Surah At-Tawba
Chapter 9 · Verse 114 · Revealed in Madinah
“And the request of forgiveness of Abraham for his father was only because of a promise he had made to him. But when it became apparent to Abraham that his father was an enemy to Allah, he disassociated himself from him. Indeed was Abraham compassionate and patient.”
Translation: Saheeh International
Listen to recitation
Mishary Rashid Alafasy
Reflection — Ibn Kathir
The Prohibition of supplicating for Polytheists
Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn Al-Musayyib said that his father Al-Musayyib said, "When Abu Talib was dying, the Prophet went to him and found Abu Jahl and `Abdullah bin Abi Umayyah present. The Prophet said,
«أَيْ عَمِّ، قُلْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلِّا اللهُ كَلِمَةً أُحَاجُّ لَكَ بِهَا عِنْدَ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَل»
Reflection — Maarif ul Quran
This put some Muslims into doubt. Was it not, they thought, that Sayyidna Ibrahim ؓ too had prayed for his disbelieving father? To answer it, the second verse (114) was revealed: مَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ. In gist, it means: As for the prayer made by Sayyidna Ibrahim ؓ for his father, it was conditioned by circumstances. In the beginning, Sayyidna Ibrahim ؓ did not know that he would keep on sticking to his disbelief right through the end and would die a disbeliever. In other words, his going to Hell was not certain. That was the time when he had made the promise that he would pray for his forgiveness: سَأَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكَ رَبِّي (I shall ask my Lord to forgive you - Maryam 19:47). Later, when it be-came clear to Sayyidna Ibrahim ؓ that he was an enemy of Allah, that is, he had remained a disbeliever right through the end, he elected to become indifferent to him and stopped asking pardon for him.
With regard to the mention of Sayyidna Ibrahim ؓ praying for the forgiveness of his father at different places in the Qur'an, it should all be taken in that sense, whereby it would mean that Allah may give him the taufiq of 'Iman and Islam so that he could be forgiven.
What does this verse bring up for you today?