Tafseer of The Pen · Al-Qalam · 68:9
They wish that you would soften [in your position], so they would soften [toward you].
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.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān: وَدُّوا لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ ("They wished that you would be accommodating, so that they too would be accommodating") (68:9). He said: that you would become an unbeliever, so that they too would become unbelievers.
And others said: no, rather its meaning is: they wished that you would grant them a dispensation, so that they too would grant a dispensation, or: that you would soften in your religion, so that they too would soften in their religion.
* Mention of who said that:
ʿAlī related to me, saying: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning his word: وَدُّوا لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ ("They wished that you would be accommodating, so that they too would be accommodating"). He said: it means: if only you would grant them a dispensation, so that they too would grant a dispensation.
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 on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning his word: وَدُّوا لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ ("They wished that you would be accommodating, so that they too would be accommodating"). He said: if only you would incline toward their gods and let go of the truth you possess, then they would be well-disposed toward you.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning his word: وَدُّوا لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ ("They wished that you would be accommodating, so that they too would be accommodating"). He said: they wished, O Muḥammad, that you would be accommodating in this matter, so that they too would be accommodating with you.
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning his word: وَدُّوا لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ ("They wished that you would be accommodating, so that they too would be accommodating"). He said: they wished that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would be accommodating, so that they too would be accommodating.
And the correct of the two views on this is the view of the one who says: its meaning is: these polytheists (mushrikīn) wished, O Muḥammad, that you would soften for them in your religion by acceding to them in inclining toward their gods, so that they too would soften for you in your worship of your God — as the Exalted — praised be His praise — says: وَلَوْلا أَنْ ثَبَّتْنَاكَ لَقَدْ كِدْتَ تَرْكَنُ إِلَيْهِمْ شَيْئًا قَلِيلا * إِذًا لأَذَقْنَاكَ ضِعْفَ الْحَيَاةِ وَضِعْفَ الْمَمَاتِ ("And had We not made you firm, you would have almost inclined toward them a little; then We would have made you taste a double punishment in life and a double punishment in death") (17:74-75). The [word tudhin] is derived from al-duhn (anointing oil): softening in speech is compared to the smoothness of oil.
