Commentary on the Quran (Chapter 3:86-89)

Commentary on the Quran (Chapter 3:86-89)

By: Mohammad Sobhanie

Condition for Acceptance of Repentance

بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

كَيْفَ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ قَوْمًا كَفَرُوا بَعْدَ إِيمَانِهِمْ وَشَهِدُوا أَنَّ الرَّسُولَ حَقٌّ وَجَاءَهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ ‎﴿٨٦﴾‏ أُولَٰئِكَ جَزَاؤُهُمْ أَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ لَعْنَةَ اللَّهِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ ‎﴿٨٧﴾‏ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا لَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَلَا هُمْ يُنظَرُونَ ‎﴿٨٨﴾‏ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ تَابُوا مِن بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ وَأَصْلَحُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ‎﴿٨٩﴾

3:86 How shall Allah (SWT) guide a people who disbelieved after their belief and had witnessed that the Messenger is true and clear signs had come to them? And Allah (SWT) does not guide the wrongdoing people.

3:87 Those – their recompense will be that upon them is the Curse of Allah (SWT) and the angels and the people, all together,

3:88 Abiding eternally therein. The punishment will not be lightened for them, nor will they be reprieved.

3:89 Except for those who repent after that and correct themselves. For indeed, Allah (SWT) is Forgiving and Merciful.

Commentary: Al-Harith bin Suwayd Al-Ansari had blood on his hands from the murder of an innocent man named Muharr bin Ziyad. Fearing punishment for his actions, he renounced Islam and fled to Makkah, taking with him eleven of his followers who, like Al-Harith, also renounced Islam.

Once in Mecca, Al-Harith deeply regretted his decision and contemplated how to rectify his situation. Finally, he sent someone to Medina to ask the Prophet (PBUH) whether there was a way for him to repent.

In response, the above Verses were revealed, indicating that his repentance would be accepted, provided he amends his mistakes. Al-Harith returned to Madinah, went to the Prophet (PBUH), and converted to Islam. He remained faithful until his last breath. However, the eleven followers who had also apostatized chose to stay in their rejection of Islam.

Verse 3:86 addresses apostates, those who initially embraced Islam but later rejected it. The Verse asks a hypothetical question: how Allah (SWT) can guide apostates while they are fully aware of the Prophet’s (PBUH) truthfulness and witness his miracles, including the Qur’an itself? The answer is that apostates are wrongdoers, and “Allah (SWT) does not guide the wrongdoing of people, (وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ).”

The Verse reads, “How shall Allah (SWT) guide a people (كَيْفَ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ قَوْمًا) who disbelieved after their belief (كَفَرُوا بَعْدَ إِيمَانِهِمْ) and had witnessed that the Messenger is true (وَشَهِدُوا أَنَّ الرَّسُولَ حَقٌّ) and clear signs had come to them (وَجَاءَهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ)?”  These groups indeed self-wronged themselves, and “Allah (SWT) does not guide the wrongdoing people (وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ).”

The word “Al-Bayyinātu” (الْبَيِّنَاتُ) means “the clear proof,” and it signifies the undeniable miracles of the Prophet (PBUH) that were presented as evidence.

Verse 3:87 states the eternal punishment would be the recompense of apostate. See commentary on Verse 2:256 for more on the Ruling of Apostasy.

The Verse reads, “Those (apostates) – their recompense will be (جَزَاؤُهُمْ) that upon them is the curse of Allah (SWT) and the angels and the people (أَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ لَعْنَةَ اللَّهِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالنَّاسِ), all together (أَجْمَعِينَ).” This curse causes them to be removed from Allah’s (SWT) Mercy, indicative of the gravity of their punishment in Hell.

The term “Laʿan” (لَعَن) translates to “curse” and signifies the absence of mercy. When God curses a disobedient servant like Shaytan, God withdraws mercy from him. The curse of angels and humans represents a request to God to deny God’s Mercy to a rebellious servant.

Apostates renounce God’s religion without valid reasons, which leads them into deep corruption and sin. As a result, they become cut off from God’s Mercy. Their wrongful actions and the consequences of their disobedience profoundly affect both believers and angels, prompting them to pray to God to deny mercy to apostates.

Verse 3:88 states that apostates will remain in Hellfire for eternity (خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا). The punishment will not be lightened for them (لَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابُ), nor will they be reprieved (وَلَا هُمْ يُنظَرُونَ).”

The Quran aims to reform, educate, and purify people, leading them from the darkness of error to the light of guidance. Hence, Verse 3:89 offers apostates opportunities to repent regardless of the severity of their mistake. The Verse reads: “Except for those who repent after that (إِلَّا الَّذِينَ تَابُوا مِن بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ) and correct themselves (وَأَصْلَحُوا). For indeed, Allah (SWT) is Forgiving and Merciful (فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ).”

Many Verses of the Quran regarding repentance emphasize that individuals must correct their wrongful actions after repenting, indicating that true repentance involves more than merely feeling regret for past mistakes and vowing not to repeat them in the future. The main condition for accepting repentance is making amends for past sins. For example, one must make up for missed obligatory actions, such as daily prayer and fasting, and sometimes pay atonement.

If someone has hurt someone physically or emotionally—they should approach that individual to seek their forgiveness. Furthermore, if someone has wrongfully accused another person, they should take steps to restore the accused person’s reputation. Therefore, in some Verses of the Quran, after mentioning repentance, reference is made to faith and righteous deeds, such as the above Verse and Verse 19:60 (Maryam), which says:

إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَأُولَٰئِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ شَيْئًا ‎﴿٦٠﴾

19:60 ‏ Except those who repent, believe and do righteousness; for those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged at all.

The phrase “Illā Man Tāba Waāmana” (إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ) means “Except those who repent and believe.” This Verse shows that sin is caused by weakness of faith. Therefore, we must strengthen the faith that protects us from sinning after repentance.