Ask an Alim

Salamun Alaykum

Thank you for your query.

The mentioned verses are incorrect. Surah Noor has 64 verses in total. But I think you meant Noor/54, as there are various verses ending with the same gist of the ending of this verse, so I will answer according to that:

قُلْ أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ  فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْهِ مَا حُمِّلَ وَعَلَيْكُمْ مَا حُمِّلْتُمْ  وَإِنْ تُطِيعُوهُ تَهْتَدُوا  وَمَا عَلَى الرَّسُولِ إِلَّا الْبَلَاغُ الْمُبِينُ

Say: Obey Allah and obey the Apostle; but if you turn back, then on him rests that which is imposed on him and on you rests that which is imposed on you; and if you obey him, you are on the right way; and nothing rests on the Apostle but clear delivering (of the message).

Regarding the first part of your question, Prophet asks for forgiveness, it is mentioned in Surah Nisa/64:

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ رَسُولٍ إِلَّا لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ جَاءُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللَّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللَّهَ تَوَّابًا رَحِيمًا

We did not send any apostle but to be obeyed by Allah’s leave. Had they, when they wronged themselves, come to you and pleaded to Allah for forgiveness, and the Apostle had pleaded for them [to Allah]for forgiveness, they would have surely found Allah all-clement, all-merciful.

It is the will of Allah that people should obey the Holy Prophet. If the sinners approach the Holy Prophet, he will speak on their behalf to Allah, because He has given him the authority to intercede on behalf of the repentant sinners; and on his (and his Ahlul Bayt’s) recommendation. Allah forgives the sinners, as has been clearly mentioned in this verse.

But regarding the hypocrites, it is mentioned in Surah Tawbah/80 that they won’t be forgiven:

اسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ أَوْ لَا تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ إِنْ تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً فَلَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ  ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ

Whether you plead forgiveness for them or do not plead forgiveness for them, even if you plead forgiveness for them seventy times, Allah shall never forgive them because they defied Allah and His Apostle; and Allah does not guide the transgressing lot.

When we put all these verses together, we understand that Prophet’s duty is to deliver but if the Momineen had done something wrong and asked for forgiveness then Prophet had asked for forgiveness on behalf of momineen which is not the case with the hypocrites(Munafiqeen), as hypocrites are not truthful in their faith.

Also, we believe in the intercession of the Prophet Muhammad(s.a.w.w) and Ahlul Bayt(as) on the day of Judgment with the permission of Allah in the light of Qur’an and Hadith, as mentioned in Surah Baqarah/255, who is he that can intercede with Him but by His permission?

Prophet Muhammad(s.a.w.w) has delivered the message to the mankind, now it is incumbent on us to act what he has delivered to us. Hence, we must try to fulfill our duties by acting upon the teachings of Islam.

May Allah(swt) grant you success

Wassalam,

Syed Haider