Allaah All-Mighty says:
Verily, Allaah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases- An-nisa’a 48
The Arabic word (inna) in English means (Verily or indeed), Allaah pointed out the word to draw attention to what is to be said after it.
If Allaah were to say without using then the sentence would have just been a regular sentence. But he said (inna Allaah la yaghfiru ay yushraka bihi) meaning: “Verily, Allaah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship” and this is to confirm that there are no exceptions in forgiveness if the person dies associating partners along with Allaah. And then the verse continues when Allaah says: (wa yaghfiru) meaning:
“And he forgives” (ma doona thalik) – “Anything other than that” – Allaah will no way forgive any of his slave’s sins who die as polytheists without repenting to him before death approaches them, but he forgives all other sins (other than Shirk) – to people who committed all evil deeds and never sought forgiveness from Allaah before death – he may forgive these people if their hearts are clean from Shirk.
(wa yaghfiru ma doona thalika liman yashaa’) he will forgive all other sins only to whom he wills out of his bounty and wisdom.
PURPOSE FOR REVELATION OF THIS VERSE
The purpose that Allaah revealed this verse to the Prophet Muhammad (Salla Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam) was because the Prophet (Alayhi Assalatu wasallam) was reciting another verse to his people: ۚSay: “O My slaves who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily Allaah forgives all sins- Az-zumr v 53
And then one of the people asked the Prophet (Alayhi Assalatu wasallam): O Messenger of Allaah, even Shirk? So Allaah Almighty then replied to that man’s question with another revelation confirming that Allaah shall not forgive the great sin, Shirk, but he will forgive all
other sins only to whom he wills.
Verily, Allaah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases- An-nisa’a 48
GENERAL MEANING
The All-Powerful Allaah’s aim is to warn the people against approaching any act of Shirk. Allaah, to whom belongs all perfection and majesty, stresses that those who assign partners to him and remain so till death will never be pardoned. On the contrary, he forgives the sins of those whom he wills with the exception of Shirk.
Allaah, glory to him, says:
And (remember) when Ibrahim (Abraham) said: “O my Lord! Make this city (Makkah) one of peace and security, and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols. – Ibrahim v.35
When we see the two words in the Quran (Wa ith) we should keep in mind that this means (and remember when), (Qala Ibrahimu) means (Ibrahim said), and Prophet Ibrahim here is not speaking to a human, rather he is speaking to his Lord and the approach of speaking to Allaah All-Mighty should be through either prayer or supplication, and then Ibrahim makes two requests, the first one is: (rabbi ijaal hatha al-balada aminan) meaning: (o Lord make this city (Makkah) one of security.)
And the second request is: (wajnubni wa banneya an naabud al-asnam) meaning: (and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols.)
GENERAL MEANING
Ibrahim invoked the All-Mighty Allaah to keep him and his sons away from the worship of idols, which is deemed as a great source of mischief.
Purpose of invocation (keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols) Due to Shirk being the major sin, and Ibrahim not knowing how his life would end (whether he would die a Muslim or Mushrik) this matter made him fear the fact that him and his sons could possibly die as idolaters where their destiny would be hell fire for eternity.
LESSON DRAWN FROM THE TWO VERSES
– Shirk (polytheism) is the gravest sin, as it will never be forgiven unless one turns to Allaah in repentance.
– If anyone commits any sin other than polytheism and dies before repentance, his affair will be absolutely referred to Allaah All-Mighty, who may grant him forgiveness or punish him in the Hereafter.
– The Muslim must express his fear of Shirk, for Ibrahim who was distinguished by demolishing idols at his time, was afraid of falling into such a grave sin.
– The permissibility of invoking Allaah for removing tribulations. He is the one to be besought for help and support.
– It is permissible to invoke Allaah for oneself and on behalf of one’s offspring as well.
– The verses refute the allegation of some ignorant people that the Muslim nation is not susceptible to fall into acts or forms of Shirk. Those people felt safe from it and thus ignorantly fell into its darkness
