Lesson # 616 - They will be forgiven, who repent before overpowered

Lesson # 616 From Holy Qur’aan

They will be forgiven, who repent before overpowered

‘Al-Maaa-‘idah (the Table Spread) – Chapter – 5)–Stage - 2

Verses – 33 & 34 of 120, Section – 5 of 16 (Part - 6)

 BisMIllaahir-Rahmaanir-Rahiim

In the name of Allaah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

33.  The only reward of those who make war upon Allaah and His Messenger and strive after corruption in the land will be that they will be killed or crucified, or have their hands and feet on alternate sides cut off, or will be expelled out of the land. Such will be their degradation in the world, and in the Hereafter theirs will be an awful doom- 34.  Save those who repent before ye overpower them. So know that Allaah is Forgiving, Merciful.

33.  ‘Innamaa  jazaaa-‘ullaziina  yuhaa-ribu-nAllaaha  wa  RasuulaHuu  wa  yas-‘awna  fil-‘arzi  fasaadan  ‘any-yuqatta-luuu ‘aw  yusalla-buuu  ‘aw  tuqatta-‘a  ‘aydii-him  wa  ‘arjuluhum-min  khilaafin  ‘aw  yunfaw  minal-‘arz.  Zaalika  lahum  khiz-yun- fid-dunyaa  wa  lahum  fil-‘Aakhirati  ‘azaabun  ‘aziim.  34.  ‘Illallaziina  taabuu  min  qabli  ‘an-  taqdiruu  ‘alay-him.  Fa’-lamuuu  ‘annAllaaha  Gafuurur-Rahiim.

Lesson

Jazaaa-‘u – (reward), this word is used in Arabic language for retaliation of both words i.e. good work and badness. We use reward for good work and punishment for badness. Yuhaa-ribu-na – (those make war), it is from muhaaribah, which means ‘to make war upon, to fight with’. This word has been derived from harb, which means war. It aims “to rise against lawful authority, to disobey the Divine law of religion, to rebel”. yas-‘awna – (they strive), it has been made from sa-‘iii, which means “to move, to wander, to try”. Here it aims “those persons, who violate”. Min  khilaafin – (on alternate sides), it aims “right hand and left foot”. Yunfaw  minal-‘arzi – (they should be expelled out of the land), its form is that they should be confined in any far flung area.

khiz-yun – (degradation, disgrace, baseness), the word khiz-yaan is used in Arabic for the abashed i.e. bashful, humiliated.   

The punishment for those people has been described in this verse, who break the Law of Allaah Almighty that the people, who do not care the prescribed law of God Almighty, actually they make war upon Allaah Almighty and His Messenger (grace, glory, blessings and peace be upon Him). Mischievous and robbers, who plunder by rebel the religious authority, can be of four kinds:

1.  Those, who killed someone, but they could not obtain the wealth. The punishment for them is that, which has been cited above i.e. ‘any-yuqatta-luuu- (they will be killed).

2.  After slaying, who have robbed the wealth – yusalla-buuu (they will be crucified).

3.  Who did not kill anyone, but they snatched the wealth only – their punishment is that, their right hands and left feet on alternate sides will be cut off (‘aw  tuqatta-‘a  ‘aydii-him  wa  ‘arjuluhum-min  khilaafin).  

4.  Who had surrounded the people but before slaying them, they had become prisoners – punishment for them is that they should be confined in a far off place (‘aw  yunfaw  minal-‘arz).

This punishment has been determined so that the criminals are abased in the world. After it, on the Doomsday, they will be punished also very severely. Punishment of both places is for the reason that they broke the Command of Allaah Almighty.

Punishments of the mutineers can be forgiven on the condition that, if before the time of their imprisonment, they have repented from crimes and admitted to remain obedient. And if they are sincere in their repentance, then even they will not be punished on the Day of Resurrection. Allaah Almighty is Forgiving, Merciful. His name is Gafuurur-Rahiim.

It has come in the Sayings of the Messenger (grace, glory, blessings and peace be upon Him), ‘At-taa-‘ibu  minaz-zanbi  Kamal-laa  zanba  lahuu, that is to say; the repentant is like such a person, who did not commit a crime. It should be understood here that the above mentioned punishments were for the robbers, plunderers and swindlers. Such punishment, which has been prescribed in the Divine way of the religion, for the criminals, is called Hadd. Hadd of rebels is forgiven on their repentance. But if due to the above crimes, someone has suffered any loss financially or mortal, then the criminal would have to pay the penalty of that loss even then. That is to say; he would have to return the wealth, from whom he snatched. If he killed any person, then he would have to give the money for blood (Qasaas). These are called Haquuqul-‘abaad (Human Rights), which cannot be forgiven due to repentance. However, if the person, whose this right is, forgives, then it will be forgiven.   

Transliterated Holy Qur’an in Roman Script & Translated from Arabic to English by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore, Lesson collected from Dars e Qur’an published By Idara Islaah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated Urdu to English by Muhammad Sharif)