At-Tawba (The Repentance)

3. “And (this) is proclamation from Allah and His Messenger to the people on the day of the great pilgrimage that Allah and His Messenger are quit of the polytheists. Yet if you repent, that will be better for you, and if you turn back, then know that you can not make futile Allah; and inform those who disbelieve of a painful punishment.”

Once more the Qur’ān announces the cancellation of the treaties of pagans with a stronger emphasis. It even assigns the date of its proclamation when the verse says:

“And this is proclamation from Allah and His Messenger to the people on the day of the great pilgrimage that Allah and His Messenger are quit of the polytheists…”

In fact, by this public proclamation in the land of Mecca and on that great day, Allah has shut the enemies’ ways of seeking pretext, and cut off the tongue of slanderers so that they might not say that they were seized unawares and were attacked unduely.

Then the verse addresses the pagans themselves and, through a kind of encouragement and warning, uses effort to guide them. At first, it implies that if they repent and return to Allah, with desisting from idolatry, it will be better for them. The verse says:

“…Yet if you repent, that will be better for you…”

That is, if they embrace Islam, the religion of Unity, it is good for their own selves both in this world and the next one. And, if they contemplate properly, they will understand that, under its ray, all disturbances will turn to peace and arrangement, and it is not so that their right belief brings any benefit for Allah (s.w.t.) and the Prophet (S).

After that statement, the Qur’ān warns the zealous and stubborn opponents, saying that if they disobey this command, which supplies their own happiness, they should know that they can never weaken Allah, nor are they able to go outside of His Might. The verse continues saying:

“…and if you turn back, then know that you can not make futile Allah...”

Finally, the verse alarms those who resist obstinately not to believe, and says:

“…and inform those who disbelieve of a painful punishment.”