Verse. 1353

٩ - ٱلتَّوْبَة

9 - At-Tawba

وَّعَلَي الثَّلٰثَۃِ الَّذِيْنَ خُلِّفُوْا۝۰ۭ حَتّٰۗي اِذَا ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْہِمُ الْاَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْہِمْ اَنْفُسُھُمْ وَظَنُّوْۗا اَنْ لَّا مَلْجَاَ مِنَ اللہِ اِلَّاۗ اِلَيْہِ۝۰ۭ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْہِمْ لِيَتُوْبُوْا۝۰ۭ اِنَّ اللہَ ھُوَالتَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيْمُ۝۱۱۸ۧ
WaAAala alththalathati allatheena khullifoo hatta itha daqat AAalayhimu alardu bima rahubat wadaqat AAalayhim anfusuhum wathannoo an la maljaa mina Allahi illa ilayhi thumma taba AAalayhim liyatooboo inna Allaha huwa alttawwabu alrraheemu

English

Ahmed Ali

He has relented towards the three also (who had refused to go to the battle of the Ditch) whose case was left undecided, and even the earth with all its expanse had become narrow for them, and their lives were confined, and they came to realise there was no refuge for them except in God. So He softened towards them that they may repent; for God surely accepts repentance and is merciful.

118

Tafseer

'Abdullāh Ibn 'Abbās / Muḥammad al-Fīrūzabādī

تفسير : (and to the three also (did he turn in mercy) who were left behind) he also turned in mercy to the three who stayed behind: ka'b ibn malik and his two companions: (when the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for them, and their own souls were straitened for them) their hearts became straitened because of the delay in the acceptance of their repentance (till they bethought) until they knew and became certain (them that there is no refuge from allah) that there is no safety from allah (save towards him) save in repenting to him for failing to join in the battle of tabuk. (then turned he unto them in mercy) he pardoned and forgave them (that they (too) might turn (repentant unto him)) for failing to join in the battle of tabuk. (lo! allah! he is the relenting) the forgiving, (the merciful) towards he who repents.

Jalāl al-Dīn al-Maḥallī

تفسير : and, he relented, to the three who were left behind, [formerly denied] his relenting to them, for the same reason [as those mentioned above], when the earth was straitened for them, for all its breadth, that is, despite its vastness, so they could find no place wherein to feel secure, and their souls, that is, their hearts, were straitened for them, because of the anxiety and their [sense of] alienation resulting from the delay of god’s relenting to them [with mercy], such that they [their souls] could not find happiness or solace; until they thought, they were certain, that (read the softened an) there is no refuge from god except in him. then he turned [relenting] to them, he made them successful in finding repentance, that they might also turn [in repentance]. truly god is the relenting, the merciful.