universe, in other words the religion of the universe and of every part of it, is Islam; insofar as the universe is in a state of total obedience and service to the Will of God. Here people are asked if they would follow a way of life different from Islam though they are part of the universe which is characterized by submission to God (Islam). 

قُلْ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْنَا وَمَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالْأَسْبَاطِ وَمَا أُوتِيَ مُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَالنَّبِيُّونَ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ {3:84}

[Q3:84] Qul aamannaa billaahi wa maaa unzila 'alainaa wa maaa unzila 'alaaa Ibraaheema wa Ismaa'eela wa Ishaaqa wa Ya'qooba wal Asbaati wa maaa ootiya Moosaa wa 'Eesaa wan Nabiyyoona mir Rabbihim laa nufarriqu baina ahadim minhum wa nahnu lahoo muslimoon.
[Q3:84] Say: We believe in ALLAH (SWT) and what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Ibrahim and Ismail and Ishaq and Yaqoub and the tribes, and what was given to Musa and Isa and to the prophets from their Lord; we do not make any distinction between any of them, and to Him do we submit.

[Q3:84] Katakanlah (wahai Muhammad): Kami beriman kepada ALLAH (SwT) dan kepada apa yang telah diturunkan kepada kami dan kepada apa yang telah diturunkan kepada Nabi-nabi: Ibrahim dan lsmail dan Ishak dan Yaakub dan keturunannya dan kepada apa yang telah diberikan kepada Nabi-nabi: Musa dan Isa dan sekalian Nabi-nabi dari Tuhan mereka. Kami tidak membeza-bezakan seseorang pun di antara mereka, dan kepada ALLAH (SwT) jualah kami berserah diri (Islam).

Please refer to the commentary of al Baqarah 2:136, 177, 253, 285 and al Nisa 4:136, 152. ISLAM IS A UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(3:84) Say: 'We believe in Allah and what was revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and to Issac and Jacob and his descendents, and the teachings which Allah gave to Moses and Jesus and to other Prophets. We make no distinction between any of them *72 and to Him do we submit.

*72. They are told that it is not the habit of Muslims either to believe in Prophets and disbelieve in others or to affirm to the truth of some call others false. Muslims are free from narrow prejudices and chauvinistic loyalties. The true attitude of Muslims is to bear witness to truth of every Messenger of God, irrespective of where and when he appears. 

وَمَنْ يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ {3:85}

[Q3:85] Wa mai yabtaghi ghairal Islaami deenan falany yuqbala minhu wa huwa fil Aakhirati minal khaasireen.

[Q3:85] And whoever desires a religion other than Islam, it shall not be accepted from him, and in the hereafter he shall be one of the losers.

[Q3:85] Dan sesiapa yang mencari agama selain agama Islam, maka tidak akan diterima daripadanya dan dia pada hari akhirat kelak dari orang-orang yang rugi.

ISLAM, THE RELIGION PREACHED BY THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) IS THE RELIGION OF RESIGNATION-submission to the will, the service, and the command of ALLAH (SWT). IT HAS BEEN THE RELIGION OF ALL PROPHETS IN ALL TIMES.

¥  Other so-called religions are deviations from it.

NO RELIGION IS ACCEPTABLE WITH ALLAH (SWT) SAVE ISLAM, which consists in

1.        Believing the unity of ALLAH (SWT) (tawhid), and

2.        His justice (adl), and

3.        Accepting the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) as the last messenger of ALLAH (SWT), and

4.        Following his teachings, and, after him

5.        Following the guidance of his successors from among his Ahlul Bayt, and

6.        Believing in the final day of judgement.

THIS PATH OF ISLAM IS THE ONLY PATH OF SALVATION. The idea of individual choice in view of likes and dislikes of certain persons or their deeds and ideologies certainly leads to the path of deviation. Such people will be among the losers on the day of judgement.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(3:85) And whoever seeks a way other than this way a submission (Islam), will find that it will not be accepted from him and in the Life to come he will be among the losers.

كَيْفَ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ قَوْمًا كَفَرُوا بَعْدَ إِيمَانِهِمْ وَشَهِدُوا أَنَّ الرَّسُولَ حَقٌّ وَجَاءَهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ{3:86}

[Q3:86] Kaifa yahdil laahu qawman kafaroo ba'da eemaanihim wa shahidooo annar Rasoola haqqunw wa jaaa'ahumul baiyinaat; wallaahu laa yahdil qawmaz zaalimeen.

[Q3:86] How shall ALLAH (SWT) guide a people who disbelieved after their believing and (after) they had borne witness that the Messenger was true and clear arguments had come to them; and ALLAH (SWT) does not guide the unjust people.

[Q3:86] Bagaimana ALLAH (SwT) akan memberi petunjuk hidayat kepada sesuatu kaum yang kufur ingkar sesudah mereka beriman dan juga sesudah mereka menyaksikan bahawa Rasulullah (Nabi Muhammad) itu adalah benar dan telah datang pula kepada mereka keterangan-keterangan yang jelas nyata dan (ingatlah), ALLAH (SwT) tidak akan memberikan petunjuk hidayatNya kepada kaum yang zalim.

THOSE WHO, HAVING COME TO FAITH (and had borne witness that the messenger, THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD), WAS TRUE), TURNED AWAY, SHALL BE DEPRIVED OF INNER GUIDANCE WITH WHICH ALLAH (SWT) BLESSES HIS CREATURES.

·         In view of the commentary of verse 81 of this surah all the prophets believed in the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), THEREFORE, their followers also must believe in him.

DENIAL OF THE PROPHETS (SUCCEEDING THE PROPHET IN WHOM ONE BELIEVES) IS A SUBVERSIVE ACT TANTAMOUNT TO DISBELIEF (KUFR).

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

(3:86) How can Allah guide people who once believed, after they received clear signs and affirmed that the Messenger was a true one, lapsed into disbelief. *73 Allah does not guide the wrong-doers.

*73. This is a repetition of the statement made earlier, namely that the Jewish rabbis of Arabia in the time of the Prophet (peace be on him) knew, and sometimes even testified to verbally, that Muhammad was a true Prophet and that his teachings were the same as those of the earlier Prophets. (See for instance Qur'an 2: 89 - Ed.) Their subsequent attitude - namely that of rejection and opposition - was the outcome of prejudice and intransigence, born out of their centuries-old hostility to the Truth. 

أُولَٰئِكَ جَزَاؤُهُمْ أَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ لَعْنَةَ اللَّهِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ {3:87}

[Q3:87] Ulaaa'ika jazaaa'uhum anna 'alaihim la'natal laahi walmalaaa'ikati wannaasi ajma'een.

[Q3:87] (As for) these, their reward is that upon them is the curse of ALLAH (SWT) and the angels and of men, all together.

[Q3:87] Mereka itu balasannya ialah bahawa mereka ditimpa laknat ALLAH (SwT) dan malaikatNya serta sekalian orang-orang (yang beriman).

FOR SUCH DISBELIEVERS (mentioned in the preceding verse) THE REQUITAL IS **THE CURSE OF ALLAH (SWT) AND **THE ANGELS AND **OF MEN. They shall live under it for ever, and their agony shall not decrease, nor there will be respite for them.

v  PLEASE NOTE that la-nat (cursing the wicked) is an "act of ALLAH (SWT)" THEREFORE, tabarra, prescribed by Islam-original (Shiaism) is in full agreement with the divine will and command.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(3:87) The recompense for their wrong-doing is that the curse of Allah and of the angels and of all men shall upon them.

خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا لَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَلَا هُمْ يُنْظَرُونَ {3:88}

[Q3:88] Khaalideena feehaa laa yukhaffafu 'anhumul 'azaabu wa laa hum yunzaroon.

[Q3:88] Abiding in it; their chastisement shall not be lightened nor shall they be respited.

[Q3:88] Mereka kekal di dalamnya, tidak diringankan azab seksa daripada mereka dan mereka pula tidak diberi tempoh atau perhatian; 

(see commentary for verse 87)

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(3:88) Thus shall they abide. Neither shall their chastisement be granted nor shall they be granted any respite.

إِلَّا الَّذِينَ تَابُوا مِنْ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ وَأَصْلَحُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ {3:89}

[Q3:89] illal lazeena taaboo mim ba'di zaalika wa aslahoo fa innal laaha Ghafoorur Raheem.
[Q3:89] Except those who repent after that and amend, then surely ALLAH (SWT) is Forgiving, Merciful.

[Q3:89] Kecuali orang-orang yang bertaubat sesudah (ingkar) itu, serta memperbaiki keburukan mereka, maka sesungguhnya ALLAH (SwT) Maha Pengampun, lagi Maha Mengasihani.

SINCERE REPENTANCE FOLLOWED BY EFFICIENT IMPROVEMENT IS THE KEY TO OPEN THE DOORS OF FORGIVENESS beyond which a new life, full of promised blessings, awaits the deviators.

Ä  Tawba means "return penitently to ALLAH (SWT)" with reference to the creature, AND "admit the penitent to ALLAH (SWT)'s mercy" with reference to the creator Lord; just as salat (with reference to the creature) means bending before the creator Lord to express wants and needs for obtaining fulfilment, AND (with reference to the creator Lord) turning towards the supplicant creature to give that which he deserves.

HE WHO DOES NOT CARRY OUT ALLAH (SWT)'S COMMAND, DISOBEYS HIM. IT IS A SIN WHICH EARNS PUNISHMENT. Although there are various degrees of disobedience, minor sins lead to major sins.

v  INFIDELITY (DENIAL OF ALLAH (SWT)'S ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGNTY) IS THE WORST SIN. Punishment of each sin differs according to its degree. "Verily ALLAH (SWT) forgives all sins" (Zumar 39:53). Of whatever degree the sin is, if the sinner turns repentantly to ALLAH (SWT), sincerely seeking to amend his ways in future, ALLAH (SWT) will admit him to His mercy. 

TAWBA IS A CLEANSING PROCEDURE TO REMOVE **IGNORANCE AND **OBSTINACY FROM THE HEART AND THE MIND AND TO WIPE OUT **THE DIRT OF *THEORETICAL AND *PRACTICAL "DEVIATION FROM THE RIGHT PATH".

©  ALLAH (SWT) may admit the sinner to His mercy at any time before the punishment comes upon him when no one will come for his help (Zumar 39:54); OR

©  He may admit the sinner to His mercy if he does evil in ignorance (and) then turn quickly (in repentance) to ALLAH (SWT) (Nisa 4:17). BUT

©  Repentance is not (profitable) for those who do ill deeds until, when death comes to one of them (Nisa 4:18), AND

©  Shall not benefit them their faith when they see His punishment (Mu-min 23:85).

THE DOORS OF REPENTANCE ARE OPEN TILL THE AGONY OF DEATH OVERCOMES THE BODY.

v  In Yunus 10:98, the removal of punishment at the last moment shows that sincere repentance is effective, BUT

v  Mu-min(Ghafir) 40:85 makes it clear that repentance to avoid punishment brings no result.

“But their belief was not going to profit them when they had seen Our punishment; (this is) ALLAH (SWT)'s law,…..”

Imam Ali bin Muhammad al Naqi had quoted this verse to give his decision when Mutawakkil referred the case of a Jew who committed adultery with a Muslim woman and recited kalimah as soon as he was brought in the court of the ruler. The jurists of the court had wrongly advised him to acquit the Jew on the basis of a tradition which states that when a man becomes a Muslim his past is separated from him. But as, in this case, the Jew accepted Islam to avoid punishment, THEREFORE THE HOLY IMAM JUDGED HIM GUILTY.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(3:89) But those who repent and mend their ways shall be excepted for indeed Allah is Forgiving, All-Compassionate.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بَعْدَ إِيمَانِهِمْ ثُمَّ ازْدَادُوا كُفْرًا لَنْ تُقْبَلَ تَوْبَتُهُمْ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الضَّالُّونَ {3:90}

[Q3:90] Innal lazeena kafaroo ba'da eemaanihim summaz daadoo kufral lan tuqbala tawbatuhum wa ulaaa'ika humud daaalloon.

[Q3:90] Surely, those who disbelieve after their believing, then increase in unbelief, their repentance shall not be accepted, and these are they that go astray.

[Q3:90] Sesungguhnya orang-orang yang kafir sesudah mereka beriman, kemudian mereka bertambah kufur lagi, tidak sekali-kali akan diterima taubat mereka dan mereka itulah orang-orang yang sesat.

UNACCEPTABLE IS THE REPENTANCE OF THOSE WHO, HAVING ONCE COME TO FAITH, DISBELIEVE AND PERSIST IN THEIR APOSTASY, like the Jews  

(1)     *who believed in Musa and the Tawrat *BUT disbelieved in Isa and the Injil, *AND THEN continued and aggravated their disbelief by denying the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), OR ALSO LIKE

(2)     *those who believed in the Holy Prophet Muhammad (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), BUT AFTER HIS DEPARTURE, turned on their heels, went astray and persisted in their deviations.

They shall remain unredeemed in spite of their repentance. Also refer to Nisa 4:137.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(3:90) Those who relieved and have har-dened in their disbelief after once believing, *74 their (pretence to) repentance shall not be accepted. Indeed such men have altogether strayed.

*74. They were not content with just rejecting the call to the Truth but stood in vehement opposition and hostility to it and spared no efforts in obstructing people from following the way of God. They created doubts, spread misgivings, sowed the seeds of distrust and engaged in the worst conspiracies and machinations in order to frustrate the mission of the Prophet (peace be on him).