The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 758
CH. 9 AT-TAUBAH PT. 11 those who believe that they مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِي وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ It is not for the Prophet and. 13 يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِيْنَ وَلَوْ كَانُوا أُولى should ask of God forgiveness قُرْبَى مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُمُ they may be kinsmen, after it اَصْحَبُ الْجَحِيمِ for the idolaters, even though has become plain to them that they are the people of Hell. 1262 continuation of the previous one, shows that it is the Companions of the Holy Prophet and those who follow them righteously that are meant here. The noble qualities of believers, as mentioned in the verse under comment, have been put in order of merit. The first stage of spiritual development is that of ai. e. repentance of one's sins. The second stage is that of i. e. Divine worship, which implies that after having repented of his sins, a Muslim becomes resigned to the Will of God. The third stage is that of i. e. glorifying God, which means that a Muslim is not only resigned to the will of God, but he praises and glorifies Him even in adversity. The fourth stage pertains to the attribute of which means that in this stage a believer forsakes his home for the sake of God and devotes his whole attention to Him. The fifth spiritual stage which a Muslim attains is that of which signifies that he begins to serve God with all his soul and body, every part of his body being dedicated to His service. See also note on 2:44. In the sixth stage the believer becomes a ✗tw (one who falls prostrate before God) which symbolizes the highest stage of nearness to God, when a believer not only severs, as it were, his connection with the world, but also loses his ownself, and throws himself on the earth, mixing with the dust. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said that in the attitude of prostration a believer is in a position of extreme nearness to God. When a true believer has reached the stage of li. e. close nearness to God, his next duty is to bring the straying sheep into the fold of the Master. So now he becomes God's preacher, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil. This is the seventh stage to which a true Muslim can and should rise. The next, and in a way the final, stage is that of God's Khalifah, i. e. Divine Reformer, which is referred to in the words, "Who watch the limits set by God," i. e. those who are, as it were, the guardians of the Law of God. The expression au may also mean, those who strictly observe the ordinances of God. 1262. Commentary: 1198 When a true believer is he who possesses the qualities mentioned in the preceding verse, he can never hesitate to sever his connection with