The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 875
PT. 24 AL-MU'MIN CH. 40 57. "Those who concerning the Signs of Allah إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُجَادِلُونَ فِي أَيْتِ اللهِ بِغَيْرِ dispute سُلْطن آتهُما في صدورهم without any authority having A come to them there is nothing "See 40:36. throughout life. "They are God's honoured servants and fully carry out His commandments" (21:21, 28). Christian writers have vainly sought to infer from 48:3 and from the verse under comment that as the Holy Prophet was enjoined to ask forgiveness for his , he must have been guilty of moral lapses. Apart from the fact that a casual study of the context at both the places belies this baseless inference, the argument only exposes ignorance of Arabic idiom on the part of Christian critics. a harmless expression, particularly when used about a Prophet of God; and in view of the meanings of the words and is quite استغفر لذنبك , as given under "Important Words" above, it does not at all bear this sinister construction. The expression only means that the Holy Prophet was enjoined to invoke God's protection against his human weaknesses standing in the way of the realization of his noble object which was the advance and spread of Islam and the complete and final victory of truth over falsehood. The expression may also mean, "ask forgiveness for them (thine enemies) for the wrongs they have done thee," meaning, the wrong done to thee. The Quran regards the Holy Prophet, as indeed all other Divine Messengers, as above any imputation 2789 of committing a sin. The Quran has shed some light on the very high stature of the Holy Prophet. It says: (1) He it is who has raised among the unlettered people a Messenger from among themselves who recites unto them His Signs, and purifies them, and teaches them the Book and Wisdom (2:130; 3:165 & 62:3). (2) Your Companion has neither erred, nor has he gone astray. Nor does he speak out of his own desire. It is nothing but pure revelation that has been revealed by God (53:3-5). (3) Verily, those who allegiance to thee swear allegiance to (48:11). swear indeed God (4) Say, 'If you love Allah, follow me: Then Allah will love you and forgive you your faults' (3:32). (5) Whoso obeys the Messenger, obeys Allah indeed (4:81). It is ignorance of Arabic language or misrepresentation of the text of the Quran to say that it regards the great and noble Prophet, who had raised to the highest pinnacles of spiritual glory a whole people, sunk deep in the depths of moral turpitude, and had purified them, liable to commit sins!