A Query of Surah 4:64

[Bassam Zawadi]

Assalamu Alaykum

In Surah 4:64 it says...

We sent no Messenger, but to be obeyed by Allah's Leave. If they (hypocrites), when they had been unjust to themselves, had come to you(Muhammad SAW) and begged Allah's Forgiveness, and the Messenger had begged forgiveness for them: indeed, they would have found Allah All-Forgiving (One Who accepts repentance), Most Merciful. Hilali-Khan


I want to understand something. Is this verse saying that it was compulsory for those hypocrites to go the Prophet and seek forgivness from Allah through his supplication? If not, then why didn't Allah say that them seeking forgiveness directly through Him is enough?

[Ayman bin khaled]

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

This verse was revealed in regards the hypocrites who rejected the judgment of the prophet ( صلى الله عليه و سلم ) and looked for another one to judge between them. Thus, Allah subhanu wa ta'ala addressed, in this verse, the hypocrites who unjusted themselves with such major sin.

It is known that in terms of Dua'a ( supplications) that if we know or hope that someone's Dua'a is accepted to ask him to make Dua'a for us. This is obvious in the example when the Prophet used to make dua'aa for others and when the prophet told Abyu Bakr and Umar that if they ever met Uwauis Al-Qarni to let him make dua'aa for them because he was a one with an accepted Dua'a.

The same applied here in this case; Yet, since this is about a sin that the hypocrites committed then they are still required to ask forgiveness from Allah and repent first before asking the prophet to ask Allah to forgive them because it is not enough just to let someone else to ask Allah to forgive them while they are not repenting!!

Thus, firstly they were told to repent and ask Allah's forgiveness first then ask the prophet ( صلى الله عليه و سلم ) to ask Allah to forgive them to show the high status of the prophet ( صلى الله عليه و سلم ) who they rejected his judgment.

Al-Shawkani said" the part where it says: {and the Messenger had begged forgiveness for them} is a way to show the high rank of the prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) " [ Fat-h Al-Qadeer]

To sum up: This is to show the high rank and status of the prophet and to show the hypocrites that this is the prophet who you rejected his judgment and accordingly you disobeyed me therefore you aught to know that if he asks me to forgive me after you repent i will forgive you.

Wallahu A'lam

[Bassam Zawadi]

so the verse is not making it compulsory on them to go to the Prophet himself and ask for Allah's forgiveness through him?

[Ayman bin khaled]

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Based on the verse, Allah made it a condition on them so that He, subhanu, forgives them for the sin they committed. Thus, you can say that Allah put conditions or requirments that need to do so He forgives them which are:

1) repenting from the sin

2) asking the prophet to ask Allah to forgive them as well.

note: this is my own observation: subhan Allah, the hypocrits tried to put down the status of the prophet by seeking another judgment after he gave his judgment on that matter as if they say to him your judgment is like any other perons judgment. YEt, Allah suhanu showed them that the rank of the prophet is soo high so that they need to ask him to ask Allah to forgive them so Allah accept their repentance. in addition, telling them that they still need to go the prophet and do all that to draw the lines of their low rank and the high rank of the prophet.

wallahu A'lam

[Um Abdullah M.]

Originally Posted by Ayman bin khaled

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Based on the verse, Allah made it a condition on them so that He, subhanu, forgives them for the sin they committed. Thus, you can say that Allah put conditions or requirments that need to do so He forgives them which are:

1) repenting from the sin

2) asking the prophet to ask Allah to forgive them as well.

note: this is my own observation: subhan Allah, the hypocrits tried to put down the status of the prophet by seeking another judgment after he gave his judgment on that matter as if they say to him your judgment is like any other perons judgment. YEt, Allah suhanu showed them that the rank of the prophet is soo high so that they need to ask him to ask Allah to forgive them so Allah accept their repentance. in addition, telling them that they still need to go the prophet and do all that to draw the lines of their low rank and the high rank of the prophet.

wallahu A'lam

akhi could it also be because they wronged the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that it was required for them to ask him to ask forgiveness for them?
I mean in addition to showing his high rank.

wallahu a'lam.

[Ayman bin khaled]

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Originally Posted by Um Abdullah

akhi could it also be because they wronged the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that it was required for them to ask him to ask forgiveness for them?
I mean in addition to showing his high rank.

wallahu a'lam.

I believe we are on the same page on this point because showing the High rank of the prophet means letting hypocrites acknowledge and admit that the prophet has a high rank which they denied to which resulted them to reject his judgment.

As I observed it and understood it that the hypocrites wanted to put down the rank of the prophet so Allah subhanu wa ta'la showed them that his Rank is preserved by Him. Furthermore, due to their arrogance and rejecting the ruling of the prophet which means disobeying Allah because of that, He let forgiveness to be conditioned to the prophet asking Allah to forgive for them.

Wallahu A'lam