Tafseer of The Exile · Al-Hashr · 59:10
And [there is a share for] those who came after them, saying, "Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts [any] resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful."
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.
The explanation of the words of Him, the Exalted: وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالإِيمَانِ وَلا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ (10) (And those who came after them say: Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and do not place in our hearts any rancor toward those who believe. Our Lord, indeed You are Full of Kindness, Most Merciful.) (59:10)
He, exalted is His remembrance, says: and those who came after them — that is, after those who had settled in the abode and in the faith before the first emigrants (muhājirūn) — ( يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلإخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالإيمَانِ ) (say: Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith), namely from the helpers (anṣār). By "those who came after them" the emigrants are meant, namely that they ask forgiveness for their brothers from the helpers.
And His words: ( وَلا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ) (and do not place in our hearts any rancor toward those who believe), that is to say: no malice and no hatred.
And it has been said: by "those who came after them" are meant those who embraced Islam after those who had settled in the abode.
* Mention of who said that:
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both of them — on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His words: ( وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ ) (and those who came after them), he said: those who embraced Islam, they too are described.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, he said: then Allah mentioned the third group, and said: ( وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلإخْوَانِنَا ) (and those who came after them, say: Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers), until he reaches ( إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ ) (indeed You are Full of Kindness, Most Merciful). They were only commanded to ask forgiveness for the companions of the Prophet — may Allah bless him and grant him peace — and they were not commanded to slander them.
And it has been related to us that a slave-boy (ghulām) of Ḥāṭib ibn Abī Baltaʿa came to the prophet of Allah — may Allah bless him and grant him peace — and said: "O prophet of Allah, Ḥāṭib will surely enter the Fire (al-nār)." He said: "You lie; for he took part in Badr and al-Ḥudaybiya." And it has been related to us that ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb — may Allah be pleased with him — treated harshly a man from the people of Badr, whereupon the prophet of Allah — may Allah bless him and grant him peace — said: "What makes you know, O ʿUmar, perhaps he has witnessed an event in which Allah looked down upon its people, and took His angels as witness: Indeed, I am pleased with these servants of Mine, so let them do what they wish." And ever since, a part of us remained restrained toward the people of Badr and full of awe of them. And ʿUmar — may Allah be pleased with him — used to say: "And toward the people of Badr the strivers strive most intensely." And this group of the helpers, Allah has praised them excellently.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning the words of Allah: ( وَلا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ) (and do not place in our hearts any rancor toward those who believe), he said: do not make our hearts inherit rancor toward anyone of the people of Your religion.
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Qays ibn Muslim, on the authority of Ibn Abī Laylā, he said: the people were in three ranks: the first emigrants; ( وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلإخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالإيمَانِ وَلا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ ) (and those who came after them, say: Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and do not place in our hearts any rancor toward those who believe; our Lord, indeed You are Full of Kindness, Most Merciful); and the best one can be is to be in this rank.
And His words: ( لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ ) (toward those who believe; our Lord, indeed You are Full of Kindness, Most Merciful). He, exalted is His praise, says — reporting about the saying of those who came after those who had settled in the abode and in the faith — that they said: do not place in our hearts any rancor toward anyone of the people who believe in You, O our Lord.
His words: ( إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ ) (indeed You are Full of Kindness, Most Merciful). He says: indeed, You are Full of Kindness toward Your creatures, and Full of Mercy toward whoever repents and asks forgiveness for his sins.
