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thumma ʾinna rabbaka li-lladhīna hājarū min baʿdi mā futinū thumma jāhadū wa-ṣabarū ʾinna rabbaka min baʿdihā la-ghafūrun raḥīmun
Thereafter your Lord will indeed be forgiving and merciful to those who migrated after they were persecuted, waged jihad and remained steadfast.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah An-Nahl – Verse 110
110. “Definitely, your Lord unto those who have migrated after being persecuted, then they struggled and patiently persevered; verily your Lord, after that, is forgiving Merciful.”
Looking through the previous verses, we find that Muslims were categorized into several groups: The group who lost their lives while being tortured by the pagans and did not utter a single blasphemous word; such as the parents of ‘Ammar. The group who had heartily faith but they engaged in simulation, like ‘Ammar. The group who did apostate, so to speak, after becoming believers. The group who sought to preserve the faith when entangled in rebellions, and deviations, by going on exodus and fighting a holy war, while they persevered patiently, repented and protected their faith.
There is another group, referred to in this verse, which consists of those who have been cheated and are placed between the abovementioned two groups, i.e., those who uttered blasphemous words in the form of ‘Taqyyah’ (simulation), and those who returned to paganism whole-heartedly. This verse, referring to such people states implying that Allah is forgiving and merciful towards those who returned to their faith after being cheated and went on exodus or took part in a Holy War, resisting all kinds of pressure in Allah’s path. They are all covered by His grace.
The verse says:
“Definitely, your Lord unto those who have migrated after being persecuted, then they struggled and Patiently persevered; verily your Lord, after that, is forgiving Merciful.”
Incidentally, this holy verse provides clear evidence for the acceptance of the repentance of the ‘nationally apostate’. Certainly, apostate is of two categories: The ‘innate apostate’ which refers to the person who is born of Muslim parents and, after embracing Islam, has returned to paganism. His punishment consists of being executed and his wealth confiscated while his repentance is not accepted for the blows which have been stricken to the Islamic society and against the creed of people by his apostasy.
As for the second category which consists of ‘nationally apostate’ and which refers to the one who is born of non-Muslim parents at the time of the coagulation of his sperm, then he has become a convert into Islam and, later, he has again become a pagan. The repentance of such a person is acceptable.