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qul li-lladhīna ʾāmanū yaghfirū li-lladhīna lā yarjūna ʾayyāma llāhi li-yajziya qawman bi-mā kānū yaksibūna
Say to the faithful to forgive those who do not expect Allah’s days, that He may [Himself] requite every people for what they used to earn.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah al-Jathiya - Verse 14
14. [O Prophet] say to the believers to forgive those [i.e., leave them to God] who hope not for the Days of Allah [viz. the Last Day], that He may recompense people, according to what they have earned.
The Noble Prophet (S) is Divinely appointed to enlighten the believers as to their manner of conduct toward disbelievers. Undoubtedly, faith requires forgiving and magnanimity. Consequently, one ethical Command is provided in the blessed Verse in question concerning their encounter with disbelievers so that the foregoing logical discussions be perfected by this ethical Command. Addressing the Prophet (S), God Almighty says:
“Say unto the believers to forgive those who hope not for the Days of Allah”
rather than be strict with them. Owing to their distance from the fundamentals of faith and religious ethical principles, they may suffer from undesirable and inhumane conducts and attitudes; however, you are supposed to treat them magnanimously and generously lest they may wax their animosity and further distance from Truth. Such magnanimity and generosity will improve their conduct and may also make them embrace the pure faith. Such instructions are recurrently attested in the Holy Qur’an, e.g.
“So turn away from them and say peace! But they will come to know” 14 .
Basically, strictness and persistence in retaliation are of no avail in dealing with the ignorant, but showing indifference and magnanimity may serve as a means of awakening and guidance. It is to be noted that it is not a general rule, since in a number of cases there remains no other alternative save retaliation and punishment. Another point is that all days are days of Allah; nonetheless, Days of Allah are applied to specific days as the designation indicates their significance. The expression is attested twice in the Holy Qur’an, once in the Verse in question and another instance is to be found with a broader application in Chapter 1415.
The Days of Allah have been interpreted as different days within the body of Islamic traditions. For instance, according to ‘Ali ibn Ibrahim’s , the Days of Allah are enumerated as the Day of Mahdi’s (as) Rise, the day of death, and the Day of Resurrection. According to another Prophetic tradition:
“The Days of Allah are the days of His Bounties and those of His Trials by afflictions.” 16
This expression indicates the significance of the Last Day, the day of Divine Manifest Rule over anyone and anything, and the day of total administration of justice. To prevent these individuals from misusing such magnanimity and forgiving, the Verse ends in
“that He may recompense people, according to what they have earned.”
Some exegets have regarded the clause as a warning against disbelievers and sinners; nonetheless, some have considered it as a good tiding for believers because of their forgiveness and magnanimity. The clause may equally indicate good tidings for the latter and warning for the former.
Footnotes