Tafseer of The Believers · Al-Muminoon · 23:96
Repel, by [means of] what is best, [their] evil. We are most knowing of what they describe.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
Allah, the Exalted, addresses His words to His prophet: Repel, O Muḥammad, with that which is best — that is to say: turn away, pardon the ignorant among the polytheists (mushrikīn), and endure their persecution. This was His command to him before He charged him to fight them. By the evil deed He meant the persecution that the mushrikīn inflicted upon him and their rejection of what he had brought them from Allah. The Exalted said to him: Be patient with what you encounter from them for the sake of Allah.
In accordance with what we have said concerning this, the exegetes also spoke.
*Mention of who said this:*
Al-Qāsim related to us; he said: al-Ḥusayn related to us; he said: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His words: ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ السَّيِّئَةَ (Repel the evil deed with that which is best) — he said: Turn away from their persecution of you.
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us; he said: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of ʿAbd al-Karīm al-Jazarī, on the authority of Mujāhid — he said: That is the greeting: you greet him when you meet him.
Al-Ḥasan related to us; he said: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of ʿAbd al-Karīm, on the authority of Mujāhid — in accordance with the preceding.
Ibn Bashshār related to us; he said: Hawdha related to us; he said: ʿAwf related to us, on the authority of al-Ḥasan, concerning His words ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ السَّيِّئَةَ — he said: By Allah, whoever has attained this has thereby swallowed his anger and pardoned what offends him.
As for His words: نَحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَصِفُونَ (We know best what they describe) — We know best what they ascribe to Allah of lies and slanders, and what evil they say about you. We will requite them for that. So do not let the evil that you hear from them grieve you.
