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yā-ʾayyuhā lladhīna ʾāmanū ttaqū llāha wa-ʾāminū bi-rasūlihī yuʾtikum kiflayni min raḥmatihī wa-yajʿal lakum nūran tamshūna bihī wa-yaghfir lakum wa-llāhu ghafūrun raḥīmun
O you who have faith! Be wary of Allah and have faith in His Apostle. He will grant you a double share of His mercy and a light to walk by, and He will forgive you, and Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful;
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah al-Hadid - Verse 28
28. O you who believe! Fear Allah and believe in His Messenger such that He will give you a double portion of His Mercy and He will give you a light by which you shall walk in this world and the Hereafter and He will forgive you. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
The blessed Verse may address the Christians mentioned in the preceding blessed Verse encouraging them to truly observe monasticism and turning away from the world and believe in the Noble Prophet of Islam (S) after Jesus (as) such that they receive the rewards for believing in Jesus (as) and Muhammad (S). It is narrated from the Noble Prophet that those Christians who believed in him truly observed monasticism.26 It is worthy of note, however, that the preceding Verse and the one in question may be interpreted independently thereby Muslims may deepen their belief in God Almighty and His Messenger (S).
The phrase:
"a double portion of His Mercy"
(kiflayn min rahmatihi) may connote Divine Light and Divine Forgiveness. It may also reflect the portions mentioned elsewhere27 in the Holy Qur’an:
"O Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which good."
It is also said that the twain portions are rewards for believing in the Noble Prophet of Islam (S) and former Prophets, since any Muslim is obliged to believe in and respect all former Prophets and their Scriptures. Finally, pious believers shall be rewarded by Forgiving and absolution of sins, without which no Bounty shall be pleasing to man. In other words, man is supposed to feel secure from Divine torment and then he may find his path through the light of belief and fear of God Almighty and finally receive double portions of Divine Mercy.
It is noteworthy to say that according to the traditions narrated from Ahl al-Bayt (as), the word:
"light"
(nur) in this blessed Verse is applied to the infallible Imam representing Divine Light and followed by people.
Footnotes